SIMULATE EXPOSURE EFFECTS

Unable to shoot a long exposure in the field? Try this software alternative

1

SELECT THE SKY Use the Quick Selection Tool (W) and brush over the sky as precisely as possible. Click Refine Edge and use the Refine Radius Tool to make the selection edges more accurate. Ensure the Smart Radius box is checked, with the slider set higher for challenging edges, such as tree tops or vegetation.

2

ADD RADIAL BLUR Make your selection a new layer, but keep it active. Bring up the Radial Blur dialog (Filter>Blur>Radial Blur) and choose Zoom as the Blur Method. Select Best as the Quality and drag the Blur Centre so that the artificial horizon mirrors the actual horizon position in the image, then click OK.

3

SELECT FOREGROUND ELEMENTS If your scene contains water you will need to blur this too. Select the water, make a new layer from this and apply either a Motion or Radial Blur. Where the water is moving, try blurring without an active selection to create the impression the water is flowing over foreground elements.

4

CLEAN UP THE EDGES If necessary add a layer mask to the sky layer or other extracted element layers and remove blurring from areas into which this has spilled undesirably. Use a softer brush if a more feathered edge is required or, for revealing unblurred fine details, select these using a Lasso Tool and fill with black on a white mask.