( TIP: If you’re not a fan of sliders, you can also click the number to the right of the slider and simply type in the value you would like to use). From there, simply drag the sharpness slider all the way back to -100. I usually begin by selecting the default ‘Sharpness’ menu item. These options are very similar for each tool. Next you will need to set the blur effect that you want to be applied to your image using the Lightroom brush, radial filter or graduated filter tool options. Select ‘New’ and then click on the arrows to open up your menu of selections. You can blur a background in Lightroom using any one or more of these 3 tools:ĭepending on the option you choose, first click on the brush, radial filter, or graduated filter icon just below your histogram in Lightroom. Regardless of which option you choose, the first 2 steps are identical. I’m going to walk you through 3 different (and easy) ways to blur the background in Lightroom. Getting this right in camera is preferable, but did you know you can fake a background blur in Lightroom pretty easily? With the skillful use of brushes and filters, you’can hardly tell the difference. Or maybe like me, you just simply forgot to adjust your aperture? Don’t worry, I won’t tell if you won’t. Have you ever have those times when you wish you’d shot something with a wider aperture, so your image would have that dreamy background blur behind your subject?