Free Photo Editing Software/Online/Download? - Page 1

After seeing tons of nice pictures with beautiful focus (not sure if it is 100% the camera or if the photos were touched up) I have started looking for a photo editing software/download that allows me to selectivly blur/soften the background of images without affecting the WHOLE image.

I already have paint.net and used picnick.com before it closed, but even those don't have a selective blur tool to create the image of "fancy focus". Where the subject is bright, and the background is muted, dulled or "out of focus".

Here is a few examples of what I'm talking about:

**DISCLAIMER: I am not claiming or implying ANY of these pictures are mine, I simply "Googled" the term 'Fancy Focus' and found these.**

This is camera and not software. imo

I don't think there is a software to do what you want but I am no expert.

Thanks GSD,

I DID find a free downloadable software that does something SIMILAR to what I wanted. I even played with a few pictures.

BEFORE EDITING:




AFTER EDITING USING SOFTWARE:







BEFORE EDIT:







AFTER EDITING:




There is still fine tuning I'll need to work on, but I did achieve my desired effect on the photo.

I used gimp.com to do this, used the Blur effect.

I looked at the dog tag and the first is clear and the second is blurred so it works a little. It looks like it blurs everything and not just the background. A good lens and camera would blur it properly. I have like 5 different photo editing softwares from the expensive to cheap and I could never get it to blur what was needed only. A good person to ask is Keith Grossman, he could explain way better than I am.

One more example us using GIMP.com

BEFORE EDITING:




AFTER EDITING:

About the tag blur, that was a selective blur to make his "face pop" so to speak. I hate shooting in ISO, which the head shot was.



I'd give anything for a great camera, great lenses and the knowledge to use them, for now, this free tool will help a little until I "make it big" and can afford that nice new camera I so desire 

It took me some saving to buy my Nikon and lens but I did it, now I just need to learn how to use it.

Hahahaha, it's like PhotoShop, I once dated a guy who's business WAS editing photos with Photoshop, he literally had a MANUAL to use the darn program!!!! He said it felt like college again to learn to use it.


Well, I gave it one more, non-dog-related shot. My engagement ring that Nickolis proposed to me with. I think THIS one shows the effect to a little bit better of an angle than the Beau edits did.


Whatcha think?

BEFORE EDITING:




AFTER EDITING:

I was gonna suggest Gimp, but I see you already have it. :D

Theres also a program out there called Paint Shop Pro 9 (that's what I have) and there is a soften tool on that that you can sort of manually blur things... there's also a blur tool, but I haven't played around with that one much. It's not free, but I bought this a few years ago on ebay for a pretty decent price, and being an older version, I wouldn't think it'd be too much now. Just a thought.

I love your pup, he is just too cute!! He looks a lot like his brother Auggie in the face.



If you can ignore the big watermark, this picture is natural with the camera... not cropped, not "touched up", not blurred, nuthin'. The only thing added with the program was my annoying watermark.

This is taken with my Canon Rebel XSi. Top of the line in it's prime, but now is kind of outdated... still takes some good shots though. It doesn't cost nearly as much as it did back in its day now, so if you are looking for a nice "fancy" inexpensive camera, it would be something to think about. That being said, some of those new little digital cameras take some pretty nice pictures nowadays too.

Also (and this is just a tip I learned the hard way, LOL) if you save as .png instead of .jpg or .jpeg after editting, you will get clearer pics.