Razor-sharp optics is great? Unless, that is, you're photographing the love of your life. In those instances, you might want to borrow her pantyhose.
A flattering portrait is often praised for its soft lighting, good angle, and natural expression. You'll rarely hear a subject rave about a picture that highlights her pores, wrinkles, and blemishes. Sometimes, modern camera lenses can be too sharp! A popular solution for photographers used by pros is what known as a softening or diffusion filters. Simply put, these accessories attach to the front of the camera lens and downplay the appearance of texture on the face. The wrinkles don't go away; you simply don't notice them as much.
These specialized filters can cost as much as US$200 and are difficult to find for less than US$20. Plus, if you use a variety of lenses for your portrait photography, you might have to buy more than one filter to fit the different lens diameters. That's fine if you shoot portraits for a living. But what if you just want to take a nice shot of your sweetie?
Ask her for her pantyhose.
That's right, by stretching a piece of light beige pantyhose over the front of your lens and securing it with a strong rubber band; you can create the same flattering effect achieved in professional portraits. The more tightly you stretch the material, the milder the effect? The looser the material, the softer the image
You can capture good portraits without filtration, if you use good technique. But there will be situations in which you'll want to use a pantyhose filter to add a little softening effect, be sure to keep a knee-high stocking, along with a couple sturdy rubber bands, in your camera bag for just these occasions.
Source: O’Reiley | Portfolio Website for Photographers
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