donkey

I really wanted the full shot of this little guy but I'm not good enough at photoshop to "clean up" the pasture (if you know what I mean!) It really stood out against the snow!! I just had to crop!!

[Gayle Sears]

That would be a challenge! I like the character in his face. Cute shot.

[Milanie]

I love this close-up shot - probably even better than a full shot - so much detail.

[Taffy]

What a cute face!

[Diane]

@thimblelady @milaniet @taffy thank you!

[Joan Robillard]

Can I make a suggestion. In photo shop with the main photo selected hit Ctrl J which make a copy of the picture on another layer. With the copy layer selected run Filter-Blur-Gaussian at about 15-20. Then click on the layer mask this puts a white mask on your picture (white reveals black conceals). Click on the brush and select a small soft brush. Hit d to set the colors to default and then x to put the black in the foreground. Now paint over what you want to be noticeable and not on the background. The donkey will be clear and the field blurred. You can combine the two when you are happy by hitting Ctrl e. I use this a lot. Cute donkey

[Diane]

@joansmor Thanks Joan I will try this tonight. I've used photoshop and layers but it was total hit and miss and I could never replicate what I did! I'm lost in photoshop. Also, I have elements 9 so I'm assuming these commands will work as they would in the full version of photoshop!

[Colleen Culhane]

I love it's eyes and thick fur

[Milanie]

@joansmor I am so glad for those instructions - have written them down - wondered how to do that for ages! - know you weren't commenting to me, but wanted you to know you made another person a happy camper today!

[Taffy]

@joansmor Very useful, Joan -- thanks!

[Diane]

@joansmor @milaniet @taffy :) @colleenculhane Thanks Colleen...almost looks like he's smirking, doesn't it?

[Julienne Jones]

What a lovely woolly face he has

[Diane]

@joansmor Hi Joan I tried this and I figured it out all the way to making the donkey clear and the background blurry but I hit control e and it combined the layers but the donkey was clear and the background was blurry...did I miss a step?

[Gena Pegg]

Adorable. Love that face.

[Joan Robillard]

@dianen I am very tired having worked until almost 10 pm last night which got me home around 11. But isn't the result you said above what you wanted - clear donkey - blurry background. A blurry back ground is less noticeable. If you want the background gone let me know. I can tell you that too.

[Diane]

@joansmor Oh! Sorry, I think I misunderstood what the final result would be! So then, yay! I did it! Thanks Joan!

[Joan Robillard]

@dianen You can turn down the saturation of the blur layer and this too makes it less noticeable. I have learned several tricks from my digital scrapbook sight.