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How to: Soften a picture
Here is a small tutorial to soften your pictures and give them an additional soft touch.
Some of your pictures may have a good exposure, the good light, you were at the good place at the good moment, and still there is something missing. Here is a small tutorial to soften your pictures and give them an additional soft touch.
- Open your picture.
- Duplicate it twice (right click on the layer, then choose Duplicate layer…). The layer at the top will be layer 3, the one at the bottom will be layer 1.
- To the Layer 1: Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur… and apply a blur of 8 pixels.
- To the layer 2: Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur… and apply a blur of 4 pixels.
- To the layer 3: Look for the blending modes at the top of the layer panel, and change it to Overlay.
- Now select the layer 2, and look for the Adjustment layers at the bottom of the layer panel. Create a Channel mixer adjustment layer, that will come between layers 2 and 3, like on the image below. By clicking the Monochrome box you will apply a Black and White adjustment layer (not clear enough? Go check our previous tutorial about black and white pictures)
Here you go! Try it on your own pictures, and tell me what you think about the results!
Aug 14 at 15:08
Thanks very much, my photos I took while walking my dogs look a lot softer. Luckily I went in the morning so I got some great light.
Aug 14 at 15:10
Awesome tutorial! Do you have any idea how to create that ’soft focus’ (more than in your image) effect they use in some adverts?
Aug 18 at 09:34
Well, by simply changing the blending mode of the top layer, and then playing with the opacitiy, you can get a nice soft focus. Works like a charm on some portraits for example!
I will write a tutorial about that soon if you wish me to!
Oct 07 at 17:14
I like the effect that this gives certain pictures. Thanks.
Dec 01 at 08:43
This is very helpful – I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to do this in Photoshop…thx for the tip!