soft focus challenge - DPChallenge Forums

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

08/30/2006 03:52:10 PM · #1

Did anyone else notice that everyone in the top 20 who posted their shot info did the soft focus in PS. Although they were great shots, I was dissapointed that not a single one was done w/ a soft filter or soft focus lens. Chalk up another digital art challenge. Dissapointing in my opoinion. Anyone else agree?

timfythetoo

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

08/30/2006 03:53:15 PM · #2

Nope.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

08/30/2006 03:54:37 PM · #3

Not really... Using special filters or special lenses requires a cash outlay unless you have 'em lying around. To me soft focus = soft focus no matter how you achieve it, and achieving it in PS under basic editing rules is challenging in and of itself.

Robt.

skewsme

Canon EOS-6D

Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens

08/30/2006 04:05:17 PM · #4

I did it the hard (and crude) way, and paid for it ;-) But regarding post-processing, I'm wondering whether maybe Picasa does a better job than CS with the soft focus effects, the 2nd place photo is remarkable. Anyone ever tried a side by side comparison?

yanko

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Carl Zeiss 50mm ZE f/1.4 Planar T for Canon

08/30/2006 04:10:30 PM · #5

Why is that disappointing? I'd love for someone to explain to me why doing something the "old way" or the "hard way" is the right way or the better way. Shouldn't you just be interested in trying to acheive the best possible results or are you saying those photos "look fake" because the process was done in photoshop?

08/30/2006 04:11:35 PM · #6

cash outlay....I could argue the fact that I could produce a soft focus photo w/ a $35 filter or a $650 photo editing software.

I hear what your saying, but other challenges have required certain equipment. For example, no one can win a macro challenge w/o a macro lens or a landscape challenge unless you have something fairly wide.

Price aside, I just found it a bit dissapointing that most chose to achieve soft focus through processing.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

08/30/2006 04:15:24 PM · #7

Actually, I didn't think the soft focus filter in Picasa would be legal. It's not applied evenly to the whole photo. You chose where you want the focus, how much of the picture you want blurred and how much blurring you want in the surrounding radius. I use it all the time for personal use, but never in a challenge.

violinist123

Canon EOS-6D

08/30/2006 04:16:30 PM · #8

I could have lied and said I did it with vasoline. What difference would it have made to you? I notice you're not shooting a film camera, why bitch about post-processing when that is part of the digital workflow?

hokie

Nikon D2X

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

08/30/2006 04:20:26 PM · #9

I did my shot through a CD tower cover that had varying degrees of opacity. It was too soft for most people and it caused some hot spots BUT I learned a new technique that will work for some other things I am doing on a project for a job.

THANKS DPC..I LEARNED SOMETHING NEW! That makes my subscription good stuff!

Qart

Canon EOS-30D

08/30/2006 04:27:54 PM · #10

Man I feel stupid. All along aI assumed that filters of any kind were not legal in basic. So today I learned something new. :)

08/30/2006 04:31:39 PM · #11

Just for the record, can SC verify that the soft focus filter is legal in Picasa for Basic challenges? It would be nice to know if it were available for future reference.

Qart

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

08/30/2006 05:01:47 PM · #12

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Been thinking about this for a bit and sorry but I think I have to disagree with you on this one Robert.
There's a real challenge involved in actually composing and shooting for a soft focus image and not everything looks good. As well, the soft focus affect is not as uniformed as what can be achieved with Gausian blur for example. What's happened in this challenge I think is that alot of people simply went thru the shots for the week, applied gausian blur and decided which one looked best. To me, this approach undermines the thrust of the challenge. Yes the images are lovely and yes very worthy but the entries who used softening filters were at a disadvantage out of the gate. Just an opinion... :)
Rudy

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

08/30/2006 05:06:16 PM · #13

Originally posted by kdsprog:

Just for the record, can SC verify that the soft focus filter is legal in Picasa for Basic challenges? It would be nice to know if it were available for future reference.

I believe they are voting on it as we speak, so don't expect an answer until you see a DQ...

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

08/30/2006 05:10:27 PM · #14

Originally posted by DrAchoo:

Originally posted by kdsprog:
Just for the record, can SC verify that the soft focus filter is legal in Picasa for Basic challenges? It would be nice to know if it were available for future reference.

I believe they are voting on it as we speak, so don't expect an answer until you see a DQ...

Thanks Doc! I was beginning to think no one else could see my posts or something... ;P

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

08/30/2006 05:13:45 PM · #15

Originally posted by meanwile:

The superiority of the 2nd place effect may me due to more than the soft focus filter. it looks like other things were done.

yanko

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Carl Zeiss 50mm ZE f/1.4 Planar T for Canon

08/30/2006 08:04:16 PM · #16

Originally posted by Qart:

What's happened in this challenge I think is that alot of people simply went thru the shots for the week, applied gausian blur and decided which one looked best. To me, this approach undermines the thrust of the challenge. Yes the images are lovely and yes very worthy but the entries who used softening filters were at a disadvantage out of the gate. Just an opinion... :)
Rudy

I don't get why screw on "filters" or soft focus lenses should be viewed in a better light than PS filters that do the same thing. In both instances the photographer isn't doing anything except applying the effect that someone else created (i.e. the filter manufacturer or software programmer). There's no skill in flipping a switch on a lens or twisting a filter. The skill comes in by how the photographer chooses it's subjects, it's composition, its lighting and the post editing that follows.

However that said I do agree about what you are saying in general. People don't always shoot for the challenges and just look through what they already shot during the period and see what can be shoehorned in. There's no challenge in that.

Message edited by author 2006-08-30 20:06:23.

Brad

Olympus OM-D E-M1

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

08/30/2006 08:06:43 PM · #17

I just forgot to ask the young lady to remove the stocking before I used it.
Probably would have scored better, but it wouldn't have been nearly as fun...

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

08/30/2006 08:12:21 PM · #18

Originally posted by DrAchoo:

Originally posted by meanwile:
I did it the hard (and crude) way, and paid for it ;-) But regarding post-processing, I'm wondering whether maybe Picasa does a better job than CS with the soft focus effects, the 2nd place photo is remarkable. Anyone ever tried a side by side comparison?

The superiority of the 2nd place effect may me due to more than the soft focus filter. it looks like other things were done.

Acually, he states he used "glow" too.

edited to take out my opinion...

Message edited by author 2006-08-30 20:14:44.

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

08/30/2006 08:20:10 PM · #19

Probably the reason the top 20 photos were done in PP was because gaussian is infinitely more powerful than a standard filter. It would be like having hundreds of filters in your bag each a different strength. But not only that, you can magically use them all on the same shot to see what works.

It's no wonder the PP images came out ahead. Technology marches on, but I say to the benefit of us all.

vtruan

Nikon D5100

Tamron AF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical for Nikon

08/31/2006 07:27:12 AM · #20

You mean people really shoot soft-focus on purpose? :)

glad2badad

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic

08/31/2006 08:11:08 AM · #21

I don't have anything against those that chose post-processing to get their soft focus look. For me, the thought never even crossed my mind. When I saw the challenge theme I immediately thought of the diffusion filter (Cokin) in my filter wallet.

In the end, my score wasn't the best, but I had fun taking my family to a local garden and pursuing an appropriate subject for the shot. ;^)

edit - where's that spell checker when you need it?

Message edited by author 2006-08-31 08:12:36.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

08/31/2006 12:00:47 PM · #22

qart hit it right. Im not ignorant or a luddite, I love what technology has done. I look at my old film pentax and laugh. Im all for PS and constantly try to up my processing abilities.

These are photography challenges. If you used a screw on filter you would have to view your subject differently and you are shooting w/ a purpose which to me makes it a photography challenge. When PS is used exclusively, I could have taken any shot from the week and just applied my processing steps. I could have chosen from anything I shot which makes this just a digital art challenge.

violinist123

Canon EOS-6D

08/31/2006 12:11:55 PM · #23

Your argument makes no sense. At any time you can choose from whatever you shot that week and enter it in the challenge. This challenge was no different than any other in that regard.

You only shoot for challenges? I carry my camera bag with me all day, every day even at work. I shoot constantly. If it looks interesting, I shoot it. If something I shoot happens to line up with the challenge, I enter it.

The few times I tried to set something up and shoot specifically for the challenge, I got the worst scores I've received. Obviously that doesn't apply to everyone, but it applies to me. I take pictures because I enjoy it, not because someone at DPC decided to narrow my vision for the week and force me to shoot pastels or whatever.

glad2badad

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic

08/31/2006 12:25:21 PM · #24

Originally posted by routerguy666:

... If something I shoot happens to line up with the challenge, I enter it. ...

That bums me out a little. I mean your shot for soft focus was wonderful, but for some reason when I saw your entry I thought for sure it was an intentional capture as it suits the challenge very well.

To know it was something that you just happened to shoot, then post-processed to fit... :( Takes a little air out of the balloon for me.

Hope I'm explaining my thoughts on this correctly.