threads Threads 4

How do I really make the backround smudge into itself, and let the

foreground be crisp and do the talking?

Have you tried selective blurring and sharpening in layers using masks?

Kelvin is quite right, although I don't feel this particular image foreground needs sharpening. You can also use a gradient layer on top to darken or desaturate the top, much the same as blurring (one might call it 'fading'). You can also play with the Hue/Saturation filter in PhotoShop with a gradient mask, or a selection, to play with the background. If PSE stands for PhotoShop Elements, I'm not sure if you have the tools.

I like the threads series but I think the images could be enhanced with more manipulation in PhotoShop. Fabrics offer exciting possibilities for images, but they seem underutilized to me, outside of fashion photography. You should do a lot more of these, if so inclined, but don't expect too much interest from PN because these don't fit the labels people attach to their likes.