Diffusion/Soft Focus Filters.....Do You Use Them?

I shoot a lot of glamour/nude type work and I'm finding myself doing quite a bit of retouching on some of these girls and I was wondering if it would be to my advantage to use a diffusion/soft focus filter of some kind when shooting. I don't want the effect to be pronounced though - I just want smoother skin and less time sitting in front of my computer retouching.

Some people say that you can get the same effect using Photoshop in post. I've seen countless plugins for soft focus and diffusion type effects but I'm wondering how this will differ from using a filter when I capture the image. Any thoughts?

You can get the same effect from Photoshop. The big difference between using a filter on the camera and using Photoshop on the image is the amount of control you have over the final effect. The filter has just one level of effect, and that is what you get. Photoshop has, basically, an unlimited range. You can apply the softening/diffusing effect as little or as much as you want. The other way is to shoot with the filter, then adjust even further in PS.

A lot of people find the diffusion and or soft filters in PS, and go crazy with it. Try to restrain yourself! (G)

It is also easy to apply a diffused or softended frame around your subject in PS, so you don't have to shoot with a mask. Either way works well, it depends on you more than anything. If you are more comfortable with the filters on the camera, then by all means use them! You may try a few standard shots of the same subject, and see what you can do with PS. You may find PS better, you may not.

Personally, I would use PS for those effects, but I don't own any soft focus or diffusion filters. I generally don't like them... (G)

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Crime Scene Photography

One of the wonderful things about digital is I no longer feel any need to use soft focus filters on camera. Photoshop offers much more control.

My technique is to retouch serious problems first, then make a duplicate layer of the image, apply a bit too much Gaussian blur and adjust the layer transparency for the final effect. Last, I can use a layer mask to bring back sharpness and sparkle in the eyes.

My pricing and scheduling on this type of work is based on being able to postprocess about 4 photos per hour.

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J.R.

Somewhere south
of Amarillo

As general rule I would say under every circumstances pros should be using high quality filters and NOT photoshop.

Soft focus filters are however in my opinion one of the (very) few exceptions. I actually do feel that you get more control in photoshop, and because of the nature of what the filter does, the end result of a printed image doesn't appear degregated.

However, if you feel the post processing is too much work, then a soft focus filter is undoubtably the way for you to go.

I use a Soft Focus Filter and love it as I ussually shoot tethered so the Client can view there pictures; in that way I can get what they want and approved without taking more shots than needed. With the Soft Focus it gives the potrait a dreamy type look right from the get go, Which helps in finalizing the session quicker. Just my two bits worth and yes Photoshop can do a better job if you need to do a better or more detailed job.
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Good Luck, Enjoy

Kodak Austin labs (formerly Applied Science Fiction before Kodak bought them) has a version of their GEM noise-reduction plugin called GEM Airbrush Pro. This works specifically with skin tones and works wonders. Very quick and easy to use.

You can get a demo version at http://www.asf.com to try it for yourself.

Paul Wossidlo
Pittsburgh PA

One thing that a white diffusion filter can do is spread highlights into shadow areas, creating a glow. This would be very tedious to reproduce in Photoshop. It's a very pretty effect that, combined with back-lighting, is the essence of a certain style of glamour photography.

-john

Instead of think of how one can use the soft focus lens or filter against doing post exposure work on PSCS. Let's treat them as a photographic tool that need no further work down the line and basically its about the concpet of making the right shoot right there at capture instead of thinking of making a picture out of captured materials.

As a long time user of soft focus lens ( and filter ) on Floral shoot. What I can say its far easier to simply stick one onto the lens ( the weakest softon will work fine already on a fast 2.0 85mm or so ) and shoot away instead of fighting with post exposure.
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Franka

I think you hit on an excellent point as I love my photoshop I sure would rather use my time on expanding a project than fixing a picture that technically could of been done at the click of the shutter.
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Good Luck, Enjoy