Camera techniques - Soft focus

Soft focus in camera/film can be achieved by smearing petroleum jelly/Vaseline on the camera lens. This can be a time consuming process and can be achieved by smearing, cleaning and then reapplying it after each shot. This technique is also known as vaselensing. It creates a blur around the model, diverting focus from everybody around. This process was used for the endoskeleton in The Terminator, the pterodactyl's wings in When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, and the terror dogs sequence in Ghostbusters.

This clever technique goes back to the early days of photography and video. Giving a nice soft focus around the edges of the frame. Another way of doing this technique is by using a cheap UV filter, and carefully smearing vaseline on that, so not to damage the camera lens. Other substances would work effectively, however vaseline is the most common used, as it is known to be effective and is a cheap alternative, giving a dream-like effect. Commonly used in old films and portrait photography to soften the image slightly. An alternative to vaseline is using an old pantyhose, filtering it across the lens for a soft focus of the entire lens, rather than just around the edges.