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black net


M

myhr

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Back in the 80s it was popular to photograph women with a black net filter {originally stretching a black stocking over the lens, then filter makers like Tiffen started making them...}
It would slightly soften the image while enriching the colors.
Anyone know of a filter for PhotoShop that would give a similar effect?
thanx!
 
If i knew what that effect actually looked like, i could probably direct you as to how to simulate it. But i;m not familiar with photgraphic techniques of the 80s. \:]
 
My mistake...time goes by so fast, the 80s seem like yesterday, and I assume everyone is familiar with everything that went on back then! :)
The black netting would use a net material, laminated between clear optics, to create a diffusion effect, minimizing unwanted detail while maintaining image clarity, without any change in contrast. The result is hard to describe...a softening effect without loss of detail, an enrichment of colors, great for enhancing portraits. Whereas most effects filters would take specular highlights and bleed them into shadow areas, the black netting would give the impression of the reverse, kind of a bleeding of shadow areas into highlight areas. Best example I could give would be the warm softness of Playboy center spreads.
 
In today's digital world, you'd accomplish something similar by adriot usage of Gaussian Blur, diffuse glow, and adjusting Hue/Saturation brightness levels. It's not quite the same, but gets close enough for general purposes. Especially since "the old ways" of film manipulation are almost unknown to the "young-un's" nowadays...(Funny, Mark, I knew you weren't all that old, but was surprised that you hadn't heard of this! [stuned] )
 
I remember hearing about fishnet.
I also remember a big debate about smearing vaseline on a lens.
It was quite the fad to try different things over the lens for awhile there.
 
No, no, Stoker, not fishnet stockings! Those were worn by the model!

This technique involved stretching sheer black stockings over the lens, creating a darker diffuse effect.
Think todays' "Soft Focus" effect, but without the brightness...Richard Avedon did some works with it, I believe.
 
When it comes to those kinds of things, it's all fishnet to me. You should hear me talk when I do laundry. There's denim, and then there's everything else.
:P
 
It's not that big of a deal. It just softens edges and puts a bit of a darkening effect on it.

Here's an example using a commercial filter, which provides more consistent results than a stocking...
Here's another that you can zoom in on to see how subtle the effect is. That's why it was so popular for portraits, because it softens age lines so well.
 
I had one of these filters along with a soft focus lens years ago but sold them when I started working with Photoshop, its much easier to replicate the effect.

You're best bet is to use a technique for skin softening, there is a company out there that makes a filter pack to cover all the Cokin and a variety of other filters but I can't for the life of me remember the name of it.

J
 
Wouldn't it suffice to use any blurring filter (including median, diffuse>anisotropic , and the uberuseful Gaussian blur, then faded to multiply? or duplicate layer, blur, then play with the advanced blurring options?
 
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