Sometimes I’m in the mood to produce some soft focus flower images. Some of my favorite flower photos are done with a soft focus. Unfortunately they are not good sellers when I was heavy in the art show business. Most buyers didn’t understand why the image was not all in focus, and it hurt sales. Even my art consultants that purchase images for the health art industry have never bought any of my soft focus flowers, they tend to buy the everything in focus images.
I still like to shoot them for my viewing and also to show all my photog friends who understand depth of field and the artistic merit of these images.
Easy to do, just move the camera in real close, focus on someplace in the foreground, and shoot at the smallest number f/stop. The shallow depth of field will give this soft look to most of the subject behind the point of focus.
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Mike Moats 
Interesting commentary and I never would have thought that to be the case. These are actually some of my favorite images. Always been a fan of watercolor and Georgia O’Keefe. To a certain extent you have combined the best of both worlds. Thanks for the tip on how to shoot them.
Annette, those who are non photographers will find these images artistic, but that is just a small percent of the population. Macro photographers get it because they understand depth of field and how the shallow DOF creates artistic images, but photographers tend to be more artistic, non photographers don’t get or understand why you would want some much out of focus. When they shoot their photos with a point and shoot, it gets it all in focus, so to them, that is how a photo should look.
When I was doing the Art shows here in the Cleveland area, I also found out that they didn’t sell. People liked them and asked how it was done, but did not sell.
Les
Les, that was my experience as well. Pulled them all out of the booth after the first year.
Great soft focus images. I still cannot understand why buyers did not appreciate and buy them.
Me neither Paul.
Mike, We have discussed this before, but I think these are some really great shots. I love them, especially the ethereal quality of the image. They would go on my wall anytime. Do you still use the Halcion (?) software to get images in focus or do you just plan to use f/22 to get more of the image in fucus. I guess it just depends on the market you are aiming towards.
Doug
My understanding aperture wide open ie, f/2.4 etc not the other way.
Sharif, the smallest f/stop stop number, which will vary from lens to lens, but in the 2.8 – 3.5 depending on your macro lens.
I love the soft focus look. One of the unfortunate effects of new technology, both in cameras and in computers, is the feeling that everything has to super sharp. I know I fall victim to it myself and probably skip over pix that do not have sharp focus.
in my opinion some of the most beautiful images of yours. So sorry there is not a financial market for them.
Beautiful images.
Thanks Pat.
I love these kinds of images. After reading your commentary, I kept thinking to myself “What is wrong with the general public?” lol But that’s why we are the artistic ones, we see beyond sharp focus images and utilize more creativity.
Yes Kelly, most of the public will not get this style.
Hi Mike
I really love the “painting like” quality of the soft focus flower photographs. The problem is that many people as you say do not understand the use of DOF to make these images special. Most people can take fully in focus flower shots. It does get boring. The soft focus flower images are so special and unique as it is almost impossible for them to be copied/ repeated, making each fairly unique.