Bokeh Effect in Photoshop

Today we will learn how to create a Bokeh effect in Photoshop. It will give your images an aesthetically blurred background where points of light appear like bubbles. Bokeh is a really popular effect used to add some flair to images, creating a dreamy environment to subtly showcase your subjects.

We are using this party stock photo, but you can check out our photos of people if you would like another option.

Step 1 - Add a New Layer to Image

In Photoshop, open the image you want to apply the effect to. Since our image was too sharp, we blurred the background to better create the bokeh effect.

Then, create a New Layer by clicking on the button icon at the bottom of the Layers Panel. Name this layer Bokeh 1.

Step 2 - Create a Bokeh Brush

Select the Brush Tool (B) and pick a rounded brush with 100% Hardness.

Then, click on the small folder icon on the top menu to open the Brushes Panel. There, in the Brush Tip Shape tab, set the Size and Spacing to 150%.

In the Shape Dynamics tab, set the Size Jitter to 40% and leave everything else at 0%.

In the Scattering tab, make sure to check the Both Axes box. Then set Scatter to around 250%, Count to 1%, and Jitter to 0%.

Finally, in the Transfer tab set the Opacity Jitter to 50%

Save Your Bokeh Brush

To save our brush for future use, click on the Create New Brush button at the bottom of the panel.

Give your newly created brush a name and click OK.

Step 3 - Apply the Bokeh Brush

Now, you can use the brush to add the bokeh effect to your image. You should find the Bokeh Brush thumbnail inside the Brushes Panel.

Make sure that you are working on the Bokeh 1 layer. Select either white or a light yellow as the Foreground color. We used the color #e5e058 and increased the brush size to 650 px.

You can increase or decrease the brush size to your needs. Then click + drag over your canvas to paint the circles on the layer.

Step 4 - Convert Bokeh Layer into Smart Object

Once the effect has been added, right-click on top of the layer thumbnail. Now choose Convert to Smart Object.This will make sure that any filter or modification applied to that layer is non-destructive.

Step 5 - Adjust the Bokeh Layer

Next, we are going to give a more realistic look to the Bokeh 1 layer. We will do this by adjusting the blending mode and opacity. We will also apply a filter to smooth everything out.

Adjust Opacity and Blending Mode

First, change the Blending mode to Soft Light and decrease the Opacity to about 50%.

Apply a Gaussian Blur Filter

To smooth out the bokeh effect, we need to add a slight blur to it. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Set the Radius to around 10.0 px and click OK.

Step 6 - Add a Second Bokeh Layer

To add more detail, create a new layer on top of everything then name it Bokeh 2.

Adjust the brush to a smaller size than before. Change the Foreground color to a lighter shade. Now repeat Steps 3 - 5 to add the second Bokeh effect. We used the color #e5feb3 and changed the brush size to 500 px.

Change the Blending Mode

We used Overlay as the Blending Mode on this second bokeh layer.

Apply Gaussian Blur Filter to Layer

Then, apply a Gaussian Blur filter to this layer. This time, set the Radius to around 6.0 px and click OK.

Step 7 - Add Layer Styles to Second Bokeh Layer

We are going to mimic some light reflection effects on the Bokeh 2 layer using Layer Styles.

Double click on top of the Bokeh 2 layer thumbnail to open the Layer Style panel. We applied the following values.

On the Satin tab use:

Blend Mode: Lighten

Color: #e4d47d

Opacity: 30%

Angle: 90º

Distance: 250 px

Size: 250 px

Contour: Rounded

Antialiased: Checked

Invert: Checked

On the Outer Glow tab use:

Blend Mode: Screen

Opacity: 17%

Noise: 0%

Color: #e9df8e

Technique: Softer

Spread: 0%

Size: 38%

Contour: Cone

Antialiased: Unchecked

Range: 10%

Jitter: 0%

Click OK to close out the Layer Style tab.

We have just finished adding a really cool bokeh effect to our image. This created a magical flair that enhanced the festive vibe of the image quite nicely.

If you prefer a ready-made option, do have a look at our bokeh overlays. You can then quickly add some great effects by following our guide on how to use overlays in Photoshop. We hope that you enjoyed this tutorial and have been inspired to take your images further.