Adding a touch of subtlety or confidentiality to a snapshot can be easily achieved with the built-in photo editing features on your iPhone. Blurring part or all of a photo is a simple way to create emphasis or hide unwanted details, and you can do it in just a few taps.
The iPhone camera and Photos app provide a couple of methods to blur a photo. We’ll walk you through two common techniques: using the ‘Smart Blur’ effect in the Camera app, and the ‘Bokeh auto’ effect during or after taking a picture. We’ll also explain how to manually adjust the blur after a photo has been taken.
Using the Smart Blur Effect while Taking a Photo
The iPhone’s Smart Blur feature allows you to blur the background (Bokeh effect) or a specific area of the photo while capturing an image. This is particularly useful when you want to create a depth of field, making the subject stand out.
Here’s how to use it:
Enabling Smart Blur
First, open the Camera app and tap on the ‘+’ icon at the top right of your screen, which will open the ‘Effects’ menu. Then, scroll down and tap on ‘Smart’.
You’ll see a lever indicating the level of blur. Drag it to the right to increase the blurring effect or to the left to decrease it. When you’re satisfied with the level of blur, click the shutter button to take the photo.
Adjusting Smart Blur after Taking a Photo
If you’ve taken a photo with the Smart Blur effect but aren’t happy with the result, you can adjust the blur level post-capture. Here’s how:
Open the Photos app, select the photo, and tap on ‘Edit’. At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see the ‘Smart Blur’ adjustment lever. Drag it to the right to increase the blur or to the left to decrease it. Once you’re satisfied with the result, tap ‘Done’.
Using the Bokeh Auto Effect with Portrait Mode
The Bokeh auto effect, available in Portrait Mode, automatically adjusts the depth of field in your image, creating that professional ‘depth of field’ look by blurring the background while keeping the subject sharp.
Here’s how to use it:
Taking a Portrait Photo
Open the Camera app and swipe the options at the bottom of the screen until you see ‘Portrait’. The camera will automatically focus on the subject in front of the lens, and the background will be blurred.
You can adjust the intensity of the blur effect by dragging the ‘f’ lever at the bottom of the screen to the right (for more blur) or to the left (for less blur). Once you’re ready, click the shutter button to take the photo.
Manually Adjusting the Blur after Taking a Portrait Photo
Similar to the Smart Blur effect, you can manually adjust the depth of field effect after a portrait photo has been taken. Open the Photos app and select the portrait image. Tap on ‘Edit’, then tap on ‘Portrait’. You’ll see a similar ‘f’ lever to the one in the Camera app, which allows you to adjust the blur intensity after the fact. Once you’re happy with the result, tap ‘Done’.
Now that you’ve mastered blurring your photos on the iPhone, it’s time to get creative! Experiment with different effects, subjects, and lighting conditions to see what beautiful, subtly blurred photos you can create.
