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Soft focus shot definition
What is a soft focus shot?
Ever seen a moment in a movie where everything seemed to go soft and dreamy? It’s a common technique in romantic films. This is called a soft focus shot, and it’s when a shot deliberately blurs the image, softening sharp edges and details to create a fuzzier - and often more flattering! - view of the subject. This is achieved with a soft focus lens filter, which is an attachment placed over a camera lens that gently blurs the image.
For an in-depth exploration of this technique, check out our full guide to soft focus in film, complete with examples and breakdowns.
Soft focus shot example
Soft focus shot examples
It’s helpful to see soft focus shots in action before exploring how they operate within visual storytelling. Browse this curated selection of soft focus images to get a sense of their uses across films, genres, and film history.
Flatter subjects
Create a romantic mood
Smooth harsh lighting
Evoke nostalgia
Uses
What does soft focus cinematography do?
Soft focus filters blur images, and filmmakers choose this effect for a variety of story reasons. It's not quite "out of focus" but also not entirely "in focus" either. Somewhere in between, soft focus shots bring a beauty and a mood to imagery. Here are some of the most common applications.
Create a gentle feel
Blurring the focus can give scenes a gentle, dreamy, or romantic feel. Since the image is "manipulated," it can be use "not quite real" scenarios.
Erase flaws
Soft focus shots can make characters look more flattering by smoothing skin and hiding flaws, creating a more ethereal presentation.
Minimize distracting details
By softening a shot, harsh details that may distract the viewer can be blurred and more easily ignored creating a more aesthetic composition overall.
Indicate flashbacks
Sometimes soft focus shots are used as a visually distinct way to show that a scene is part of a flashback where memory is fuzzy and reality is soft.
Soft focus photography
Soft focus vs. hard focus
While soft focus shots create a dreamy look by reducing sharpness and smoothing details, hard focus creates a highly detailed image with sharp edges and defined textures that are clear and crisp. Hard focus is often used in film to highlight textures or draw sharp attention to important elements in a scene.
Case Study
Shot listing a soft focus shot
A common effect of soft focus is an ethereal glow that can signify a dream, a memory, or a bit of fantasy. This latter use is exactly what director Peter Jackson brought to this scene in The Fellowship of the Ring between Frodo and Galadriel. Not only is she presented as a luminous figure, the moment also has a bit of a dream sequence feel to it.
Click the shot list below to take a closer look at the entire scene.
Soft focus shots allow a filmmaker to blur a subject to create a dream-like visual, but combining this shot with other techniques can enhance the visual language of the story.
Unexpected combos
How can you use a soft focus shot with other camera techniques?
How to combine a soft focus shot in film
Soft focus shots are a versatile addition to any filmmaker’s visual language. While impactful on their own, they gain even more power when paired with other techniques. Here are some creative ways soft focus can be combined with different cinematic approaches:
- Dolly shot: Using a soft focus lens with a dolly shot smoothly moves the camera toward or away from the subject while giving a dreamy and floating look.
- Close-up: A common choice in romantic films, a close-up with a soft focus often shows a subject as dreamy or the object of another character’s desire.
- Over-the-shoulder shot: Using a soft focus shot with an over-the-shoulder can soften the scene’s atmosphere while maintaining focus on a character’s perspective.
- Rack focus: Racking focus with a soft focus shot smoothly shifts attention between subjects while maintaining that dreamy look.
- Wide shot: Using soft focus during a wide shot can add an atmospheric quality to an entire scene, making it feel more romantic, otherworldly, or nostalgic.
Frequently asked questions about the Soft Focus Shot
Soft focus means making an image slightly blurry, often to create a dreamy look.
A soft focus lens filter is a camera accessory that attaches to the lens and blurs the image to soften it.
In Casablanca, soft focus is used during scenes where the two main characters are remembering their past together.
Filmmakers most often use soft focus in film to create a romantic or dreamy scenes or indicate nostalgic flashbacks.
A soft focus effect is a shot that blurs an image to soften details, creating a dreamy look.
