How I Cured My Obsession For Tack Sharp Photos: I wanted to try something new without having to buy a new camera or lens. My compact Panasonic LX10 has a setting for...

deanfl Loc: Georgia

I wanted to try something new without having to buy a new camera or lens.

My compact Panasonic LX10 has a setting for “artistic”(painters palette icon). So far my favorite option is “soft focus”. I know many people use soft focus for flowers and people.

I used it for landscape type shots.

I took these at Freeman’s Mill Park in Georgia.

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Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

They are OK but, not for me. I am also not a nut on sharpness,but like them a little sharper. Do what you like as that is what makes photography what it is. All our equipment is capable to do many things and the photographer picks what they like or want. Have fun.

Brokenland

The artistic soft focus effect should be used for foggy conditions to heighten the foggy or smoke in the surroundings.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Hmmm.

Dalek Loc: Detroit, Miami, Goffstown

Looks like I need three-D glasses...blah.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

This is my take on this. Sharp images have a lot to do with the photographer and a good example is to give a camera with a sharp lens to someone who uses poor techniques and I bet none of the images made will be sharp.
In real life those images you posted are images treated with a Gaussian Blur that with your camera is called Soft Focus. The technique, as you stated is popular for portraits and many other subjects. I would say that your first shot fits the technique and I would dare to say it is the only shot where the soft focus effect works really well.

lamontcranston

It hurts my eyes. I admit I do prefer sharpness to blurry photos.

BurghByrd Loc: Pittsburgh

They are pleasing compositions.

tcthome Loc: NJ

Not bad! In camera painting look. If you like doing it in post, it will take the fun out of it. Nice photos.

redtooth

My eyes keep trying to focus .

kvanhook Loc: Oriental, NC

I do enjoy the photos, but, as another person said, they bother my eyes quite a bit. I keep wanting to focus upon something I cannot focus on.

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

deanfl wrote:

I wanted to try something new without having to buy a new camera or lens.

My compact Panasonic LX10 has a setting for “artistic”(painters palette icon). So far my favorite option is “soft focus”. I know many people use soft focus for flowers and people.

I used it for landscape type shots.

I took these at Freeman’s Mill Park in Georgia.

I like this look for certain subjects, especially portraits of children and ladies. Some landscapes and nature scenes benefit from it as well. Try it on a nature scene with backlight and strong highlights - I think it might give an Orton Effect look to the image. These are quite nice images, BTW, except the effect on #2 is a bit strong, making the image look out of focus, whereas the others look in focus with a soft diffuse glow to them.

Stan

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

That might be OK for experimental or just fooling around but,....not all the time

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yes, that is a technique, if used moderately - moderately. They used to put Vaseline on the lens when shooting aging Hollywood actresses. Sharp isn't always best. "Tack sharp" is misleading.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

These are OK. However, my philosophical leanings are more in line with Group f/64.
--Bob

deanfl wrote:

I wanted to try something new without having to buy a new camera or lens.

My compact Panasonic LX10 has a setting for “artistic”(painters palette icon). So far my favorite option is “soft focus”. I know many people use soft focus for flowers and people.

I used it for landscape type shots.

I took these at Freeman’s Mill Park in Georgia.