Soft focus before or after ???

[J.A.F. Doorhof]

A question for the forum :D.

Lately I have been doing alot of studio work (still practise).
I use in PS alot of softfocus effects, someone mentioned to me I should use a softfocus filter because that's better.

My opinion is I would like to have the original shot which I can sharpen and play with before applying the softfocus, that way I can get back eyes etc.

What's your opinion.

For some example shots please look at www.doorhof.nl under portraits.

Greetings,
Frank

[CanonUser]

Shoot your original image with the highest sharpness and quality as you can. Apply all special effects in post processing will give you a couple of advantages such as...
- If you don't like it, you can rework it.
- More than one version of the same image.
- Perform a selective soft-focus.
- Stack your effects.
- Achieve the perfect exposure prior to applying the effects.
- A second chance if you change your mind.

Just to name a few.

Regards,
Alan

[msvadi]

I used to create it in PS. Then I bought Canon 135mm 2.8 Soft Focus Lens. I think that both methods can be used, but PS cannot replace soft focus lens and filters. Besides soft focus, that lens produces quite unique texture. It also creates very beautiful highlights, especially on hair of backlit/sidelit subjects.

[evilenglishman]

I used to create it in PS. Then I bought Canon 135mm 2.8 Soft Focus Lens. I think that both methods can be used, but PS cannot replace soft focus lens and filters. Besides soft focus, that lens produces quite unique texture. It also creates amazingly beautiful highlights, especially on hair of backlit/sidelit subjects.

Sounds like a challenge to me :D

Can you post a photo of these effects we cannot create in photoshop?

[karusel]

Yeah, msvadi, if it is not too much, could you possibly make two identical shots, one with 135 softfocus, showing it at its best, and the other one some other (L-like) lens at 135 exposed similarly. Then we'll make a challenge thread and we'll post our 'softfocused' ps versions of that second, clear image.

How does that sound?

[Belmondo]

I used to create it in PS. Then I bought Canon 135mm 2.8 Soft Focus Lens. I think that both methods can be used, but PS cannot replace soft focus lens and filters. Besides soft focus, that lens produces quite unique texture. It also creates amazingly beautiful highlights, especially on hair of backlit/sidelit subjects.

Sounds like a challenge to me :D

Can you post a photo of these effects we cannot create in photoshop?

The gauntlet has been thrown down! Actually, it is an interesting challenge. I often feel the only limitations in PS are my own, although I know there certainly have to be some.

It would be interesting to see.

Tom

[msvadi]

Yeah, msvadi, if it is not too much, could you possibly make two identical shots, one with 135 softfocus, showing it at its best, and the other one some other (L-like) lens at 135 exposed similarly. Then we'll make a challenge thread and we'll post our 'softfocused' ps versions of that second, clear image.

How does that sound?

Well, unfortunately, I have no L-glass (yet ;) ). But, fortunately enough, 135mm lens has adjustable soft focus settings, including 0=no soft focus. I will take two pictures with and without soft focus and put it somewhere on the web for you to play with ;) I just need a little bit time to do that.

[msvadi]

Sorry it took me so long. I wanted to post pictures of a real person, to make it more interesting, but it did not work. It's not easy to take several identical shots, unless your subject cooperates. I could not convince my 3.5 years old daughter to sit still for 2-3 shots ;) So, instead I borrowed one of her dolls ;)

here's the shot with the soft focus effect (soft focus level 2, f/3.5):

http://pantheon.yale.edu/~vm49/CRW_1430_ss.jpg

below are the links to three (3072x2048) files:

1. without soft focus:
http://pantheon.yale.edu/~vm49/CRW_1428.jpg

2. soft focus level 1
http://pantheon.yale.edu/~vm49/CRW_1429.jpg

3. soft focus level 2
http://pantheon.yale.edu/~vm49/CRW_1430.jpg


you can use #1 to replicate the effect in PS. #3 is the same picture you see above, but I resized it and did some very minor adjustments in PS. I'm very curious to see your results and hear your opinions :)

[IndyJeff]

I think this little challenge is a fruitless effort guys. Now if we could do it and evaluate prints it may be different but, there is too many factors to consider when viewing on a monitor.

[slejhamer]

I think this little challenge is a fruitless effort guys. Now if we could do it and evaluate prints it may be different but, there is too many factors to consider when viewing on a monitor.

That's very true.

On the other hand, the monitor can tell if we are reasonably close for the purpose of web display. In this case, I spent about 2 minutes and came up with the following image. I applied the sf effect universally and did not do any selective removal to bring back sharpness, though normally in a portrait I would do this over eyes, teeth, and other features.

http://www.pbase.com/image/28245910.jpg

I should also point out that the source image 1428 does not have the same crispness of highlights that the level-2 soft image does. Example would be the specular highlight over the doll's left eye. So, adding a softening effect to image 1428 can not generate an exact replica of an optically-produced soft-focus image unless one takes liberties with selective sharpening, drawing, etc.

My own conclusion is that the lens-produced effect has a certain intangible quality this is indeed very difficult to replicate in PS. However, one can get fairly close.

[slejhamer]

Before and after my PS effect:

http://www.pbase.com/image/28247146.jpg

[slejhamer]

And a comparison of the lens vs. ps effect:

http://www.pbase.com/image/28247150.jpg


Again, not perfect, but I did not spend much time. In the side-by-side I can see that I could have made the effect a bit stronger to get a closer match.

[evilenglishman]

side by side:

http://www.electricvenus.com/dump/2dolls.jpg

full size PS'ed original
http://www.electricvenus.com/dump/doll01.jpg

are we all agreed that it is possible to replicate this lens in PS?

All i did was duplicate the layer and set the layer model to lighten at 70%

p.s. i found the trickiest part to duplicate was the glow around the right cheek

[slejhamer]

are we all agreed that it is possible to replicate this lens in PS?


While I knew it was possible, I'm actually surprised at just how easy it is! That being said, I still think the lens gives an intangible quality that might be more apparent in print.

[Tom W]

Next challenge will be to take #3 and make it like #1. :)