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Add Diffuse Glow
Diffuse Glow is a relatively little-known Photoshop tool that works particularly well when applied to high-key portraits. It is found by selecting Filter > Distort > Diffuse Glow and works automatically to attack the highlights and the lighter areas of the image. It is a particularly useful tool for portraits as it adds a softness to skin and smooths highlights. However, it should be used with care as light and dark areas can bleed into each other, which will ruin the overall effect.
AALIYAH
This delightful portrait shows just what is possible with Diffuse Glow. This is a high-key portrait created by using flash to light the subject and deliberately overexposing the background with windowlight. The slow shutter speed also allowed a little subject movement to be captured, which adds to the mood of the shot. The Diffuse Glow has not only lightened the background, white top and flash highlights on the skin, but has also melded the area where the hair and background meet to good effect.
Canon EOS 10D, 70–200mm lens at 70mm, 1/750 sec at f/4, ISO 100.