Photoshop - not blending properly

I am new to Photoshop so forgive me if I have overlooked something but despite using the elipse marquee tool to crop the photo and then masking it before applying the gaussian blur - the original edge of the photo is still faintly visible - see example below - a gift for a Thai friend and her new husband (when I can get it perfect).



I also need to know how to blend just the edges of a photo into a background image. I know this involves 'inversing' before blurring but I can't get the desired effect.

If anyone can help my first problem - fantastic.

Both?

Double fantastic.

Unless you get the positioning of the marquee and the blur just right, you can sometimes end up with a sharp edge, especially on dark images. You might also want to use the feather tool instead of guassian blur.

At the moment, it would probably be best to pick a large brush, turn the hardness down to 0% and paint onto the layer mask in question. That way you can blend it out by hand.

maybe just erase the edges with an eraser with blurred edges and a some opacity? not the most technical answer, but it will do the trick

postlapsaria said:

maybe just erase the edges with an eraser with blurred edges and a some opacity? not the most technical answer, but it will do the trick

Click to expand...

Thats what came to my mind as thats what i usually do. I use the eraser but i use a brush wth blurred edges. I bring down the opacity and the flow as the flow slowly erases instead of erasing instantly on click.

Never used the eraser tool but will try the feathering first... cheers.

How about my 2nd question?

I also need to know how to blend just the edges of a photo into a background image. I know this involves 'inversing' before blurring but I can't get the desired effect.

Click to expand...

I guess that would solve it because doing the blur the above way the edge of the photo would blend into nothingness (the white check background) before I dragged it onto the image and positioned it.

You could make a mask of the layer and on the mask put a B&W gradient to soften the edge. That would make the layer blend perfectly.

use a 300px eraser set to 0% hardness and erase along the spots where you want it to blend in.