How do I apply a filter to only part of a photo?

Make a selection with the Select tool, then run the filter from the Filter menu. It only changes the area inside the selection.

How do I select everything except one object?

Select the object, then choose Edit > Invert.

Which selection tool follows edges automatically?

The Magnetic Lasso snaps to edges as you trace, and the Magic Wand selects areas of similar color in one click.

Photo Editor Intermediate 5 min read Updated Oct 23, 2026 Pluto Photos 2.5.2

How to Select Part of a Photo and Apply an Effect to Just That Area

Short answer

Pick a Select shape (Rectangle, Ellipse, Lasso, Magnetic Lasso or Magic Wand), drag on the photo, choose Edit > Invert if you want the opposite area, then run a filter. The filter affects only the selection.

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#1. Pick a selection shape

Hover over the Select tool (M) in the toolbar to open the Selection shape menu: Rectangle, Ellipse, Lasso (freehand), Magnetic Lasso and Magic Wand. Rectangle and Ellipse are the quickest. Lasso draws freehand, Magnetic Lasso snaps to edges as you trace, and Magic Wand selects areas of similar color.

The Selection shape menu listing Rectangle, Ellipse, Lasso freehand, Magnetic Lasso and Magic Wand — Hover over the Select tool to choose a shape.

#2. Drag to select

Drag across the area. A moving dotted line (often called marching ants) shows the edge of the selection, and the options bar shows its size in pixels. This ellipse covers the white tower.

An elliptical selection with a dotted outline around a white tower in a Santorini photo — An ellipse selection around the tower.

#3. Invert the selection if you want the opposite

To work on everything except the tower, choose Edit > Invert (Ctrl+Shift+I). The dotted line now runs around the whole photo as well. When you're done, Edit > Clear (Ctrl+D) removes the selection.

The same photo with the selection inverted, so the dotted line also runs around the photo edge — The inverted selection includes everything outside the ellipse.

#4. Open a filter from the Filter menu

Choose Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur…. The Filter menu has eleven groups: Blur, Sharpen, Distort, Noise, Pixelate, Stylize, Artistic, Light & Glow, Photo, Render and Other. When there is a selection, the dialog carries a Selection only badge.

The Filter menu open with the Blur submenu showing Gaussian Blur, Motion Blur, Radial Blur, Lens Blur Bokeh, Surface Blur and Tilt-Shift — Filter > Blur.

#5. Set the radius and the selection feather

Radius sets how strong the effect is (12 px here). Selection feather softens the line between the changed and unchanged areas so the edit blends in (30 px here). Opacity and Blend mode let you mix the filter with the original. Tick Preview to watch the result live, then click Apply.

The Gaussian Blur dialog with a selection only badge, a radius slider, opacity, blend mode and a selection feather slider — The filter dialog, with the Selection only badge.

#6. Clear the selection and check the result

Choose Edit > Clear to remove the dotted line. The tower is sharp and everything around it is blurred, with a soft transition between the two.

The Santorini photo with the white tower sharp and the foreground and background softly blurred — The result.

#Tips

Always use some feather. A hard-edged selection looks like a cut-out.
If the effect is too strong, lower Opacity, or use Fade Filter (Ctrl+Shift+F) right after you apply it.
Ctrl+F repeats the last filter.

#Questions

How do I apply a filter to only part of a photo?: Make a selection with the Select tool, then run the filter from the Filter menu. It only changes the area inside the selection.
How do I select everything except one object?: Select the object, then choose Edit > Invert.
Which selection tool follows edges automatically?: The Magnetic Lasso snaps to edges as you trace, and the Magic Wand selects areas of similar color in one click.

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