I am interested in softening the focus of an image using LR2 (think Sugimoto). Is there a way to do this?

Hi Greg....

The only thing I can think of might be to use negative clarity; I think Matt Kloskowski had a small video tutorial on this over at Lightroom Killer tips.

Best of luck!

Cheers....

Todd in Chicago

Negative clarity, yes, but don't forget that you can use the brush and the grad filter with negative clarity settings too. So you can make some areas soft while leaving detail elsewhere, and multiple applications of the brush and filter mean you can go beyond the -100 limit of the Basic panel's clarity setting. Probably look pretty vile, but you can do it if you want.

Also remember the sharpening settings.

John

Thanks.

hi Greg

I think there is a ready made pre-set for Soft focus that you can download - suggest you google


Sue

IF you want to do it uniquely in LR negative clarity and brushes will edit the original.
I make multiple virtual copies and open them in Photoshop to mask out the parts I want / don't want. More often than not I have + clarity from my Canon 5D II but if the light is contrasty some smoothing with an added 0 or less clarity can smooth out under the chin "chicken skin" faster than clone and healing brushes can.