How can I get this effect?

[barretme]

...http://www.bwgreyscale.com/adimg13/adv_7258.JPG

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

As per the forum rules, I have changed the images to links. We don't want anybody getting in trouble for displaying shots that are not theirs...but links are fine.

 

[Flash Harry]

The two examples look like they've been desaturated slightly, other than that the lighting in the dolce one has been done to give a sunlit effect and the other to resemble ambient light from a window, but both are studio lit shots and for me none of these have any "pop", that's the fashion industry for you though, drab.

 

[barretme]

...

 

[Iron Flatline]

In the first one, the skin tone of the model on the left looks relatively natural, the one on the right looks more made up. The shot looks pretty straight forward, if slightly desaturated and color-corrected. The set and the clothes look pretty uniform in color, so there's definitely a sense that there's an overall coloration, but I just think that's good pre-production.

The second shot is lit to accentuate the purses. There seems to be an overall color-"wash" to the whole image to give it a sun-faded look, beyond the lighting and set that already implies that feeling.

 

[markc]

They look very different to my eye, so I'm not sure what aspect of them you are finding appealing or similar. The second one looks a bit washed out and blah to me. The first doesn't look to be desaturated. I think it's more palette choice. It does have strong local contrast. I think much of that is thanks to good lighting control, though some software work is going to help it along.

I could reproduce that second image easily, but that first one... I get some idea of what was done by looking at it, and the lighting looks simple enough, but being able to create it on a whim and getting the balance right isn't a skill I have right now. That's what years of studio work gets you. If you want that look, I don't think there are any tricks. Just practice, practice, practice.

 

[markc]

In the first one, the skin tone of the model on the left looks relatively natural, the one on the right looks more made up.

I'm guessing that's the lighting. I don't know if that's a real room or not, but the girl on the left is either lit by warmer window light or light made to look like window light. The one on the right looks to be lit by a slightly cooler strobe with a softbox to emulate reflected interior light. I wish I could see the highlights in the eyes on the girl on the left. They can tell you so much.
It may also be just her paler complexion. The girl on the left looks to have a more olive coloring to her skin.

 

[ftops]

i dont see any 'effect' at all really. they both just have a very monotone feel to them...sort of a faded beige in the second one, and for the first one maybe a light brown/tan as well.

to be honest, theres nothing special about these pictures, and there isnt any really outstanding 'effect' that i see...just a couple of magazine ads. dime a dozen...