How to Do a Circular Highlight Area in Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop took all the standard techniques available in the traditional darkroom and digitized them. Then, as the software has evolved, the product added new tools to improve and expand upon those techniques. Highlighting specific areas of images can be done with Photoshop in a traditional way, or tools available can do the same thing in different ways. It depends upon how you want the image to look.
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Instructions
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Open and save a copy of the image you want to work with. Use the copy rather than the original in order to preserve the original for other applications. To save a copy, go to the "File" menu and select "Save As." Once you have the copy open, make the changes you need to tone and color as necessary.
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Darken the image slightly. In order for the circular highlight to stand out, you can darken the image by going to "Image" and then "Adjustments" and "Levels." In "Levels," use the left-hand slider under the histogram of the image, pulling it slightly to the right. This will darken the overall image. Do not overdo it.
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Identify the "Elliptical Marquee" from the side Toolbar. The default is the "Rectangular Marquee," so click and hold this tool until the side sub-toolbar appears. The "Elliptical Marquee" should be the second choice in the sub-toolbar.
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Type "30" or "40" in the top Toolbar to the right of "Feather." This will soften the effect spreading outward from the circular highlight. If you do not select an amount for "Feather," there will be a sharp distinction between the highlighted area and the rest of the photo.
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Draw the circular area with the "Elliptical Marquee" around the area you want to highlight by clicking, holding and dragging with the mouse. When it is where you want it, let go.
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Go to "Image," "Adjustments" and "Levels" again. This time use the right slider under the histogram and drag it toward the left. This will lighten the area inside the selected circle but not affect the rest of the image. You also can use "Curves" or "Exposure" to get the same effect.
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Tips & Warnings
Alternatively, you can use an overall blurring of the image, leaving the circular highlight area alone and sharp. Follow the steps including "Feather," but do not darken the image first. Once the area is selected, go to the "Select" menu and choose "Inverse." This now means the rest of the photo will be changed, but not the area in the selection. Then go to the "Filter" menu and select "Blur" and then "Gaussian Blur." This will blur the rest of the image, leaving the highlighted circle alone.
