Manual frequency separation requires creating two blur layers, applying high-pass filters, meticulously painting on layer masks, and constantly zooming in and out. For a single hero image, this is fine. For a 800-image wedding gallery or a 50-image e-commerce catalog, it is a path to burnout.

However, one caveat: Do not use Portraiture as a crutch to avoid learning lighting. Bad lighting + aggressive Portraiture = abstract art. Great lighting + subtle Portraiture = editorial gold.

A common question from purists is: "Why pay $100+ for a plugin when I can do Frequency Separation in Photoshop for free?"