How to Finally Add “Portrait Mode” to Any Image in Google Photos
The best camera is the one you have with you. This is why smartphone shooters are so important. DSLRs can take prettier pictures, but your Pixel can fit in your pocket and go anywhere you can. Not only is it convenient, but it also lets you turn your standard photos you’ve already taken into stunning bokeh and depth shots thanks to Google Photo’s Portrait Blur.
Portrait blur isn’t necessarily new. Launched as a Pixel-exclusive feature, this feature allowed you to blur the background of photos you didn’t shoot in portrait mode. However, in the past, this function was limited to humans only. While portrait mode works with other objects in the camera, portrait blur will not appear for photos of pets, plants, or other objects that you would like to add to the bokeh.
However, with the new Google Photos update, things are changing. Now Google has added the ability to apply portrait blur to almost any photo in Google Photos, greatly expanding its scope beyond just human subjects.
How to Use Google Portrait Blur on Almost Any Object
To try this feature yourself, you’ll need a Google Pixel device or a Google One subscription. Your phone must have at least 3 GB of RAM and be running Android 8.0 or later. (This feature is currently not compatible with iOS.)
Also, you need to install the latest Google Photos update to update the portrait blur feature. This is a brand new update that is just starting to roll out, so it may not be available for your device yet.
Once that happens, it’s the same portrait blur feature you might already know and love. To use it, select a photo from Google Photos, then click Edit. Allow settings to load if needed, then select Portrait. From here, you can click “Tools” on the other menu bar to find “Blur”; let Google Photos try to choose the best blur level with “Auto” or move the slider to adjust the blur manually. Click “Done” to commit the settings.
While Google doesn’t offer any details, it does warn that this feature may not work on every photo. If you’re not happy with how portrait blur works, you can go back to that photo’s blur settings page to change or undo any level of blur. If you want to turn it off, just move the slider to “0”.
[ Android Police ]