Something that grinds my gears

[bgolds99]

It probably doesn't bother anyone else near as much, but something that i feel really detracts from a processed photo is fake DOF, or blurring sections of a photo to keep the eye away from it. I see wedding photographers do it all the time. It's fine (and can be great) if you are going to take the time to do it so that it looks real or natural, but just blurring a section of a photo for whatever reason really screws it up IMHO. Just makes it look completely unnatural.

Does anyone else notice this effect?

Cheers

[I @ M]

Does anyone else notice this effect?

Cheers

Quite often when the wedding photographer has been caught by surprise, hasn't had time to retake the shot and that blurring is the only way to remove the mother in law that photo bombed it. :D

[old dog]

yep Brad, sure do. I have done it as well to enhance a pic but you really have to be careful not to overdo it. Like doing a HDR and not overcooking it. Fake tilt shift is a fun thing to do if you have the right image.

[ameerat42]

I suppose there's nothing for it but to learn how to "double-clutch"...

[bowjac]

I tried this yesterday.

My results s**ked, but that was probably my Photoshop inability.

However, I have no issue with the concept. Use all tools at hand, I say.

[Wayne]

I think it is often done by those who don't have fast glass to get the shallow DOF they would like, so they use a huge helping of Gaussian Blur to try and make up for it. I have seen it done with a gradient and careful use of blur and it looked quite genuine, but I would say the one's who make it look fairly real are the one's Andrew mentioned above.

[bgolds99]

If you can make it look real, by all means, go for it.... good DOF is important to alot of photography.... but if the blurred sections or gradient blurs things that are on the focal plane... that ruins the image for me.

One example that i have seen a number of times from a few different photographers is where a couple has their photo taken in front of a textured wall or fence of some sort, with the wall mostly in sharp focus. Then the photographer goes and blurs the top and bottom of the photograph, including the subjects legs. ###.

[mini696]

I am not a big fan of "faking" photos, and as I explore my abilities I am trying to do it less and less. If you can do it well then sure go ahead, I cant stand it when it is done poorly and it hurt my eyes to look at.