Monte Zucker Soft Focus Filter Effect

Last week on Photoshop User TV I learned this really awesome effect for Adobe Photoshop from featured guest Eddie Tapp This was on Episode 125 March 17th 2008. Eddie Tapp called this the "Monte Zucker Soft Focus Filter Effect". FYI: Monte Zucker is a world famous portrait and wedding photographer teacher.

Here are the instructions:

Open up your photograph

Go to Image > Resize [Alt+Ctrl+I] and look for the size of the image.
You will use this number for the Gaussian Blur amount later.

Duplicate the Layer [Ctrl-J]

Select new layer then Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and enter in the image size for blur amount. Now select Darken from the layer dropdown menu and set the opacity to 33%.

Duplicate this Layer [Ctrl-J]

Select the new layer and now select Lighten from the layer dropdown menu and set the opacity to 66%.

Now select the two layers and make them a group.
[Shift-Click both layers and drag them down to the Group icon] Add a layer mask [Click the Layer Mask icon] and paint out the areas you do not what blurred, such as the eyes.

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