Based on channel mask (3)

To improve our picture a bit further, we will use a Layer Mask in this exercise.
First we load our selection “my mask” in the composite. This, you already know how.

Open the photo of the girl, click “Select” – “Load Selection” in the menu bar.
Choose my mask and click OK. Now back to the composite.
Click on the “normal” layer with the Ctrl button pressed.
OK, now that we have our selection back in the composite picture, I want to convert this selection into a Layer Mask.
Click on the button “Add layer mask” at the bottom of the “Layers” palette.
As you now see in the picture below there is now a thumbnail next to the layer mask thumbnail in the “normal” layer.
The mask can be seen by clicking the thumnail mask while holding down the Alt key on your keyboard. If you wish to see the RGB version again, just click on the layer thumbnail.

Now we must edit the “Layer Mask”, otherwise it has little use.
Select the “Layer Mask” by clicking on it.
Click “Filter” – “Blur” – “Gaussian Blur” … in the menu bar.
Set the “Radius” value to 30 and click OK.

Not bad, but something is not right.
Both the foreground and background are sharp.
And that is not how a camera works actually.
We will make it more realistic by making the background blurred.
Select the background layer and choose “Filter” – “Blur” – “Lens Blur” from the menu bar.
In the “Lens Blur” dialog box, the only thing we change is the “Radius”.
Set to 30. All the rest, we leave.
Click OK.

Result:

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