How do I make a transparent blur layer in Photoshop?

To create a transparent blur effect in Photoshop, you can use the Frequency Separation technique. Here's how:

1. Select Your Layer: Begin by choosing the layer you want to apply the blur effect to. This will be the base layer for your transparent blur.

2. Open Filters Panel: Navigate to and open the "Filters and Finish" panel within Photoshop.

3. Choose Frequency Separation: Within the "Filters and Finish" panel, locate the Frequency Separation options. You will have a choice of either "16" or "8" to click. This will initiate the frequency separation process. According to the reference, clicking one of these buttons is necessary to activate the frequency separation.

4. Adjust Gaussian Blur: Once frequency separation is applied, you’ll see a Gaussian Blur Radius slider. Adjust this slider to achieve your desired level of blur and click "OK". The more you move the slider to the right, the more blurred it will be.

5. New Group: After you apply the Gaussian Blur, Photoshop will create a new group labeled “JM Frequency Separation” in your layers panel. This group contains the layers that create the transparent blur effect. The transparent nature of the blur is a result of how the frequency separation process divides and then blurs the high-frequency details.

Here's a summary in a table format:

Step	Action
1	Select the target layer.
2	Open the "Filters and Finish" panel.
3	Click either the "Freq Sep 16" or "Freq Sep 8" button.
4	Adjust the Gaussian Blur Radius slider and click OK.
5	A new group called "JM Frequency Separation" will appear.

This frequency separation method creates a visually pleasing blur while maintaining a transparent quality, letting the original layer show through.