How best to digitally improve this image?

[funkag]

Hi All,

 

I took this at a friend's wedding with a Canon 7 and 100-300 4.5-

5.6. Because of the slowness of the lens, I was unable to blur the

background enough, and I consider it to be distracting. Here at work

I have access to Photoshop 6.0, and was wondering what my PS options

are to tone down the background mess. Thanks.<div></div>

[gary evans]

Select the couple (there are a million ways to do this, so I won't get in to the easiest way as I'm sure the way I would do it is not the easiest...), invert your selection and apply the Gaussian Blur filter to your tastes.

 

Keep in mind that this won't be the same as lens bokeh because the degrees of blur would vary based on distance when done through the lens. PS will just apply an even blurring to the background.

 

Sometimes, exagerrated blurring of the background can have a nice effect...

[mendonphoto]

What Gary said, but don't worry about selecting the couple. Create a duplicate layer, blur the entire layer, and then create a mask. Paint the mask to selectively allow the couple to come through - unblurred.

[jackflesher]

Here is my 60-second go at it -->

 

Dupe layer, blur top layer, add layer mask, paint in to reveal sharp details.

 

Cheers,

jack<div></div>

[Jochen_S]

You could also select the crowd only and set an other (means higher and fitting)contrast on them.

Question of taste... 5 labrats = at least 8 different pictures.

[denisgermain]

For an even better result you could simulate the Depth of Field with the PScs filter called Lens Blur.

Here is a Tutorial for you: http://www.escrappers.com/lensblur.html

[dean_g]

You could incrementally blur towards the back to create a slightly more convincing OOF effect. There's also some plugins available, I think one called "Lenswork" (that I have yet to get) that effectively simulates various lens DOF effects. You might also burn the background a bit around the edges to bring attention to the couple. This picture attempts both. I'm still learning myself.. so be kind.<div></div>

[alexdi]

A bit of a hatchet job, but this seems about as much blurring as it would stand without looking retouched.

[brandonhamilton]

I think the original looks best.

[funkag]

Thank you all very much for your answers. I followed the advice and did some blurring plus some darkening and cloning (that blasted ladder...). I haven't gotten the print made yet, but hopefully you all sent me on the right track. Thanks again.