How to Blur the Edges of a Photo in Photoshop

Blurring the edges of an image, known as vignetting, is an effect commonly used to increase the appeal of a photo. Adobe Photoshop CC is the best image editing software to blur edges and makes a photo aesthetically appealing. Learning how to blur edges in Photoshop can help blend images when stitching them together as a professional photographer.

How to Blur the Edges of a Photo in Photoshop Using Multiple Methods

For Photoshop beginners, learning how to blur edges in Photoshop like a professional photographer may seem challenging. However, once you get the hang of it, you will find that it is straightforward and you can use different methods to blur the edges of a photo in Photoshop. The same is the case with blurring the edges of a photo.

Among several intuitive ways to blur the edges of an image in Photoshop, I are going to focus on four methods which you can use to create a blurred photo edge with a dreamy effect. 

Before explaining these techniques, make sure you are working with high-resolution images for the best results. Let me focus on four easy ways to blur the edges of a photo in Photoshop. Note that this tutorial assumes your Photoshop windows are in normal viewing mode.

Method One: Feather Adjustment

Adjusting the feather is the commonly used method to blur the edges of an image in Photoshop, as it allows you to vary the softness or hardness of the edges. 

1. Launch Photoshop, go to File, select Open and a pop-up window will appear. Find your image from the file explorer window that opens if using a windows computer or the mac finder if using a mac, select it and then click Open. Alternatively, press Ctrl + O on Windows or Cmd + O on Mac to open the image file location. 
2. Duplicate the layer in the layers panel by right-clicking on it and selecting the Duplicate Layer option. Alternatively, use Ctrl + J or Cmd + J shortcut keys. 
3. Convert the layer into a smart object by selecting in the layer panel. Right-click on it and select Convert to Smart Object.
4. To use the Feather Adjustment tool, select the Brush Tool and then right-click on your canvas to open the Brush Preset panel. 
5. Usually, a hardness slider will appear, which you can use to vary the amount of feather your brush has. For a soft-edged brush, set the hardness to 0%, 50% for a medium-brush and 100% for a hard-edged brush.

Make a Selection

6. There are various tools you can use to select objects in Photoshop such as the quick selection tool, elliptical marquee tool or the Lasso to make a freehand selection.
7. Note that the Rectangular Marquee tools create rectangular selection while the elliptical marquee tool makes oval and circular shapes on the photo you want to add blur. Here, I am using the Rectangular Marquee tool for my feather adjustment to create a rectangular blurred effect. On the options bar, grab the tool from the left hand toolbar, and drag out a selection on the inner areas of the image edge 
8. (It’s up to you to choose a larger or smaller selection.) You will see a dotted line that looks like a line of marching ants.

Select Feathering Value

9. After making the selection, make sure the layer is selected in the panel as it’s where you want to add the feather effects.
10. Go to the Select menu, and from the Modify submenu, select Feather.
11. On the Marquee tool, double-click to view the Tool Options panel then select Feather from the Tool Options bar. Choose a moderate level of feather radius. Preferably, choose a range between 5 and 10 for best results. Note that the feather radius determines the size of your blur on the image edge. If you feel the feather radius is not enough, you can increase the amount later on the feathered edge 
12. Click OK to confirm the feather settings.
13. You will not see the feather effect yet since you have not blurred any edge. Don't worry. Go ahead with the next steps to complete the feathering process.

Copy Selection Onto a New Document

14. You can now copy the selection of the edge you made earlier. Press CTRL+C on Windows or CMD+C on Mac. 
15. Open a new document in Photoshop by choosing File from the menu bar and selecting New document. Adjust the setting on the Preset Details before creating the New Document.
16. Go to Canvas Size and choose the appropriate canvas size by entering in the desired values of the new document in width and height. 
17. Click OK, and the canvas size will usually change without tempering with the content. 
18. Paste your selection of the edge to blur on the new document by pressing CTRL+V (Windows) or CMD+V (Mac).

Fill the Background

Go to New Filter Layer on the Layers Panel and select Solid Color. Your selection with its faded edges is now visible. You can later fill it with any solid color that you like using the gradient tool. 

Method Two: Vignette

A vignette is a dark or light border effect on the perimeter of an image you can adjust using the adjustment sliders. There is an Adobe Camera Raw vignetting option that can help you blur the edges of an image in Photoshop. 

1. Open the whole image on which you want to blur the edges of a in Photoshop.

Convert Layer For Smart Filters

2. Unlike the feathering process, select the layer. Go to the Filter menu and select Convert for Smart Filters. This will let you apply the Camera RAW Filter for Vignette and make sure that the process is non-destructive.

Open Vignette Filter

3. Now go to the menu bar once again and open Camera Raw Filters.
4. In the dialog box that opens, choose the FX in the options bar from the right panel.
5. Scroll down to Post Crop Vignette. 

Adjust Vignette Settings

6. On the Lens Correction Window, adjust the Vignette effect by varying the value from the Custom tab. Simply use the two sliders to make the amount and midpoint adjustments on the image. 

Method Three: Gaussian Blur

The Gaussian Blur Photoshop feature adds a faded edge to your photo. The technique involves three very simple steps, and you don’t need more tutorials. Simply learn and practice it to get rid of the hard edges.

1. Import your image file you want to add blur in Photoshop.
2. Duplicate the layer by pressing CTRL + J on Windows or CMD + J on Mac.
3. Select the duplicate in the panel.

Select Edge Area

4. Using the Rectangular Marquee Tool from the toolbar, create a selection of the border area of the edge of the photo you want to blur. You can use the Elliptical Marquee Tool if you want circular or oval selections. You can also click the quick mask mode to view your selection. Typically, the quick mask mode adds a red overlay to cover the region outside the line of marching ants. 

Inverse Selection

5. Inverse the selection to choose the outside of the borders instead of the inner side of the selection. Press Ctrl + Shift + I if you are using a Windows computer or Cmd + Shift + I if you are using a Mac. Hold Shift and select the area you would like to increase the border selection. 
6. Hold Alt on the windows computer or Option if you are using a Mac and then select where you would like the borders to shrink.

Apply the Blur

7. Unlike the feathering method, hover to the Blur option. From the submenu, select Gaussian Blur.
8. In the dialog box that appears, choose a medium value to add a subtle blur to the edges of a photo. For a strong blur effect, increase the value. 

The Gaussian blur filter adds a very smooth transition between the edges and the photo, making it a perfect method to merge two or more images beautifully.

Method Four: Add Inner Glow Using the Photoshop Layer Style

The last blur method adds a white glow around the edges, adding a dreamy effect to the images. 

1. Open the whole image in Adobe Photoshop CC.

Duplicate Layer

2. Create a duplicate of the layer by right-clicking on it and selecting “Duplicate Layer.”
3. Select the Duplicate to work on softening the edges.

Open the Photoshop Layer Style Options

4. Double click on the duplicate to launch the Layer Style panel. This panel lets you add a variety of effects to the layers. In my cases, it’s the blur effect. 

Choose Inner Glow Settings

5. In the Layer Style panel, choose the Inner Glow from the left side. 

6. Choose the Screen blend mode and increase the Opacity slider. Typically, the screen mode inverts, multiplies and inverts back
7. From the Elements section, click on Edge and increase the Size slider.

How to Blur a Specific Edge of the Image

If you want to add blur that will add a dreamy effect to your photo in Photoshop, you might need to only blur some specific edges of the photo instead of the whole image. You can isolate the edge you want to blur using the blur filters or a solid color fill.

Using the Gaussian Blur

Unlike the blur options used above when blurring all edges using the Photoshop Gaussian effects, you will need to convert the layer to a smart object when you want to blur specific edges. Smart object in Photoshop is a layer with similar photo information to a normal layer, only that there are no permanent pixel changes, and you can edit it later. Typically, the layer mask helps you hide part of the image without erasing it. 

1. Before you edit the image, duplicate the layer to be on the safe side in case of an error. On the layer panel, right-click the background layer and choose Duplicate Layer.
2. Right-click your photo layer and then choose to Convert to Smart Object.  A Smart Object will allow you to edit and blur your photo without causing degradation.
3. Zoom in on the image so you can have a clear view of the photo when making a selection.
4. Create a path around the image using any photoshop selection tool and zoom in the image. In case of an error, use Ctrl + Z for Windows or Cmd + Z for Mac to undo.
5. Navigate to the menu bar and click on Filter, choose Blur and then select Gaussian Blur.
6. Press the R key on the keyboard to open the radial gradient tool. Typically, the radial gradient adjusts circular or oval paths in a photo.
7. Change the Radius depending on how much blur you want your image using the radial gradient tool. The blur Radius is the distance in length that the blur deviates to the Gaussian function.  If you're unfamiliar with a radius option, it’s advisable to put a radius of 45 to 60 pixels. 
8. Select your smart layer mask on the layer mask icon then invert it by hitting the keyboard shortcut keys ctrl + I if you're using a Windows PC or command + I if you're using a Mac. Typically, this will make your layer mask black and your blur will be invisible 
9. Press letter G on your keyboard to pick the gradient tool, and then set the foreground to transparent. The gradient tool blends colors evenly and makes a transparent background on the layer mask.
10. Select white as the foreground color, and then select linear-gradient
11. You can now  blur the edges of the photo you want by clicking and dragging out from the specific edge of the photo with the smart filters layer mask selected. 

Using Color Fill

You will need to make a new color fill layer in order to blur specific photo edges using the solid color fill option.  

1. Navigate to Layer, choose New Fill Layer and then select Solid Color. It is advisable to rename it to avoid confusion of your layer organization in the layers panel 
2. With a color fill layer created, select the color of your choice in the color picker window. Click OK to confirm 
3. In the layers panel, click and drag the new color fill layer and put it underneath the photo layer
4. On the Layers panel, select the layer and then click the Add layer mask option from the option bar. A white layer mask thumbnail will appear on the selected layer.
5. Like the steps for using the gaussian blur filter, press letter G on your keyboard to pick the gradient tool, and then set the foreground to transparent 
6. Select white as the foreground color, and then select linear-gradient
7. You can now blur the edges of the photo you want by clicking and dragging out from the specific edge of the image with the smart filters layer mask selected. Alternatively, use the Lasso or Marquee tools on the left hand of the screen, set the feather radius and then adjust the blur effect on the image edges.
8. Press the Q key on your keyboard, a preview will pop up, bringing up a quick mask showing how the selection will look like with a line of marching ants. The smart filters layer mask gives you control over which part of the image will be affected by the blur.

What Other Tools Can I Use to Blur the Edges in Photoshop?

There are other Photoshop tools for creating blur edges in Photoshop. For example, you can use the Opacity Slider for layers to fade a border selection on an image.

Just create a selection of the image edge using tools such as a rectangular or elliptical tool and then separate them using CTRL + J (Windows) or CMD + J (Mac). After that, decrease the opacity slider to add a blurry effect to the borders.

You can also rely on tutorial guides on how to use the Blur effect or the Median to create the hazy effect on image boundaries that looks like a graphic design.

Conclusion

Learning how to blur edges in Photoshop can help you add a dreamy effect to your real estate interior photos. Typically, you can blur the edges directly in Photoshop using the feather adjustment or gaussian blur, and you can blur indirectly using the Adobe Camera Raw vignette adjustments.