How are these color effects are made ?

super june · Nov 1, 2007

Hello everyone, nice to meet you !

It is my first post here

I would like to ask how these photo effects are created... They look like old photos.
I like those colors. A bit pale, blueish pink, yellow, foggy to bright colors.

http://www.linascheynius.com/red13.html
http://www.linascheynius.com/f01.html
http://www.linascheynius.com/s02.html
http://jonathanknobel.com/carphotos/1.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8727368@N02/

If possible, I would like to not edit the colors effects with Photoshop and try non-digitally.

Thankyou !

fightheheathens · Nov 1, 2007

to me some of them look cross processed, though i am no expert.

cross processing is developing Slide film as regular color film or regular color film as slide film. This can be simulated in photoshop, but i dont think there is any way to "cross process" a digital image in camera. Either way, cross processing with film or a photoshop plugin would create images with interesting color shifts. google it

RacePhoto · Nov 1, 2007

super june said:
Hello everyone, nice to meet you !

It is my first post here

I would like to ask how these photo effects are created... They look like old photos.
I like those colors. A bit pale, blueish pink, yellow, foggy to bright colors.

If possible, I would like to not edit the colors effects with Photoshop and try non-digitally.

Thankyou !

Don't hate me but why would you want to take poor pictures intentionally? Out of focus, weak saturation, it looks more like film that was out of date, and a lens that had grease on it. One looks like the film sat in the Sun or got hot on a car dash. Buy some old film, a 99c camera at a resale shop, and you'll get some nice purples, weird yellows and soft focus.

But the last set, is done by interesting efforts. Those are projections of light or other images, onto the subjects. So you put your subject in the dark and shine a slide (for example) on them. You can also do a background picture, projected and then a front image that only shows on the subject, and get some interesting effects. Those were good. You could cut holes in paper and hold it in front of a lamp, then that acts as a projector. Or buy an old slide projector at a resale shop (cheap) and shine a slide on your subject.

doobs · Nov 1, 2007

Options:

Buy a Holga or Diana and cross process
or
Play with the sliders in PS

As easy as that.

Jeff Canes · Nov 1, 2007

They all look under exposed photo, and I not taking about the models

doobs · Nov 1, 2007

Jeff Canes said:
They all look under exposed photo...

Cross processing, generally, has that effect. You just need an increased contrast when printing/PSing.

super june · Nov 1, 2007

Hello everyone !

Thankyou for those helpful replies, I didn't know the existence of Cross Processed photography, I simply thought it would come out... 'like that' ^ ^; !

I really like the fake-amaturesque style of these photos (it's like they are saying 'F* you' to convention) .
I was tired with the 'clean look' and wanted to try something new... without finding anything. I haven't touched my camera for months, then I saw these photos and it really caught my eyes, and made me want to take photos again !
I love this abstract aspect, this old vintage look, the beautiful odd colors. It makes me feel creepy.

I also have another question, when cross processing with Photoshop, is it possible to give that pale under exposed look as well ?

Do someone know any good tutorials ?

Thankyou for helping me everyone!
RacePhoto, your tips were genius !! Thankyou for sharing me your knowledge.

ohimskrewed · Nov 4, 2007

super june said:
I also have another question, when cross processing with Photoshop, is it possible to give that pale under exposed look as well ?

Do someone know any good tutorials ?

i found that just playing around with the curves adjustments in photoshop give some interesting "cross processed" looks to your photos.

also, check deviantart.com (just do a search in the resources for this kind of processing.) you also might want to check out some of the photoshop actions people have made. i think you might enjoy the polaroid action. and best of all, its free!

Iron Flatline · Nov 4, 2007

A few comments:

This quasi-amateur style is highly fashionable right now. There's nothing wrong with that, I find it quite attractive, too, esp. some of the images that you used as example... but look around at most current fashion photography and you'll see it. I guess people have become so used to looking at DIY shots from MySpace that the Collective Subconscious has picked it up. It's not exactly new. And like a lot of "looks" one of the first places it was used was the Calvin Klein jeans ads.

In looking at these shots, I think most of them are just slightly desaturated, with very subtle adjustments to the hue. There are infinitely more complex ways of getting there, but start with those. If you have a digital photo editing software then try your Saturation slider (-25 might be a good place to start) and gently nudge your Hue slider. You can also bring down the Brightness.

Most modern cameras, even dSLRs, come to market with a default preset for their JPG files that is supposed to appeal to the average consumer. The Saturation and Contrast are set high (so the image "pops") and the Sharpness is dialed down so that people don't look wrinkly in portraits. If your camera allows it, see if you can reduce the Saturation, though I would keep the Contrast mid to high... but that's a personal choice.

Much of the Sharpness (or lack thereof) is not something
that is only done in camera. Most of these images look pretty sophisticated to me, and I would venture a guess and say they are shot with pretty good gear, in an effort to capture them as they are. I find mega-crisp Sharpness highly overrated. Learn to manual focus, and to work with zones.

Meysha · Nov 5, 2007

super june said:
I really like the fake-amaturesque style of these photos (it's like they are saying 'F* you' to convention) . [/quot]

If this is where your head's at then Google Lomo or lomography. it's all about cross processing and that "F*** you" style as you so eloquently put it.

I also have another question, when cross processing with Photoshop, is it possible to give that pale under exposed look as well ?

Do someone know any good tutorials ?

Click to expand...

I'm yet to find a good cross processing action for PS. Shoot film for now until you learn what it 'looks' like then you can play in PS.

Alpha · Nov 5, 2007

Well it's all film for sure. You can see the culprit here:
http://www.linascheynius.com/diary01.html
It's an old Nikon 35mm.

Just cross-process. For this type of look I would shy away from cross processing any fuji slide films except maybe astia. You could try elite chrome or EPH.

Groupcaptainbonzo · Nov 6, 2007

As a general rule of thumb, the cheaper brands of trannie film are usually the best to cross process. cross processing (in my experience) gives higher contrast than normal, not lower...but try a few to find which you like.
Most of these are just old faded trannies . the film goes like that when it ages..Good from a nostalgic point of view.
each to their own, but I would go for properly exposed and developed stuff every time.

ref: http://www.photoshopsupport.com/tutorials/or/cross-processing.html

http://www.seekingfocus.com/photo/tag/cross-processed/

luis_relampago · Nov 6, 2007

You can get those colors with photo-shop no doubt, just play with the color balance, and the hue and saturation. As for the last set of photos I get a similar effect out of my 1943 Argus C-3 camera, It happens when I double expose the same frame, I get some cool effects with that great piece of art called "The Brick".

Alpha · Nov 6, 2007

Ah screw that. Digital takes all the fun out of it unless you absolutely crave techno-masturbation. The best part of cross processing and shooting expired film is committing yourself to largely unpredictable results.