Slow Connection or JavaScript Disabled? Go to the Site Maps.
There's one drawback of digital photography.
Specifically, it occurs when using cameras with sensors that are smaller than 35mm film (24mm x 36mm).
The smaller the sensor, the greater the depth-of-field.
Digital point-and-shoot cameras have tiny sensors, so almost everything is in focus, no matter where the aperture is set.
To a lesser extent, this is also the case with cameras using APS-C sensors, such as most Nikon DSLRs (digital single lens reflex) and Canon DSLRs.
Having lots of depth-of-field is great for close-up photography, but gets in the way when you're doing a portrait.
You can use Photoshop Elements to blur backgrounds.
In defense of the distracting background in the photograph below, perhaps it was included to show:
1) Where the mother and child are—a tropical climate
2) What they've been doing—biking.
Also, when photographing for stock, it's good to include areas for titles and text.
Let's blur the background to make it less distracting.
Be sure to check off as you go along.
1) Preserve your original file.
If you haven't already done so, go to Preserve Your Original File.
If you haven't already done so, go to Make a Background Copy.
If you haven't already done so, go to Which Selection Tool?.
The Selection Brush tool was used below.
The Lasso tool family was used as well.
The Magic Selection Brush tool couldn't be used here because the colors within the selection were too similar to those in the background.
2) Select the Selection Brush tool.
Make sure you select the Selection Brush tool, which has a dotted area on the brush in the icon, and not the Brush tool.
3) Use a brush with a hard, non-feathered, edge.
4) Click, hold, and drag to make the selection.
When the Add to selection icon is selected, you're selecting more.
Click the Subtract from selection icon to remove parts of your selection.
Or, to subtract from the selection, press Alt.
If you haven't already done so, go to Brushes - Basics.
5) As you work closer to the selection area, select a smaller brush.
You can change brush size by pressing [ and ].
Be sure to enlarge the photograph when working in the nooks-and-crannies.
If the photograph will be displayed at a small size, or printed small, the quality of the selection process is less critical.
6) Go to Select > Feather to add feathering to a selection.
2 px was used here.
Feathering can make the transition between the selected area and the rest of the photograph less obvious.
If you're going to save the selection (next step), you may want to save it first, without the feathering.
7) Be sure to save the selection if you may need to return to do more work.
If you haven't already done so, go to Saving Selections.
Here's the selection.
The background was blurred below.
1) Go to Filter > Gaussian Blur.
You can experiment with other radius settings, as well.
Here are the two versions side-by-side.
Original
Blurred Background
Go to Blur the Background with a Gradient.
If you haven't already done so, go to Saving Files.