making misty edges the same size

[daisyhuff]

I was wondering if there was a way to make the misting effect of this picture even on all sides I cant seem to get it right i did not know if there was a way to make all the edges the same

thanks AGAIN


ps if you have any other suggestions that would make my graduation pics awesome please, i welcome the comments just have to remeber to tell me how ( i am a newbee) :)

[BobWarren]

The effect you have now is called a vignette. You can produce a similar dark to light transition from all four edges using layers, a stroke and the blur filter:
- First you need to eliminate the current vignette. Select the boy graduate and place him on a new layer. Turn off the visibility of the original image layer.
- Create a new layer below the layer with the boy.
- Select the entire image (CTRL-A on a PC).
- Now you want to put an even band of color around the edge of the picture. Go to Edit>Stroke and in the dialog box set the color you want the edge to be. Check the 'Inside' option and set the width (this will vary with the size of your image -- start with 10-20).
- Now go to Filters>Blur>Gaussian Blur and try different levels of blur with the preview option checked until you get one that gives you the effect you want.

[Diana]

Hi Daisy,

The problem you are having with not getting your vignette even all around the boy is because there isn't enough room around him to do a complete vignette.

You can add canvas around the photo and redo the vignette, this way:

Open the original photo.

Press Alt and double-click the background layer in the layers palette to make it a regular layer.

At the top of the layers palette, there is an icon to add a blank layer (the first icon on the left). Hold the Ctrl key and click that icon. This will add a blank layer beneath the layer with the boy.

Then add some area to that layer - from the menu: Image > Resize > Canvas Size - in the dimensions, double the Width & Height in inches

Fill that layer with White - from the menu: Edit > Fill Layer > Use: White

Now you have plenty of space to work with.

Make the top (boy) layer active in the layers palette by clicking on it. Then click the Create New Layer icon to create a blank layer above the boy layer.

Click on the Foreground color chip and set your blue color from a sample of his robe.

From the menu: Edit > Fill Layer > Use: Foreground Color

At the top of the layers palette, click the Opacity dropdown and temporarily lower the opacity enough so you can see the boy through the blue layer, but leave the blue layer active.

Get the Elliptical Marquee and on the image, drag out an oval selection where you want the "hole" for the boy to show through. Before releasing the mouse button from dragging the oval, if you press the spacebar, you'll be able to reposition the oval selection where you want it.

Feather the selection - from the menu: Select > Feather > enter 50 to 75 pixels.

Press the Delete key to delete the oval area.

Raise the Opacity back to 100% of the blue layer.

Turn on the Grid - from menu: View > Grid (this will help you keep everything even when you crop away the excess canvas).

Select the Crop tool and drag out the area you wish to keep, click the check mark, or press enter to crop.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1iqTXlVqJLF5nvApuijQ2bde8GiSE1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1iqTXlVqJLF5nvApuijQ2bde8GiSE1)

Hope you understand this, I did it in quite a hurry.

Diana