Alt with PS

photogoddess · Aug 3, 2005

I posted this in the critique section hoping that someone with some PS skills could give one of these shots (whichever you think is better) a bit of an "alt" touch. So far, no takers. So, I figured that I'd try in this forum. Can any of you guys help out? Feel free to go buck wild.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26843

terri · Aug 3, 2005

Well, you know the kind of tricks we play over here, girlie.

What do you see when you look at it? It's an image that doesn't feel finished, is that it? And is this a digital image, or do you have a negative? (You mentioned the camera but I forgot) :blushing:

photogoddess · Aug 3, 2005

I guess I was looking for an IR, Holga or Bromoil "treatment" for it. This display is a vintage street/storefront theme to it and I've looked at this dog several times over the last few years. I've gone back and shot it several times but this is the first time that I think that I have gotten close to having the right shot of it. I don't know exactly what I could do with it and I certainly don't have the PS skills to play around with it. It is a digital file.

Edit - honestly, the first thought I had when I downloaded the card was that this shot needed the "Terri touch". :lol:

terri · Aug 3, 2005

Edit - honestly, the first thought I had when I downloaded the card was that this shot needed the "Terri touch".

awww..... :blushing: Ain't you sumpin.

I've looked at it, and it would probably be a cool bromoil. But of course a REAL bromoil is a darkroom process and needs a negative to become archival. I am betting someone who has good PS skills could fool with it.

Have you put this in Corry's forum where the "PS Challenges" are?

photogoddess · Aug 3, 2005

Ooooh - that's a good idea. :mrgreen:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=257470#post257470

hobbes28 · Aug 3, 2005

I gave it an alt go.

erniehatt · Aug 4, 2005

I am not sure of the terminology here, please explain Alt feel. Only problem here is, the options are less with B/W in PS starting with a colour image gives you more control. I had several attemps at this, the problem with an Infared effect some detail is lost in the highlights. I played with this using minimal madjustments. Try adding some Defused Glow to this. Ernie

hobbes28 · Aug 5, 2005

By alt feel, she means to it will have the look of a polaroid manipulation or a lift or transer or even like a holga. Any of the alternative processes that are out there rather than just shooting through a regular 35mm.

Dave_D · Aug 10, 2005

So I guess this isn't what you had in mind!?!?......:lmao:

terri · Aug 10, 2005

uh....not sure whether PG will like it or not, but it's certainly not what *I* like to think of when I think of "the Terri touch".... :lol:

crazy boy!

photogoddess · Aug 11, 2005

Is he giving us the eye? :lol:

Definitely not the "Terri touch" but pretty damned creative. :lmao:

Dave_D · Aug 11, 2005

It gave me something fun to do in PS instead of the usual stuff I get called for; which is mostly overly critical.

doxx · Aug 12, 2005

curves are my main tool - here's what I did to improve the image:

1st copy and paste into PS (Photoshop that is)
convert to RGB - mainly for the toning effect

sharpening (unsharp mask) in 2 passes
equally high amount and high radius for contrast (15%/15px in this case)
'normal' amounts for sharpness (50%, 0.5px for a small image like this)

overall contrast move (curves, s-shape - up in the highlights, down in the shadows)

several selective contrast moves to improve detail and texture
-especially dog's face, smoke and wall
(select areas with the lasso, feather 15px and use adjustment layer
for total control - contrast via curves like before)

finally the toning
curves again - increase the red, decrease green and blue
in the mid-tones

P.S. by doing all these contrast moves, I watch out for blown
highlights or blocked shadows. Sometimes blocked shadows
or blown highlights are ok though, depending on the image

adjustment layers come in very handy, since I can change
the move with a layer mask at a later point. It is not uncommon
for me to have 10 to 20 adjustment layers on an image.

hope this helps...