Diffusion & Softening of Digital Photography Images
Like many people who've made the switch from film cameras to digital, I've discovered that the lens tools I once used so effectively on my cameras to soften, diffuse and vignette my images for quality "finished" professional results won't do for digital what they did for film.
I'm sure it's arguable by some that their diffusers still work fine, and I too have discovered that some tools still work okay under some circumstances; my Ziess Softar #1 seemed to offer decent results when photographing a single subject in the studio but I knew that the black netting diffuser that I used with my Lindahl Bell-o-shade no longer worked on the Nikon D70 zoom lens at the wider angles without showing lines in the image. Not a risk I was willing to take professionally so I just stopped using the Lindahl shade and drop-down filters for a while.
Then it happened. A savvy carriage trade-minded customer brought in a wall portrait that she had purchased several years ago by a photographer obviously using medium format lens tools like I was used to using in the past with my film camera. She wanted her new wall portraits to have that same "softened" look. So I arrived at the portrait session armed with my digital camera equipped with the very mild Softar Filter that works at any aperture on any lens thinking that this was good insurance at getting the kind of "softness" she could live with.
Understand that I knew any diffusion used on an entire family group portrait would be more exaggerated by their relative head sizes but I had explained that to her and she assured me she liked her portrait images "very soft".
While the images looked good on the small camera monitor, once I opened them up in Photoshop and printed them out as proofs I knew they were too soft. I called a colleague who is a digital expert and explained to him what I had done. He told me that you simply cannot use on-lens filters anymore for professional softening and diffusion without creating mush on 35mm type digital camera images. This leaves the special effects job now to the computer and not the camera. "But I've tried using Photoshop CS for their diffusion tools and what I get doesn't look like real photography," I complained, "The results are terrible." He agreed that Photoshop's filters weren't the right tools either to mimic the professional photography filters of the past but told me that there is a company that has a software program that is a plug-in for my Photoshop and has filter tools to recreate believable results for various levels of softening and diffusion.
The software is called "PhotoKit" and is available from Pixel Genius for only $49.95. I bought the Mac version and it is wonderful. I have played around with it now and have found that you can get varying degrees of whatever you want that looks similar to what you used to be able to do with your old lens filters and drop-down tools. Even more possibilities are now available to you. One of my favorites is the ability to lasso areas and "clear" the results of diffusion keeping eyes and teeth sparkly and sharp.
If there is a downside to doing your diffusion this way it's that the customer can't really see the results on the proof, so they have to "trust" your artistic license. But it was like this with retouching too so there will be a short new education curve for your clientele to learn, or to save yourself from disaster you might offer a second proof appointment to show the customer a proof of their selected images with the added softening or diffusion. It's going to take more time and you'll end up with having to rework some things more than you want so I'd only recommend this for customers like mine who's initial concern was the diffusion issue.
In summary, softening and diffusion can be done effectively and professionally but it's not as easy as it used to be when you'd just pick the filter you wanted and pop it over the lens. Your old on-camera lens filters will often turn your digital images to "mush" or images of weak contrast that may or may not be salvageable.
Tom Ray is a Certified Professional Photographer through the Professional Photographers of America. If you are interested in his full story please go to: http://www.rayphotography.com/HomeBiz2info.html - Professional Photography: Success Without School!
Related Articles:
3DVU Release Navi2Go in TomTom's Homeland, Offering Holland the First and Only Mobile Navigation with 3D Aerial Photography
3DVU release mobile navigation over 3D aerial photography of entire Netherlands, paving the future of Connected PNDs.
Doing Digital Photography Prints
In this transition phase of analog to digital photography, everyone knows the difference on how each images is processed into a nice print. For analog photography, the negative (film) is developed into photos in small shops called developing studios, low-end or high end, available some walks away from a nearby establishment.
CDIABU Announces Success of 2007 Prague Filmmaking and Photography Workshops
The Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University (CDIABU) Film Program Director Federico Muchnik and Photography Instructor Bob Caputo led a group of nine students through month-long filmmaking and photography workshops in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. Because of the success of the 2007 workshops, CDIA has announced that the program will be offered again next summer.
Master Photographers Offer Insight and Expertise During New Weekly "7 Photography Questions" Podcast
New free podcast offers photography tips and answers by world-class photographers
The Sky is Falling! Learn To Capture Vibrant Results with Fall Color Landscape Photography
Don't miss out on the most colorful landscape photography season of the year. A world class photographer shares free tips for taking sensational photographs of gorgeous autumn locations
Elevated Photography Company Aims High With National Expansion
HighPicture Systems -- an elevated photography firm specializing in real estate, commercial and event security imagery, among a host of other markets -- is currently expanding on a national level through independent business owners. As part of the growth, HighPicture Systems is opening independent, HighPicture Photography franchises in Portland and Seattle starting in May.
ePHOTOzine to Launch Photography Video Site
ePHOTOzine launch ephotozine.tv -- an exciting extension to the already familiar world of ephotozine.com. The all-new video site brings you five channels of photography videos covering everything from techniques to equipment reviews to interviews and profiles of photographers.
Why Your Business Needs Professional Photography
When running a business you have to worry about many different aspects of your business to make it successful. You have to worry about payroll, rent, product development, and following governmental guidelines. However the most important part of your business is actually selling your product to your customers. Without sales your business will fail in a very short period of time.
Photography And Photo Albums
Humans have always favored the visual media From cave paintings to monumental sculpture, mankind has sought ways to recreate the images of the world around him and through art, the things of his imagination
Hallmark Institute of Photography's 32nd Class Graduates Represent Russia, Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, Plus 41 of Our United States and Puerto R
Hallmark Institute of Photography Graduates 32nd Class on June 22, 2007. Graduates represent 41 of our United States, Puerto Rico and Washington, DC as well as Russia, Brazil, Mexico, and the Phillipines.
GDDG Photography Ventures into Partnering Artwork With a Company that Appreciates art
Reconciliation - Part Two. Part two of GDDG Photography's reconciliation series is utilizing, as the component of the reconciliation series, the photographs from Genese's February beauty photo shoot.
A Review Of The Most Current Digital Photography Devices
Digital photography is the latest form of photography which is currently used all over the world and its gaining popularity day by day because of latest innovations and technologies that have been introduced in digital photography. It is far ahead and far more better than previous photographic plates or films that were previously used in photographic processing.
Groundbreaking New Book Reveals Hidden World of Fairies, Gnomes and Elves Using Advanced Photography
Spirits in the Garden: The Amazing Realm of Secret Life Around Us Features Authentic, Unretouched
Photos of Nature Spirits.
(Just as Dr. Masaru Emoto's groundbreaking photos of water crystals featured in his popular "Messages from Water" books have changed consciousness, the photographs in "Spirits in the Garden" are awakening many to a whole new level of awareness about the true nature of life)
Embassy Pro Books Launches Reseller Program for Photo Labs and Photography Stores
Embassy Pro Books, North America?s premier publisher of custom photo books for professional photographers, their clients, and the creative community, is very pleased to announce the launch of a reseller program of their pro books. Through the reseller program, professional photo labs, photo stores, and photo retailers throughout North America can purchase photo books and pro books at a reduced cost, which will allow them to market custom photo books more effectively to professional photographers and their clients.
Hello From Ottawa - Part 11- The Canadian Museum Of Contemporary Photography Featuring Sunil Gupta And The Challenges Of Immigration
My schedule in Ottawa this past weekend was extremely compressed, but there was one place I wasn?t going to miss: the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography. As a person with no formal background, yet a keen interest in the visual arts and photography, I have been wanting to visit this museum for a long time. And my Internet research revealed that the Museum is featuring a very special exhibition right now: two photographic series by Sunil Gupta, an Indian-born Canadian citizen, exploring issues of identity, culture and the immigrant experience.