Enhancing Your Background Blur in Lightroom (Without a Prime Lens!)

When shooting with prime lenses and wide apertures, achieving beautiful background blur (aka bokeh) happens naturally. But what if you’re not shooting with a prime lens or your image lacks that dreamy blur? Lightroom’s Lens Blur tool is here to help! In this tutorial, KelbyOne instructor Tracy Sweeney shows you how to enhance your background blur—even if your original shot doesn’t have that soft, creamy bokeh.

Watch the Full Lesson Here

Step 1: Prepping the Image with Basic Adjustments

Before applying the Lens Blur effect, I like to start with some foundational edits to get the image looking its best.

  1. Straighten the Horizon – A crooked background can be distracting, so I always fix that first.
  2. Apply Global Adjustments – Before we add blur, let’s enhance the image’s overall look.
    • Try Adaptive Subject Presets (I love the Warm Pop preset for beach photos!).
    • Adjust shadows and blacks for depth.
    • Drop the clarity slider for a dreamy effect.
    • Use the HSL panel to fine-tune colors (but be mindful of skin tones!).
    • Add a linear gradient to adjust the sky’s color and mood.
Original image in Lightroom, shot with fisheye lens
Cropping the image to straighten the horizon
After global color adjustments and subject-specific refinements

Step 2: Applying the Lens Blur Effect

Now, let’s dive into the magic of the Lens Blur tool.

  1. Scroll down to the Lens Blur panel in Lightroom.
  2. Click Apply – Lightroom will analyze your image and apply an initial blur effect result which you can adjust.
  3. Adjust the Blur Amount slider to control the intensity.
  4. Choose your Bokeh Type:
    • Modern Circular (a natural look, my go-to choice!)
    • Circular (creates more distinct bokeh orbs, great for lights in the background)
    • Five Blade (a stylized look for creative effects)

The Lens Blur panel’s initial analysis results
Image with the first Bokeh option applied

Step 3: Fine-Tuning the Depth with Visual Depth Map

Lightroom provides a Visual Depth Map to show the focus range:

  1. Click Visual Depth to see a color-coded depth map.
    • Warm colors = in focus.
    • Cool colors = blurred areas.
  2. Want to bring certain areas back into focus? Click Focus and adjust accordingly.
Click Visualize Depth to view the depth map

Step 4: Adding Finishing Touches

To further enhance the effect and direct attention to the subject:

  1. Apply a Vignette – A subtle darkening around the edges helps isolate the subject.
  2. Use a Brush Mask – Lightly brush over the subject to brighten and add a soft spotlight effect.
  3. Run AI Denoise (if needed) – Especially helpful for high ISO shots.
Post-crop vignette applied to draw even more attention to the subject
After using a brush mask and some lighting adjustments for a spotlight effect

Final Thoughts

And there you have it! With just a few sliders, you can achieve that prime-lens blur—no need for an f/1.2 lens. Whether you’re working with a fisheye or a kit lens, Lightroom’s Lens Blur tool gives you creative control over your depth of field. Try it out and see how it transforms your portraits!

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