blending/soft edges

[hope07]

hi I want to make the edges soft where 2 picutres meet in a wedding album Im making... I tried the marquee tool then feather... but nothing happens... any ideas?? thanks

[deedeeO]

What version of PSE do you have?

[Diana]

That can be done effectively using a layer mask. Here are some links with information that may help:

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=937
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/pselements/qt/layermasks.htm
http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/university/tutorials/PSE_MaskBlendEP.shtml

Diana

[cats4jan]

If you open the marquee tool - before you make any selection - set the feather that appears in the marquee tool line - your edges will then be misty - I suggest around a 15 at least - after you set the feather - then make your selection out of your photo - then

select> inverse
edit> cut

All that will be left is a soft edged photo.

EDIT EDIT EDIT
Just realized you do not have to cut
you do not have to do inverse

After you make your selection
choose edit> copy
edit>paste

your cropped soft edged photo will appear on it's own layer and the original will be unaffected.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1CgBDoGW6G7eILOMjlwyZVqwp65qR0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1CgBDoGW6G7eILOMjlwyZVqwp65qR0)

Excuse the sloppy selection - didn't bother to clean up the mess on the left - just wanted to show you how the soft edge would look on a colored background.

Here's one with a feather of 30
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1YnrZfPYc6FbBAzYcQZVgclxcVmox4_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1YnrZfPYc6FbBAzYcQZVgclxcVmox4)

[hope07]

Ok apparently I am doing something wrong.... I have 2 pictures right next to each other. I want to make where they meet "softer" like they are blended. These pictures are the background of a wedding album page...

I click the marquee tool...set the feather and nothing happens... Ive been at this for 3 days now... cant get anything to happen. Anyone ???

Thanks

[Juergen D]

Anyone ???
Hope, there have been quite a few suggestions. Did you check the links? Especially this one should get you on the right track:
http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/university/tutorials/PSE_MaskBlendEP.shtml

:)
Juergen

[JulieM]

I'm not exactly sure what you want to do. Do you have two photos to be used for a background and you just want them to blend smoothly together? If so, maybe the technique used in the Creative Homework in this (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18975&highlight=creative+homework) thread would do the trick. The Killer Tips video on clipping masks can be found here (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/subscriber/podcast.php?&action=archive). Hope it helps...

[cats4jan]

If you are starting with both photos on one layer - it's a whole new ballgame.

Now you are into "masks" to create a misty look around the photos.

Any chance you can go back to square one? Start with a new background and add your cropped photos?

[quillabee9]

Sometimes the "blur" tool, used slowly, works; sometimes it doesn't. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. The other suggestions should be tried first.