You can either buy a dedicated PhotoShop plug-in or software to create soft focus effect (how many of us has a soft focus lens?). Or for free, you can try my tutorial. I got this idea from a method developed by Steve of www.luminous-landscape.com called Gaussian Blur Overlay . I then add few more steps to enhance it for portrait. And I’m quite please with the result. Try it for yourself.
This tutorial is based on PhotoShop. And I assume you are already pretty handy with PhotoShop. You can even create an action for this effect. Cool huh? Below is an example comparing before & after. I use my daughter picture
This tutorial is based on PhotoShop. And I assume you are already pretty handy with PhotoShop. You can even create an action for this effect. Cool huh? Below is an example comparing before & after. I use my daughter picture
Part I. Creating Soft Focus Effect
1. Open picture you want to apply soft focus effect.
2. With Layer Palette opened, duplicates original Background layer & calls it “Background Copy”.
3. Add Levels Adjustment Layer to Background Copy. And lighten it by shifting middle slider to the left. No worry about overexposed picture, we will fix it later. You should now have 3 layers. From top to bottom, Levels Adjustment Layer, Background Copy & Background.
4. Select Multiply (blending mode) from the slider box in Layer palette. Make sure Opacity is 100%.
5. Highlight Background Copy layer & apply Gaussian Blur. Try 10 pixels for start. I normally stay between 9 to12 pixels. By checking “Preview”, you can see the effect immediately. Adjust the pixels slider until you are happy.
6. Go back to Levels Adjustment layer & double click the Levels logo. And fine tune Levels to your taste.
7. Once you satisfy with the final result, you can either flatten the layers, save the file & call it a day or proceed to Part II Enhancements For Portrait like I always do. Don’t flatten the layers yet.
Part II. Enhancements For Portrait
1. Continue with 3 layers. From top to bottom, Levels Adjustment layer, Background Copy & Background.
2. I prefer eyes, lips & nose to stay sharp. So I do following steps. Add layer mask to Soft Focus layer & fill it with white color.
3. Select a round soft brush with size that you’re comfortable with. And control Flow to ~20% & Opacity to ~50% (or whatever that work for you).
4. Make sure foreground color is black & background is white, paint over area that you want to reveal the original images (for this case, eyes, lips & nose). If you make a mistake, press “X” to switch foreground color to white, then paint over the mistake. The soft focus effect reappears (how convenience).
5. Press “X” to switch foreground color to black again & redo.
6. Once you are pleased with your final result, save the file.
Tell me what do you think. If you have a better method, I would love to learn it.
1. Open picture you want to apply soft focus effect.
2. With Layer Palette opened, duplicates original Background layer & calls it “Background Copy”.
3. Add Levels Adjustment Layer to Background Copy. And lighten it by shifting middle slider to the left. No worry about overexposed picture, we will fix it later. You should now have 3 layers. From top to bottom, Levels Adjustment Layer, Background Copy & Background.
4. Select Multiply (blending mode) from the slider box in Layer palette. Make sure Opacity is 100%.
5. Highlight Background Copy layer & apply Gaussian Blur. Try 10 pixels for start. I normally stay between 9 to12 pixels. By checking “Preview”, you can see the effect immediately. Adjust the pixels slider until you are happy.
6. Go back to Levels Adjustment layer & double click the Levels logo. And fine tune Levels to your taste.
7. Once you satisfy with the final result, you can either flatten the layers, save the file & call it a day or proceed to Part II Enhancements For Portrait like I always do. Don’t flatten the layers yet.
Part II. Enhancements For Portrait
1. Continue with 3 layers. From top to bottom, Levels Adjustment layer, Background Copy & Background.
2. I prefer eyes, lips & nose to stay sharp. So I do following steps. Add layer mask to Soft Focus layer & fill it with white color.
3. Select a round soft brush with size that you’re comfortable with. And control Flow to ~20% & Opacity to ~50% (or whatever that work for you).
4. Make sure foreground color is black & background is white, paint over area that you want to reveal the original images (for this case, eyes, lips & nose). If you make a mistake, press “X” to switch foreground color to white, then paint over the mistake. The soft focus effect reappears (how convenience).
5. Press “X” to switch foreground color to black again & redo.
6. Once you are pleased with your final result, save the file.
Tell me what do you think. If you have a better method, I would love to learn it.
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