Didn’t turn on portrait mode when you took your photo? On Android, an option exists on some phones to add this blur effect.
The Google Photos app on Android has great options for editing snaps taken with your phone. You can enhance the colors or place a color filter. You can resize the image, adjust the balance of the image (brightness, contrast, etc.) and even erase elements of the decor on the fly, thanks to the magic eraser.
There is another nice tool to use on Google Photos, which is available on the Pixel range of smartphones or offered with the Google One subscription. This is the background blur. With this mode, you can give even more cachet to the photograph, by adjusting the sharpness of the image. It works for people as well as for animals, or objects.
The option allows you to add a “portrait” effect to an image that does not have one. This kind of mode is now common in the most recent models and OS. On the iPhone, it’s been around for years. Only, you can sometimes omit to activate it when taking the photo. This is where the background blur tool becomes invaluable.
Add a “portrait” effect to a photo with Android
- Choose the photo you want to edit, via the Google Photos app;
- Tap “Edit” in the action bar at the bottom of the screen;
- Scroll down the line beginning with “Suggestions” until you see “Tools”;
- Click on it and choose “Blur background”;
- Tap the area of the photo that you want to stay in focus;
- Next, scroll the gauge to decrease or increase the level of blur all around;
- Click on “OK” then “Save a copy” if the result suits you.
By default, Google Photos will suggest a value based on its analysis of the image. It’s then up to you to validate or change this setting (to zero, everything is clear, to one hundred, the blur will be very intense) and to set the focus point at the place that suits you. In any case, if the result does not suit you, the application keeps the original photo. No risk of crushing it.
The tool offered by Google Photos is not yet widely available on all Android smartphones (Google may nevertheless unlock these features later for everyone). It is based on the processing algorithms of the American company. Obviously, the result will not always be perfect. But, for a quick touch-up, it may be fine.
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