How can i achieve soft focus?

[phaither]

I'm doing a boudoir shoot Sunday (so excited) and I have been scoping out locations with soft, natural light. I have a nikon D3100 and just got a 35mm 1.8 that I've been playing with. My question is this- what is the best way to get a soft focus on my shots? Slow shutter speed or is there a better way?
Thanks in advance...
Faith

[Thunder_o_b]

Put it in manual focus, achieve sharp focus, back the focus off till it is to your liking.

If you are talking about the "dream" effect, pick up a filter, or you can breath heavy on the front element of the lens to fog it.

[autofocus]

buy a second skylight filter, and smear a little vasolene around the edges while leaving the middle area untouched

[zona5101]

ya know you might just want to consider softening it in post. Pretty easy and you can control the amount easier...

[Thunder_o_b]

Originally Posted by autofocus

buy a second skylight filter, and smear a little vasolene around the edges while leaving the middle area untouched

Yeah, I forgot about that one, gives greater consistency than the breath.

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by Thunder_o_b

Yeah, I forgot about that one, gives greater consistency than the breath.

...and if done carefully, the look can be beautiful. It not only can soften an image, but the diffraction of light through the Vaseline can also give the image a bit of a glow. We still have some smeared skylights, but since the advent of digital we haven't used them. BTW, OP, you also can buy soft focus circular filters that are sold at various strengths of sofness...they also, can be nice. Below is one of my wife's old (film) photos shot with Vaseline on the filter


A visit by montalbano photography, on Flickr

[phaither]

Thank you all for the great ideas! I may have to try each of them...
I'll share after the shoot tomorrow...

[phaither]

Originally Posted by autofocus

buy a second skylight filter, and smear a little vasolene around the edges while leaving the middle area untouched

Is the skylight filter the same as the UV filter I have on it now?

[phaither]

https://www.facebook.com/album.php?f...3785&aid=33227

for those of you interested to see how the shoot went, check out this link. i have not finished editing but my friend REALLY wanted to see a few early favorites. enjoy...