How to Create Realistic Motion Blur with Masks in Photoshop

Photography Tips  •  Photoshop Tutorials

Before Changes

After Changes

This tutorial is to help you learn how to create the illusion of motion blur as easily as possible using masks and filters.  This technique works great with pretty much any kind of sports photo.  In this tutorial we will use a racing Jeep.  Ok, once you have your photo open in photoshop:

1. Make a Duplicate Layer of the Background Layer.
(Layer>Duplicate Layer)

2. With the new layer copy apply a motion blur filter.  (Filter>Blur>Motion Blur)

3. Add a Reveal All Layer Mask to the Layer copy or the top layer. (Layer>Add Layer Mask>Reveal All)

4. Then select a good sized paint brush, and wherever you don’t want the motion blur to appear, color that area black on the mask. And if you mess up simply color that area white again on the mask and the motion blur will come back.

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