I'm really trying to figure out how to achieve that ethereal glow that I sometimes see in portraits on 365. Is that done in camera or post-processing? Is this just a soft focus effect?
I love adding soft glow to my photos but I don't have many of them in my 365. For a tiny soft glow I often use my 300mm lens on manual focus. The photo below her face is a wee bit off focus (I think the focus is off from a bit of hand shake when snapping the photo).
If you want more you can use an editing programs. I don't know how all of them work but I can tell you how I do it with the program I'm use to... I use Gimp (its free and similar to PS). All you do is click on file-open-then the photo you want to use. Click on filters-artistic-softglow. Then file-save. If you don't like that effect you can download other free scripts and curves to use with gimp to give other soft glow effects (ones with shades of pink, green, and such). I love adding soft glow looks to photos... I'm surprised I don't have many on my 365. I guess that's because I upload a daily photo and don't have time to edit. My computer is full of soft glow photos. I guess I need to take my photos early in the day so I have more time to edit before uploading.
soft focus... it is a thing... tougher to do in this world of ultra sharp digital lenses... too easy to do with pre-coated 1950's lenses... try the softness slider in post....
i do it in post processing:
- add a duplicate layer in photoshop
- gaussian blur the layer
- decrease the opacity of that layer
- blend the layer with either "normal" or "soft light"
If I am taking the photo I focus on depth of field and using the button on my camera that allows to focus on only one part of the photo and not autofocus on the whole photo.
Sometimes a photo calls for the post processing soft glow. This was done post processing in Picasa, with a soft focus and then a glow of color.
There are filters that you can attach to your lens or there were in the days of film photography (I don't know much about what's available now since I am a point and shoot person currently). And in those days, my dad would also use a clear filter with a smear of vaseline petroleum jelly on it or a screen when printing in the darkroom for post edting.
@tford blending is done in the layer menu. it's a drop down that's actually not labeled, but it's right at the top below the tabs (layers | channels | paths) and to the left of opacity. the default is "Normal", but there is a list of 27 options. i use Normal or Soft Light to get a natural effect.
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I was really trying to get that effect with this one, but it just rather looked out of focus to me instead. What am I doing wrong?
If you want more you can use an editing programs. I don't know how all of them work but I can tell you how I do it with the program I'm use to... I use Gimp (its free and similar to PS). All you do is click on file-open-then the photo you want to use. Click on filters-artistic-softglow. Then file-save. If you don't like that effect you can download other free scripts and curves to use with gimp to give other soft glow effects (ones with shades of pink, green, and such). I love adding soft glow looks to photos... I'm surprised I don't have many on my 365. I guess that's because I upload a daily photo and don't have time to edit. My computer is full of soft glow photos. I guess I need to take my photos early in the day so I have more time to edit before uploading.
- add a duplicate layer in photoshop
- gaussian blur the layer
- decrease the opacity of that layer
- blend the layer with either "normal" or "soft light"
Sometimes a photo calls for the post processing soft glow. This was done post processing in Picasa, with a soft focus and then a glow of color.