[BLUR BG] - Blur Mode for Background

Topaz Photo AI Ideas
1

Please can we have a blur mode for backgrounds. Pointless having a perfectly sharp subject if the background is sharp as well.

2

This can be done in other programmes of course. What’s really need is the ability to save and export masks, as was the case with the no-longer-supported MaskAI. I have been suggesting this ever since PAI was introduced, but who knows if it will come in the promised major update in September?

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3

If it is introduced in September, then my licence for Photo AI will be just out of date which is very annoying as I already own Mask AI. That particular programme is not that accurate and needs a serious upgrade, but as we all know that is not going to happen. At times I feel very short changed as I purchased Mask AI in good faith thinking it would not be abandoned within a few weeks of my purchase.

4

I too own MaskAI, but I was lucky to get it for free as I did take part in the beta testing before it was last updated. But that is a long time ago now and the masking function is pretty outdated compared with what’s on offer in SAI and PAI.
I agree about being shortchanged. My copy of PAI expires next month as well, even though I still “own” one or more of its predecessors. Since there have been no updates of these, I shall be asking Topaz for an update to my PAI licence.

5

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. We’re working on improvements for the Remove Noise filter. It won’t be to intentionally blur the background but to selectively denoise.

6

I purposely bought Mask AI to specifically blur the background as this was sometimes a distraction as it was too sharp. It is all too easy to get a sharp subject, but to get a soft out of focus background is not that easy. I really cannot see why if you use masking for the subject in Photo AI, why you are not able to inverse the selection and introduce a blur tool. It sounds very simple to me, or am I missing something?

7

Technologically speaking, this would be relatively easy for us to implement. The reason why it hasn’t been introduced thus far is because we’ve been focused on objective image quality results whereas blurring the background is more of a subjective edit.

If the demand justifies the development though, we’ll be happy to add this feature. I’ve forwarded this feedback to my team.

8

Yes; please consider an option for enhancing background blur.

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9

I just wonder if my licence will elapse before I can enjoy the benefit of this improvement???

I just have another few weeks to go.

10

If that happens, please submit a support ticket at support.topazlabs.com and we’ll see what we can do :slight_smile:

Thanks for being a beta tester!

11

Thanks, that would be so good.

Can I mention something else here? When I am using Photo AI, The automatic noise reduction tends to ‘over smooth’ certain images, so I try to reduce this with the slider, but nothing seems to happen. I have found the only way to reduce this glassy effect is to revert back to the stand alone De-Noise application where I have more control.

Thanks

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12

Greatly appreciate the latest enhancement of the App. The possibility to add all the enhancements on top of each other and use the top notch masking in all kinds of ways is simply amazing. It makes me use this app much more often than before. The app is on its way to become a one stop editor!
Now, all these new possibilities make me think of an other possibility that would be much desired by me: The option to blur certain parts of the image, of course the background in particular. Even if it is out of focus, the Bokeh, in some situations is just too busy. And it would be handy to be able to tone this down in Topaz, instead of having to move the image to another editor (which may not have the tremendous masking capabilities of Topaz).
Many thanks for your great work!

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13

Thanks for the idea and suggestion! Make sure that you do not forget to vote for your idea :slight_smile:

14

With the Sharpening Feature, you can select the subject and sharpen it. I think it could additionally be handy to be able to do the opposite too, e.g. select the background and make it more blurry to push the focus of the subject even more.

15

Thanks for the idea and suggestion! Make sure that you do not forget to vote for your idea :slight_smile:

2 Likes
16

I would also like the ability to blur areas of an image in Topaz Photo AI in the same manor as the Sharpen tool. Perhaps it would have different model engines such as Gaussian Blur, Focus Blur, and Lens Blur ( as in Gimp ). This would be a very helpful feature.
I also like the idea of being able to export masks or to make areas transparent.
Thank you.

17

If the masking (selection overlay) could be inverted and if the zero point for the Sharpen slider could be at center (vs far left) then we could sharpen or soften selected subject(s) or their Inverse.

It would be helpful to have that functionality if a user doesn’t have a sophisticated host in which to run the Topaz product as a plugin


18

Now that we have background selection capabilities, could we have a “background blur” too?

19

Now that we have background selection capabilities, could we have a “background blur” too?

20

Agree totally with the growing number who are clamouring for a background blur facility.
It would greatly enhance the ‘face-recovery’ feature. Suggest that most portrait photographers would greatly welcome an (optional) automatic bokeh facility.
ÉH