A method of controlling image focus in a digital imaging system is provided that includes receiving a depth-scene image pair generated by a depth-scene image sensor pair comprised in the digital imaging system, aligning the depth image with the scene image wherein each pixel in the scene image has a corresponding depth in the aligned depth image, detecting a user gesture associated with a focus effect, and blurring, responsive to the user gesture, at least a portion of the scene image according to the focus effect, wherein the blurring is based on depths in the depth image.