Add Decorative Borders to Photos in Photoshop – Photo Editing Lesson

December 6, 2008

A border can be a great addition to any photo, and with Photoshop, there are several ways to add borders. When used creatively, a border will enhance your photo and cause it to pop off the screen. Whether printing your photos or displaying them online, you’ll find that knowing how to add borders to photos is a great skill that will come in handy.

Step 1.

Open up your photo that you are going to add a border to. Once it is opened, you will use the Lasso selection tool to draw a shape around the perimeter of your photo. This shape doesn’t need to be symmetrical. To ensure that your border is creative and decorative, keep it as close to the edge as possible, but make sure that it is drawn freehand and a bit asymmetrical. This will give it more character when finished.

Step 2.

After you’ve finished drawing your border click on Select and then Save Selection. This will create your selection as a new channel. Give your selection a name that will help you identify it. Click OK after you have given your selection a name and deactivate the selection.

Step 3.

Now you will go to channels and activate the Alpha Channel by clicking on it. This will cause your photo to temporarily disappear, leaving only your border.

Step 4.

You are going to use the Diffuse filter to reshape the border until it has the appearance of crumpled paper. Go to Filters, then Stylize, and select Diffuse. Double check that Normal mode. Always remember to use your zoom tool to see your work clearly. Zoom in now so that you can easily determine the shape and width of your border.

Step 5.

Enhance the appearance of torn paper by using Command combined with the Control and F keys. This will give your border a more torn appearance. Continue repeating the process until you are satisfied with the appearance of the border.

Step 6.

Now you will give the border a soft look. This will ensure that the border will not contrast too greatly with your photo, but give it a softened background. Select Filters then Blur and then choose the Gaussian Blur. Make sure that the Radius is set at 1.0 pixels. This will give the border a blurred or soft appearance.

Step 7.

Now you are going to bring your photo back and view it with the border around it. Under Channels, select the Alpha 1 channel and place it at the bottom of your palette, where it says Load a Channel as a Selection. Then select the RGB channel and you will see your photo.

Step 8.

Choose Select and then Inverse. After it has inverted, press Delete. Save your new photo with its border.

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