4/5/2023 0 Comments Soft pro palette lens blur![]() ![]() Lastly, don’t be afraid to try your diffusion filter in a variety of setups, yes I recommend having a light behind the subject for best results but I’ve also set up lights to specifically shine into the filter and not onto the subject at all. Plus, the large square filters can be used with all of my lenses so I can switch from my 50mm to my 105mm instantly and still use the diffusion filter with both of them. This is far faster than screwing on the screw-fit filters only to find out that you don’t like the effect with your particular setup. ![]() Like I mentioned before, I prefer the LEE Soft 100mm square filters as you can just hold them in front of the lens quickly, take a few shots, check how it looks and move on. It could be argued that a pack of 3 filters is actually all that’s going here but you’ll have to test them out for yourself. ![]() You’ll probably also notice that 2, 3, 4 are very similar and then it jumps in effect on number 5. The others will have their uses but number 1 is rarely strong enough to warrant a diffusion filter and number 5 is just crazy hazy. This seems to be a good midpoint for the portrait work that I do. I personally really only use the numbers 1, 2 and 3 but primarily the Soft No.2. But don’t take my word for it, have a look at the zoom crops for the exact same shots below and you decide as to whether the image is being blurred or not by your own definition. ![]() The reduction in contrast you see is often mistaken for soft focus because that is how software ‘sharpens’ an image after it’s been taken, it adds contrast to adjacent shadows and highlights.Ĭonversely, a reduction in contrast appears to soften an image and is often misinterpreted as blurred. The diffusion filter works by allowing light to enter the shadow areas of a shot, it has nothing to do with de-focusing or anything else like that. I’m not trying to be purposefully obtuse here as I feel the common definition of bur has shifted in recent years. My response to that question is ‘no, it doesn’t blur the image’ but ultimately you need to decide what you consider ‘blur’. This is a question I always get asked and I understand why because in the current digital age we’re wired up to think that this effect can only be achieved through blurring. So much so that when I used to have screw-fit diffusion filters, I forgot I still had it on my lens and shot an entirely new setup without noticing the effect. Without the light behind the subject, you can barely notice any difference to the shot. The light is wrapping around the subject and then diffusing as it enters the filter on the front of the lens. It’s this light behind the model that is creating the hazy effect you see here. It should be pretty clear to see what the filter actually does but it’s also worth mentioning that I only use this diffusion filter in certain situations, specifically and only when there is a light behind the model. Take a look at the quick side by side shots below to see how much a diffusion filter actually does compared to not using one when they’re used in conjunction with studio strobes. But I personally use them for a different reason and that is to create lens flare, and a lot of it. Well, of course you can still use diffusion filters for their originally intended look and those photographers who love the old black and white Hollywood portraits of the 1950’s love using diffusion filters to mimic that style. Now diffusion filters rarely get used as we prefer to take a clean looking image and retouch the skin ourselves later on in post-pro but I use them for creative lighting effects rather than to soften features and the effect is growing in popularity as we look for ways to introduce some interest into our shots via in-camera effects. This soft-focus, hazy looking image was a more popular style many years ago and it was a way of making skin look soft and more flattering in a time before Photoshop and skin retouching. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |