Attached Link: http://www.lunacore.com/photoshop/tutorials/tut020.htm

Have either of you looked at the unsharpen mask method. There is a tut at this url http://www.lunacore.com/photoshop/tutorials/tut020.htm, see the blur part on page 2 of the tut.

You just reverse what the tut is talking about and blur the background and sharpen the up close items. Not knowing how you layout looks and how many up clsoe items you have vs far aways tiems, I use this method frequently when I want to zero in on a specific area either by bluring it or the reverse not bluring it in relation to the rest of the image.

Gary

"Those who lose themselves in a passion lose less than those who lose their passion"