Soft Focus

[A/Ox4]

I just shot my first wedding and... Well... I feel like I could have done better. Several images lack the tack sharp focus I've come to expect from my equipment. As an example, here is one of my favorite shots. I have showed these to a few non-photogs and they have been very impressed, but I'm afraid the bride may be disappointed. (To be clear, not ALL are soft, just more than I would have liked)

What do you think? Is this image presentable? (Another look shows they both could use some brightening)

Another example

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[f2bthere]

For photographers, tack sharp is considered necessary. You posted in a photography forum, so you will probably hear that a lot .

The bride will probably love the shot of the nose touch (after you do appropriate post processing). I would NOT try to make it look sharp. Soft focus often looks good and the emotion is well captured. It is a shot that looks good soft. I wouldn't suggest doing this on purpose, but as long as all your images are not soft, I think you will be fine and she will be happy. I would show her the image.

When I have a shot I really like and focus isn't perfect, I will include it with what I show clients and they almost always buy those shots. I suppose I wouldn't be showing them if they weren't pretty good otherwise--normally soft shots get cut on the first pass along with blinks .

 

[Derrel]

Doctor it up a bit...maybe apply some filter effects...it'll be accepted.

I supposed if you're worried about it, you could sharpen it somewhat. First-up-rezz the file a bunch of times in Photoshop, 110% each time, like 10 times. Then, apply the Sharpen filter, then Fade to 40%, and do that 5,6 times, then down-size the image. It will look sharper.

 

[BrickHouse]

I think too, that sometimes if the contrast of a shot is lower, it can appear to the eye to be softer. I bet if you pushed the whites and blacks, it would appear a bit sharper to the eye.

 

[Alexr25]

Sharpness is vastly over-rated these days. Many photos are improved by somewhat less than razor sharp image.
Photographers of old used to smear Vaseline on their lenses to reduce sharpness and create a softer image, the smarter ones smeared it on UV filters that they attached to the lens.

 

[petrochemist]

Sharpness is vastly over-rated these days. Many photos are improved by somewhat less than razor sharp image.
Photographers of old used to smear Vaseline on their lenses to reduce sharpness and create a softer image, the smarter ones smeared it on UV filters that they attached to the lens.

In the right place softness creates a lovely dreamy feel, and can be very flattering to older ladies. Hence the Vaseline trick & the numerous manufacturers who made special soft focus lenses for portraiture.

In the wrong place it will spoil an image, but as Derrel & BrickHouse point out appropriate post processing can make images look sharper than they do SOOC.