background selection

Hoping for help with a Photoshop processing question.

I use Photoshop CS2 and would like to blur out a grass background on a shot of a Barn Owl. I've tried to select the area manually but once its blurred I get a "halo effect" which I'm unhappy with.

Is it possible to select or copy the green using an RGB channel (the green channel clearly)? I know there are other colours lurking in the background, but could always add these separately.

Nice shot. Look at the "Russell Brown Tips & Techniques: Advanced Masking" link in Selecting areas in PS.

Many thanks for the information.

I'll need to read and digest what it says. In the meantime I've redone the blurring/erasing BUT WITH A BIT MORE CARE and it seems to be OK this time.

This is a little easier in CS6, but here’s a method that will work in CS2.

1) Make your selection from the BG layer and then Save as a selection. Copy selection to a new layer (layer 1) and turn layer off.
2) Click on the BG layer, load selection, inverse, and copy to a new layer (layer 2).
3) Now use the clone tool to basically extend the transparent area, don’t have to be real picky here.
4) Lock the transparent pixels on this layer and use Gaussian blur at choice of settings.
5) Turn Layer 1 back on.
6) Place a mask on Layer 2 and use the Gradient tool to blend transition.

Hope this helps.

Dennis,

Yet another method. My grateful thanks.

I've also addressed the variety of other issues that jumped out at me in post processing and its now much better than the straight out of camera version I presented here.

This little treasures name was Biscuit by the way.