Reducing depth of field (DOF)

[Sarkut]

It would probably take about twenty minutes to do another similar picture.

This one took longer due to some trial and error of working out how best to do it.

Didn't time it though.

When I tried using Unfocus instead of Gaussian, it produced a darkening effect

that I didn't like in the area where the hole was being filled in.

The final blurring with Unfocus made the background look better overall

than doing an equivalent amount of blurring with Gaussian only.

[testerp]

I'm slowly gaining on this process but I still find it difficult to select with the lasso.

I can't seem to find the correct zoom level on the subject to use to trace the border. If I don't zoom in enough then my tracing (is that the correct term) is not as accurate as it should probably be. If I zoom in too close the border of the subject gets rather blurry.

What level should I be zooming in or does it not really matter with the process that Sarkut described above?

[Sarkut]

Use whatever zoom level works best for you or is most comfortable to work with.

I would use a zoom of 600% to make a zone of selection at the edge of the blossoms,

then zoom out to add to the selection in the interior of the blossoms.

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There are other ways of cutting out the blossoms and stems.

This tutorial shows a way to use the Line / Curve tool to draw an enclosed area

on a separate layer that can be used with the Magic Wand to make the selection.