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Soft Focus
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If you are over sixty, you probably don't like to have your picture taken. Older faces are prime victims to harsh lighting, deep shadows, sharp lenses and unforgiving close ups. You probably look fine at night with candle light on your face but once your grand daughter shows up with her digital camera, your pleasant image is history. Arcsoft, Adobe and Corel all sell image editors with the necessary tools.

There are a few measures you can take to alleviate the situation. One is to insist on a full length shot far enough away to produce a small and indistinct face. Another is to slather on the make up and hope for the best. Finally, you can beg to be out of the picture. This last punishes you as well as your loved ones and makes one look vain.

A favorite picture of you that everyone likes can be improved digitally quite easily. It just requires a little effort on the photographer's part to familiarize yourself with the necessary tools and methods.

Starting at the top, there are stray hairs and dark roots ruining the hair dew. Stray hair is easily cloned out of existence by copying the adjacent area with a feathered clone stamp set at fifty per cent transparency. Dark roots require cloning an area of the hair of the proper color and running in the same direction if straight. I recommend a thirty per cent transparency using several passes for a realistic effect. Work at the highest enlargement of the working area that fits on your screen.

Shiny foreheads are tricky, but can often be improved with a touch of the disturb brush. Set the brush at medium strength and at fifty per cent transparency. Place the size at twice the area of the highlight and feather at 100%. Don't try to darken the area but a slight fill with the air brush will do wonders. Use the eye dropper to choose an adjacent skin color and fill in the highlight at three per cent transparency.

Blemishes will disappear using the clone at seventy per cent transparency, copying from a near by unblemished area of skin. At eighty five per cent transparency, drag the clone over the bags under the eyes for a younger look. Don't over do this effect.

The whites of the eyes can be lightened if done carefully. Outline the whites of the eyes with the dotted line mask and make an object of the masked areas. In the brightness/contrast box click on the brightness once at three per cent. Don't try to make any other adjustments to this area of the eyes. It is possible to open the eyes somewhat but the method is quite advanced. If there is no highlight in the eye, you can place one with a two or three pixel brush using a light warm gray color. A round 100% feathered shape is normal or a crescent shape for an out of doors picture. If the highlight looks too prominent you can use the softener brush to dull it down without removing it.

Teeth often come out dark and yellowish in digital photographs. Draw a dotted circle around the teeth and using the brightness/contrast box, lighten the teeth at five per cent strength and change the color balance with a three per cent magenta adjustment. Crooked teeth can be fixed by reverse cloning a good tooth from the other side of the mouth. However, this method requires a little practice and advanced training to be successful.

Too pale skin can be corrected by using the histogram center arrow. Slide this arrow slightly to the right for darker skin. Conversely, sliding it to the left will darken the middle tones for a simulated sun tan. The ends of the histogram representing the whites (right side) and blacks (left side) remain attached to the extreme ends.

There are other effects that will improve the face. The softening brush used judiciously will smooth the skin, the soft focus filter has the same effect but might be too strong a result. The color balance can be used to warm up the face by masking the face and head and adjusting the color balance two per cent yellow and two per cent red. If the effect is too noticeable, try one per cent. Remember blemishes, windy conditions and dark shadows are temporary conditions. A photograph is forever.

About the Author: A retired portrait and wedding photographer, I enjoy writing , how to articles, helpful articles on photography and many other subjects. My hobbies include quartet singing, shop, bicycling and photography. Please visit my web site at photoartbyken.com [Articles, Digital Art, Poetry, Original sheet music.]

Frequently Asked Questions About Soft Contact Lenses

Q: I've never worn soft contacts before, will I have trouble adjusting?

A: In most instances, soft lenses are very easy to get used to and most people will adjust within the first week or two. There are some people with very sensitive eyes who are never quite able to get used to wearing contacts, although that is rather rare.

Q: Are soft contact lenses difficult to care for?

A: Not at all. With the advent of one-step systems you can clean, rinse, and disinfect soft contacts all with one product. The main thing to remember is to clean contacts after every use, unless they are the soft, disposable variety of course, store the lenses properly, and always wash your hands before cleaning or handling them.

Q: Will a soft contact ever "get lost" behind the eye?

A: No, the farthest it can go is up behind the eye lid, and even in the worst case scenario, your doctor or eye doctor should easily be able to remove the errant lens.

Q: Shouldn't children be of a certain age before wearing soft contacts?

A: That decision is usually made by both the parents and the eye doctor as the responsibility level of children will vary. Even infants can be fitted with contacts to correct certain eye problems as the eye is able to adapt to wearing lenses at a young age. Take into consideration how responsible your child is, and discuss the issue with their eye doctor before giving it a "trial period" to see how well it goes.

Q: What's the best way to save money when buying soft contact lenses?

A: First check to see if your health insurance features any type of eye coverage, and then comparison shop online to find the best prices before buying. Usually the more you buy, the lower the cost will be, which is especially true of many online vendors and mass retailers as opposed to optometric chains.

Q: I want coloured contact lenses, will I still need a prescription?

A: Yes, coloured contacts still require a prescription as they are considered to be a medical device even though they don't correct your vision. In fact, in many places, it's illegal to sell contacts to someone without a valid prescription from an eye doctor.

Q: I need bifocals, will I still be able to wear soft contact lenses?

A: Yes, those with the condition known as presbyopia, which usually starts around the age of 40, makes it increasingly difficult to focus on things regardless of the distance. Bifocals have two different prescriptions in the same lens and are available in soft contacts, with the near power located in the center of the lens, and the distance power around the outer portion of the lens.

Q: How often will I need to visit the eye doctor after starting to wear soft contacts?

A: After being fitted for soft contacts, you'll probably have to return in about a week if you're a new wearer to make sure you aren't having any problems. Other than that, visiting your eye doctor on a yearly basis to check your prescription and the overall health of your eyes should be all that's necessary.

About the Author

A great place to buy soft contact
lenses online is www.aclens.com.
To read a detailed review of this online store visit
www.bestforcontactlenses.com

My brake pedal in my 2001 Ford Focus feels soft intermittently, what could be the cause?

I just noticed it over the weekend. There has been a rattling sound coming from the front left wheel well for some time now, but hasn't been an all the time thing either, just when I'm on a rougher road. Also on a quick bounce on the road, there is a noticeable sound that sounds like if you try to roll backwards with the emergency brake on. The brake pedal is not soft all the time, only seems to happen after the car has sat overnight, and it only happens once, then goes back to normal. Any ideas what could be the cause of either the rattle sound, or the brake pedal, and can they be linked?
With the driver side door open, I can hear a squeek coming from the front driver side brake when the pedal is depressed.

I doubt the two problems are related to one another.

Regarding the spongy pedal, check the fluid level in your master cylinder. Is it down/is the rubber gasket extended from vacuum? If so, raise the car (be safe! -level surface, use jackstand, block rear wheels, etc.). Remove wheels in turn. Inspect each brake line for leaks, starting at the caliper and working backward. Tighten fittings, replace leaking rubber lines, etc. Bleed the system when finished.

Do you get any noise from the left front when you are making a right turn? Turn a loose clockwise circle in a parking lot and listen for a clicking, whirring or grinding sound from that area. Such a noise points to a worn CV joint.

If none, raise the left front corner of the car (level surface, use jackstand, block rear wheels, etc.). Remove the front left wheel and inspect the caliper and pads. Look for excessive wear on one or both pads, loose or damaged brake components. Inspect the suspension components - look for worn rubber parts.

If you don't understand or can't perform the foregoing, leave it to a trusted mechanic. I'd suggest a local general mechanic shop for this one rather than a brake shop.

Good luck!

Music review: Melodies save Mary Chapin Carpenter's latest
This music is more dangerous than it sounds. With its shameless sentimentality, pep talks for boomers and references to rain (in five songs), "The Age of Miracles" could have devolved into a painful parade of platitudes made more mushy by the soft-focus musical arrangements.

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