Blur edges of photo in PS Elements 2.0

[hihowdy]

Excuse my ignorance. I am brand new to PS and digital photography...

I am trying to add a picture to a document and want to first make it black and white and then blur the edges so it kind of fades out. I think i got the b & w part just image--mode--grayscale?? Is this correct

The only way I could get close to the result i want is by selecting image styles--layer effects--circular vignette.

This takes too much of my picture away and what if i don't want it to be an oval?

Any help would be appreciated :)

Thanks so much

[Scottes]

There are many ways to convert to B&W. There's a tutorial or two in the Sticky "Tutorials" post at the top of this forum. Also try http://www.thelightsright.com/DigitalDarkroom/PhotoshopTools.htm for a nice tutorial and action.

For the fade, you mean like this?
http://www.itsanadventure.com/postimages/Wolf_55668fade.jpg

Create a new layer. Select that new layer.
Grab the Marquee tool, the circular one.
Draw a Marquee how you want it. Move it to where you want.
Select... Invert.
Select... Feather... 20 pixels (that's what I used. It would probably look better with 30, or even more. It depends on how "slowly" you want it to fade.)
Grab the Paint Bucket and use Black - or whatever color.
Click in the top corner, NOT on the part you want to save.
Layer... Flatten... Save the image.
20 seconds...

It make take a few tries, but since you're doing this on another layer it won't hurt the image. If it doesn't look right then just delete the layer and try again.

Also try the polygonal Marquee for some interesting effects.