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Archive 2015 · How are these edited?

  
 
ArizonaImage
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · How are these edited?


I keep noticing this trend of editing and I've tried once or twice to get a few of my car pics like this and was unable to replicate. Tips?



Is it low contrast?



Apr 28, 2015 at 02:38 AM
Danpbphoto
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · How are these edited?


1st question, is this a photo?
Next can you get the exif info to see if post processing indicates settings for contrast?

To my ole eye, it looks to be a combo of a few things, exposure, contrast, clarity....yes it is low contrast but as I said appears low exposre setting also...
Just my $.02
Dan



Apr 28, 2015 at 09:29 AM
Squirrely Eyed
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · How are these edited?


I'm not sure I get exactly what this trend is, other than a nice car in an unappealing location.

Perhaps you could post some of your attempts so we can compare results and better suggest?



Apr 28, 2015 at 04:29 PM
pr4photos
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · How are these edited?


Pulling the black point up from its base point in curves gives you the retro muddy look


Apr 28, 2015 at 04:46 PM
mikethevilla
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · How are these edited?


pr4photos wrote:
Pulling the black point up from its base point in curves gives you the retro muddy look


+1

All about that black point. Get them muddy tones.


But really. The "proper" way to get a faded look is to raise the black point. This allows you to keep decent contrast (relatively speaking) in the image. Most noobs try to achieve this by simply playing with contrast levels, which (duh), just drops the contrast. It's the difference between a polished, faded look and a sloppy, muddy, low-contrast mess.



Apr 28, 2015 at 05:34 PM
ArizonaImage
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · How are these edited?



I sorta like that look for some reason. Let me post an example of my editing, what do you guys think?





Apr 28, 2015 at 06:25 PM
Sunny Sra
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · How are these edited?


you need to shoot it after sunset so you have less glare on the paint, then apply some instagram filter...actually its more like a film filter...maybe vsco


Apr 28, 2015 at 07:56 PM
ArizonaImage
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · How are these edited?



Im using Nik Software Efex Pro. Its pretty good, comes with tons of filters and tools to edit



Apr 28, 2015 at 08:26 PM
James_N
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · How are these edited?


You can learn a lot by "reverse engineering" the processing in Photoshop. Here I used a temporary Threshold adjustment layer and the Info Panel to get readings of the (1) Shadow, (2) Highlight, and (3) Neutral or Grey points in the first photo.

I also used 3x3 sample points to ensure the accuracy of the readouts.

The Shadow point (Sample #1) is Red = 52, Green = 32, and Blue = 23
The Highlight point (Sample #2) is Red = 242, Green = 238, and Blue = 225
The Neutral/Grey point (Sample #3) is Red = 134, Green = 131, and Blue = 126

http://i.imgur.com/ezpBL35.png

These numbers indicate that there are no true black (o reading) or white points (255 reading) in the photo suggesting that the shadow point has be raised and the highlight points lowered in the processing. Secondly, the shadows in the photo have been pushed towards Red but the neutral and white points are relatively equal.

Applying the same Curves to another photo yields this result:

http://i.imgur.com/feQDYk5.png


http://i.imgur.com/1jBK8RW.jpg

Obviously, the second photo was shot in harder, less diffuse light than the first photo; but in similar lighting conditions you will get the same results as the first photo by applying the Curves as described. You can account for the lighting difference by now manipulating the Composite Curve (represented in White). Also, you can save the Curves settings as a preset that can be applied to other images at any time.

You can get similar results with plug-ins but it helps to know how the processing was actually done.



Apr 29, 2015 at 01:16 AM
Danpbphoto
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · How are these edited?


James,
excellant analysis here!! Well done!
Dan



May 01, 2015 at 10:18 AM
Sharona
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · How are these edited?


Here is my attempt. Not sure if this hits it, but I reduced brightness, contrast and saturation a tad, then I simply added a matte action to it. Sure, you can do this in curves, but you can also do it with a click. I personally do not consider actions cheating. (And this was very quick and dirty.) I agree if you like this look it helps to shoot early or late in the day. :-)






Edited on Nov 10, 2016 at 04:52 PM · View previous versions



May 06, 2015 at 11:10 AM
mshi
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · How are these edited?


It doesn't have to be done using Curves. In C1Pro you can do it using Color grading tool to set color, saturation and luminosity for highlight/mids/shadows in a much quicker and easier way, exactly as color grading is done in Davinci Resolve, one of Hollywood post production staples.

Example




May 06, 2015 at 12:56 PM
ArizonaImage
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · How are these edited?



All of them look good



Aug 28, 2015 at 03:44 PM
dalek53
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · How are these edited?


There's a great tutorial on analysing images for their 'look' here:




Aug 31, 2015 at 03:44 PM
dhphoto
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · How are these edited?


SouthwestS2K wrote:
All of them look good


You think?

They look like 1970's badly made prints to me, or 'cross processing' on some PS wannabe programs.

Not to my taste, but them I'm old.



Sep 04, 2015 at 10:30 AM
OntheRez
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · How are these edited?


Frankly the first photo would be a throw away in my book. Nothing about it works. In the second the light is better but again, the red on the 5 series is over the top and note how all of the background yellows are utterly blown out. Takes away from what I guess was an attempt to show a bright red car in an autumn setting. Also, shifting the crop/focus so that the car sets to the left side of the frame gets rid of the sign in the background and provides a space to suggest movement. The third is marred by the reflection all along the car's body. Perhaps it was intentional, but, to me, it doesn't work. Frankly they all look like overdone HDR stuff from earlier days.

You've got several suggestions on how to get the look, and I guess it has its admirers, but depending on what I was trying to do none of them seem to work. Maybe like dh, I'm just out of touch with what's "cool."

Robert

As usual the value of this opinion is ~$0.02!



Sep 04, 2015 at 12:01 PM





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