I need a certain effect for a job that I am shooting this week. I have seen it a number of places and can only describe it as the rough equivalent to englarger diffusion in the old days where hard dark edges bleed into lighter areas. The best image example that I can present in a pinch are images by Philip Warner (aka Lithium Picnic)

Like http://rwboyer.com/tartan4.jpg

I have been driving myself crazy in Photoshop trying to reproduce this effect.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Please, no conjecture. I have tried a bunch of stuff that I thought might work and have not gotten there. If you know how to do it great. If you have a guess please try it on an image first and then let me know if you can.

Thanks

RB

try duplicating the layer, set it to overlay and using gaussian blur...

try duplicating the layer, set it to overlay and using gaussian blur...

Pleeeease,

Not even close, try it.

RB

try different blending modes and also the "blend if" sliders...

try different blending modes and also the "blend if" sliders...

Been there done that, tried everything I could think of. As I mentioned please don't speculate, try it, if you get results then by all means post them.

RB

I used Diffuse Vignette without a selection.. filter set available here (http://www.thelightsrightstudio.com/TLRPhotographicFilters.htm)

You want no conjecture but it is sort of difficult to look into your minds eye and see your vision without a good sample to go on and especially when the sample you provided (which to me looks like a surface blur) is not what you want..
Anyway I think this looks pretty close to what you get from a opal glass

I used Diffuse Vignette without a selection.. filter set available here (http://www.thelightsrightstudio.com/TLRPhotographicFilters.htm)

You want no conjecture but it is sort of difficult to look into your minds eye and see your vision without a good sample to go on and especially when the sample you provided (which to me looks like a surface blur) is not what you want..
Anyway I think this looks pretty close to what you get from a opal glass

Thanks,

What I am looking for is not the vignette, Look at the sample closely where the dark edges of the clothing hit the lighter background (most apparent in the lower left of the image) can you see the subtle bleed of the dark wardrobe into the background? That is what I am talking about.

RB

Look here and see if this is want you want.

http://www.ranum.com/fun/lens_work/tutorials/diffusion/index.html

LOL, There is no vignette in the sample provided (No selection=no vignette)

Do you want the whole image affected or just the edges? Because on the low resolution sample provided these old eyes SEE NOTHING!

I have an action set that might help. You can look at the steps in the actions to see how they work.

http://www.thelightsrightstudio.com/TLRDiffuseGlows.htm

It makes diffuse glows, high key glows, low key glows, soft dreamy effects, etc.

Cheers,

Mitch

Mitch.. check the link in post#6... That is a nice filter set.. THANKS!

I think you are looking for this:
Duplicate bckd layer and use strong Gaussian blur, about 30, and the image will look like total blur...... use darken blending mode on that layer and drop opacity to around 40-50% or to your liking. To gain back some punch do a
high pass on a duplicate layer in soft light mode and about 30% opacity.

Mitch.. check the link in post#6... That is a nice filter set.. THANKS!

Oh, sorry. I missed that. Well, now there's a couple of options! :)

Thanks for the friendly bump.

Cheers,

Mitch