Out of focus vs Soft focus

[timmyquest]

Is it possible to replicate the effects of a soft focus lens with a regular lens.

[Jon]

Not exactly. There are diffusion filters available which help give that effect, and one old trick is to smear Vaseline on your filter (yet another use for UV filters!) to diffuse the incoming light.

[timmyquest]

Not exactly. There are diffusion filters available which help give that effect, and one old trick is to smear Vaseline on your filter (yet another use for UV filters!) to diffuse the incoming light.

Now that is something i may just have to try, thanks for the tip.

(I have UV filters...but i dont use them :oops: )

[slin100]

I don't think so, but a google search on "photoshop soft focus" turns up a lot of possibilities.

[Scottes]

http://www.google.com/search?num=20&hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8&safe=off&q=%22soft+focus%22+filter&btnG=Search

http://www.google.com/search?num=20&hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8&safe=off&q=%22soft+focus%22+photoshop&btnG=Searc h


Your powers are weak.
You need more than Google skills - you need experience and knowledge.
:) :) :)

[timmyquest]

http://www.google.com/search?num=20&hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8&safe=off&q=%22soft+focus%22+filter&btnG=Search

http://www.google.com/search?num=20&hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8&safe=off&q=%22soft+focus%22+photoshop&btnG=Searc h


Your powers are weak.
You need more than Google skills - you need experience and knowledge.
:) :) :)

lol...

[Scottes]

ROFL!

Any more boasts? There's a LOT of us old experienced guys around here...

[Jon]

ROFL!

Any more boasts? There's a LOT of us old experienced guys around here...

Damn straight :{)#

[evilenglishman]

Is it possible to replicate the effects of a soft focus lens with a regular lens.

also try a fine stocking

[Conk]

I would think that applying soft focus to an image after the fact gives you more control.

[timmyquest]

I would think that applying soft focus to an image after the fact gives you more control.

I'm sure this may be true, but ofr me there is nothing like getting it done right with the light rather then the binary.

[Mark Kemp]

ROFL!

Any more boasts? There's a LOT of us old experienced guys around here...

Damn straight :{)#

What about us old inexperienced guys???

[Jon]

What about us old inexperienced guys???

You're violating the code! Us old coots NEVER admit to being inexperienced. As my major prof. used to say, and I've adopted for a sig. elsewhere, "A man can make the same mistake for years and call it experience".

[Tapeman]

B+W makes 3 different "strengths" of soft filters used by many portrait phograhpers. They say that women prefer #3 (the strongest) & men prefer #1

Go figure. :shock:

[msvadi]

First, out of focus and soft focus are two completely different things.

Check this discussion regarding optical vs. post-processing soft focus effect: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=29459&highlight=soft+focus

I could not convince people that the optical soft focus is different from the effect created in photoshop. I guess, it was my fault. The picture that I used was not a very good example.

Anyway, I'm using 135mm soft focus lens for that effect. I also have Cokin diffusers, and I tried to use the vaseline trick. So far, the 135mm lens gives the best effect. That lens create a beautiful glow:

http://img.photosight.ru/2004/04/21/467097.jpg

I know that filters and vaseline can create the glowing highlights too, but, too me, it looks different. May be I need to experiment more.

Vaseline trick is messy, but it allows you to be more creative. You can apply it unevenly, so some parts of the image diffused more than the others. Check, if you can find it, David Hamilton's "Venice" book. I think that he used that trick for the pictures in the book.

Cokin has center spot filters: diffusers with clear parts in the center, but I don't really like it.

Robert Farber applies small amount of hair spary on UV filters. The effect is very nice too. Check his book "Moods" (if you can find it).

Finally, with soft focus filters or lenses, it's recommended to overexpose a little bit.