Medium format look in PS/ACR

B

brisa_main

Suspended / Banned
Messages
16
Name
Ron
Edit My Images
No
Hi

I have been trying to achieve the look/feel of medium film for years and have never got anywhere near.
There are plenty of actions and filters out there but none hit the mark.

They have a kind of cast over them and are a little muted but every time i try it still looks really digital.

I know its a tall order and I might have to start shooting film again but I thought i'd throw it out there to see if anyone can do it.

The feel of these images is what im trying to achieve:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8632036@N07/3119341887
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93146458@N00/4202216268
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14239765@N00/2921304415
http://www.flickr.com/photos/88256970@N00/705063423
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15088714@N06/2820553447
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43673803@N00/2608513942

Many thanks
 
Welcome!

Are you going to post an image for people to have a go with?
 
well - for a start, a great deal of the "look" of these shots is to do with the lens in the camera, rather than the colour balances and saturation. I had a glance at a couple of the sample shots, and they were using a strong DOF effect to thrown backgrounds out of focus. This is one of the things that MF cameras are REALLY good at - high quality lenses and a big area of film for the images to be recorded on. If Full Frame sensors (36mm X 24mm )are considered much better at recording DOF effects than aps-c(23.6mm X 15.7mm) , then think how good a 56mm x 56mm piece of 120 film should be.
 
I hate to say it, but it just looks like someones taken a picture with a shallow depth of field, I see shots similar with a dslr. what exactly is it about those pics your trying to replicate in post?
 
the onlu pic that looks 120 is 2, and thats cos its oof (and I'd bin it for being so)

the rest just looked shopped

buy a 50 quid tlr or 100quid kiev if you want 6x6, photoshop is not the sexy majical film gorgeousness
 
Here's before and after of desaturation, wacky colour balance and selective blur on the first image of #4:

16az7dt.jpg
 
Digital can look very sharp. It's sometimes down to the in camera processing of the JPEG image. Film tends to have a much softer look, plus there is also a hint of grain, even with very fine grained films.

The best way to try and approach this is to work with a RAW image. This has had no in camera processing and allows you to make alterations to the image, without the "Imposed " camera processing. Using the already sharpened JPEG can give unsatisfactory results. Even with the sharpening set low, it is still applied at some strength

If you use Lightroom or ACR from within Photoshop, try using the Clarity slider. It has a negative valie so you can soften the image. It mainly works on mid range acutance, and can soften the image niceley. Also if you have ACR or Lightroom, don't desaturate, but reduce Vibrance. Next you add a little grain effect. Possibly best done with adding noise in Photoshop.
 
I use Paint Shop Pro 9, so no Vibrance or negative Clarity options. I forgot to add that some rather too obvious fake grain was added.
 
Just buy an MF camera and scanner and you can come and hang out with the cool kids in the film & conventional section of TP.
 
Kev M said:
Just buy an MF camera and scanner and you can come and hang out with the cool kids in the film & conventional section of TP.
Click to expand...

:thumbs:

Digital is digital and film is film, trying to recreate the look of film always looks rubbish.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top