I'd like to run DOF (Depth-of-Field) on this ring image, but I can't stand Bryce's garbage DOF "premium" setting. I need to use the grayscale, 8-bit distance map in Photoshop as a quantifier for blurring. Meaning, I need the whites to be blurrier, and the blacks to be more focused, when applied to the original image. I posted this in the Photoshop forum, and looked everywhere, but alas... Perhaps you wonderful regulars can help me? Here's the initial image (although shrunken and dithered...)

And here is the image I want to use to drive the blur...

oh, I have tried this exact same thing a million times! Everyone told me to just make one blurred layer and one sharp layer and then to use that distance mask as a mask for the blurred layer.
It doesn't gradually increase the radius of your gausian blur though like I think you're trying to do? I've never found a solution to that... maybe some smart programmer should program something like that some time, that would be awesome if you ask me :D

Message edited on: 01/07/2005 05:46

Yeah, I use the distance map in photoshop ALL the time now for DOF blurring, SO much faster.

Anyway (I) do this in Photoshop;

I copy/paste the two pics into one layered image.

I select all, and copy the distance render.

In the Channels tab, I click the "Create New Channel" icon, then "ctrl+v" pastes it into that channel.

Then click "Selection", "Load Selection", and choose "aplha 1"

This loads that distance render.

In Layers switch to the color render and apply the gaussian blur to whatever degree you desire.

*Notes - before applying the Gaussian blur I usuall "ctrl+h", which hides the selection lines, so you can more accurately guage the blur effect (imho)

• I also some times apply the following to the distance render before doing any of the above; "Image>Adjustments>Auto Levels". This will make the distance render much contrasted and can heighten the blurring affect when you do apply it.

AgentSmith

Message edited on: 01/07/2005 05:54

It seems like it would be so simple...

Alas... (sorry, cross-posted with you AS, maybe it IS so simple?)

Message edited on: 01/07/2005 05:52

does the alpha controll the actual radius of the blurr?

Yeeeeeeessss, so to speak...the blurring is directly controlled by the alpha (which is the distance render). Basically, black is no blurring, white is 100% of whatever blur level you are applying, and any gray in between....falls in between. Sorta like using an image to make a terrain (white is high, black is low) AS

Exactly what I'm looking for, Agent Smith.... Thank you very, very much! I've been trying to pull this off for years...

The only drawback is that only what is immediately in front of the camera (or infinite distance if you invert the map) is in focus. You are unable to do a blur/sharp/blur and have no control over it as an artistic element. That's why I stuck with the premium settings when I needed one. In photoshop can you adjust the blur to greylevel gradient non-uniformly?

Aye, I think I follow what you're saying, Incarnadine. The reason this came up tonight is that the above render is already as premium as I need it to be. Turning on DOF in Bryce would drive this file (and PC) to it's knees. I can't afford 3 or 4 days of downtime right now... It's not a necessary thing just yet, but I needed to be able to automate the process for use in AE later this month, and the ring was just a test for that, really. Then it got out of hand... I had hoped to use True Ambience on this one, too, but with all the reflections/refractions and ridiculous materials the render times were just preposterous... I'm off to try rendering the ring in Maya to see how that turns out...

let us know how it goes- This would be a snap in C4D, curious to see how maya handles.

Incarnadine, I still have to check this but my theory is that if you take 2 copy's of your distance mask and adjust the brightness curve of one of the copy's to clamp the forgound blurring, and adjust the other one to clamp the background blurring, you can combine those two again to drive a blur/sharp/blur DOF effect.

AS, Thanx very, very much indeed! I've been trying to drive the radius of a gausian blurr for as long as I can remember using a 2D app other then MSpaint! lol

No problem. Yeah, as Incarnadine is saying the limitation is, Bryce always makes a distance render exactly the same, which means you can basically do one of 3 actions; blur the foreground. blur the background. blur both the foreground and background (leaving any objects in the middle in focus) This is why I am suggesting to DAZ that Bryce (6) NEEDS to be able to render a distance image, based not upon purely distance, but upon what object you have selected. (just like the dof in Bryce already works) So whatever object you have selected would be darkest in the distance render, no matter where it was in the scene, etc, etc. AS

Aye, but using a distance AND object mask blend, one could possibly do that effect, as well, AgentSmith? This is much more what I had in mind for this render... Thanks for your help, AS, I knew I should have brought this up in the Bryce forums long ago.

Attached Link: http://forum.daz3d.com/viewtopic.php?t=9856

I found this thread on the Daz Bryce forum very useful for quick reference...... I've been searching for a good PS tutorial I had on the subject, but can't lay my hands on it. AS's method looks good, must try that.

Message edited on: 01/07/2005 08:45

It's more time consuming, but yeah, to a degree you definetely could. I've "painted" my own "blur" maps before, so yeah, its possible. I must admit, I use DOF blurring too much, lol, I'm just a sucker for the effect. ;o) A couple other very small, subtle things that can be done to renders; DOF photography - quite a number of times a blurry, distant background will also have grain/noise to it. So, in addition to using the distance render in photoshop to give me a selection for blurring, I will use the same to apply noise to the background. When light hits an object, that point/area of that object will lose its color saturation. If it doesn't occur how I want in Bryce, I will further that effect in post. And, vice-versa, areas that are darker can seem deeper in color. This is another affect that I will sometimes again use the distance render, as a selection, and make the foreground or background either a little more or less color saturated. Btw, I will sometimes also use the distance render as a darkening layer for my render; I take the distance render and apply the "Image>Adjustments>Auto Levels". I then invert (negative) it, position it as a layer abover my color render, set its blending to "Multiply", and its opacity to around 50%. This gives me a dark background, as if the foreground was being lit. Sometimes it looks good, sometimes it just doesn't. ;o) AS

Aye, a wonderful technique, AgentSmith. In the last image, I used this techinque to drive multiple advanced filters. Melancholytron, and Aetherize, from Flaming Pear. And of course the inevitable KPT6 Equalizer. EQ has changed my life, in many ways, and to me is the difference between a finished image and a WIP. And I'm starting to love Photoshop itself, it's such a great program!