Need some advice on photo editing

[OLaA]

Can you post an edit? Just curious as my approach tend to be totally different.

Sure. I'll post two. The first one _only_ has the color->monochrome filter using a light brown (think: cappuccino). But because the camera-facing side of the cup-cake was in shadow, the histogram was shifted left (meaning there's nothing very close to a "white" other than the one reflection on the plate), I did a 2nd edit where I brushed on a "dodge" in the shadow in front of the cup-cake to bring up the lighting, used the 'levels' tool (mostly to tweak the high-tones), added a weak vignette, and I decreased the intensity of "noise" in the image... but just a little (I hate to do strong noise reduction as it tends to make everything look soft and a bit like plastic.)

Here they are:

View attachment 41776View attachment 41775

Thanks! Learn something new everyday. I agree this look is over used quite a bit especially when people throw yellow over everything. You should put thought and have reasoning behind any type of color grading IMO.

 

[TCampbell]

Can you post an edit? Just curious as my approach tend to be totally different.

Sure. I'll post two. The first one _only_ has the color->monochrome filter using a light brown (think: cappuccino). But because the camera-facing side of the cup-cake was in shadow, the histogram was shifted left (meaning there's nothing very close to a "white" other than the one reflection on the plate), I did a 2nd edit where I brushed on a "dodge" in the shadow in front of the cup-cake to bring up the lighting, used the 'levels' tool (mostly to tweak the high-tones), added a weak vignette, and I decreased the intensity of "noise" in the image... but just a little (I hate to do strong noise reduction as it tends to make everything look soft and a bit like plastic.)

Here they are:

View attachment 41776View attachment 41775

Thanks! Learn something new everyday. I agree this look is over used quite a bit especially when people throw yellow over everything. You should put thought and have reasoning behind any type of color grading IMO.

How far you slide the adjustment is really a personal preference... I could have desaturated more and added a stronger browning/yellow tint. I use Aperture so I toggle the adjustment on and off (you can individually toggle any individual adjustment on or off at any time without actually changing the adjustment (so you can compare your before/after) and you can also toggle the image from your original to your adjusted view (that's basically like toggling all of your adjustments on/off at the same time.) I do it as a test of sanity on my adjustments. Like adding salt to your food... you don't want to over-do it.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I agree Tim, these type photos don't look like they've been done on film, unless you look at old photos that have had some deterioration etc. The idea that photos with this appearance look like film images seems to be a misconception being perpetuated online.

OLaA makes a good point about having reasoning behind what you're doing. I think effects like this can be more effective done sparingly; a soft ethereal look could work with certain subjects or scenes or could be used to create a particular atmosphere.

As far as the original whatever type look you want to your photos I think it helps to start out making sure your photo is framed and composed the way you want it - with this one I'd look at your background, if you have just an edge or part of an object it can look cut off or be more of a distraction than part of your composition.