How Was This Photo Done?

[davidhunternyc]

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I ran across the photo on the internet and I found it intriguing. I would like to achieve similar results with my X1 camera processed in Aperture. The question is; how was this done? Is it simply a question of exposure? The reason why I doubt it is that you can still see all the details in the dark areas. It almost looks as if someone overlayed a tint of some kind over the entire image. I would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

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1. Reduce contrast from 100% to 50% or thereabouts
   
2. Reduce brightness
   

 

- or -

 

using the curve tool adjust the gradation such that it begins at the left hand side at the bottom and at the right hand side roughly in the middle.

 

Using similar adjustments in the opposite direction, you can restore the image to what it looked like before, although with the finest gradation steps missing.

[davidhunternyc]

Thank you Phillip,

I have been trying to do this myself but to no avail. Here is the photo I have been trying to do this to. I am using Aperture. If you can have a go at it, I would appreciate it.

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First of all, the picture you are starting with is in several respects different from the one you are taking as reference. The "other" one has larger areas with lighter shades of grey. It also has more details in the shadows.

The following shows some steps you might want to take. Since I use for all PP the GIMP in German, that's what you are going to see next.

First, I analyze the original picture. This is the histogram (after the removal of the whitish border) of the reference picture. Changing the gradation with the curve tool as shown by the black oblique line restores it to a rather unprocessed state. Not knowing if the author of that picture would appreciate my playing with it, I won't show it here, of course. However, I recommend applying that color change to it so that you can study the differences in the original material.

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I have of course done so. I think your original image is a bit dark to begin with. Also, there's a bit little detail in the dark garment and in the hair. Hence, I first apply some smallish correction to the image, using the same colour curve tool as before.



After that small correction your image looks like this. This is in character quite close to the original of the reference picture, I think.



I now apply the same curve tool to the result, this time with other settings:



Bingo presto - my first approximation to what I think you wanted.



Actually, I like your "raw" image better than the one you are trying to imitate.

[davidhunternyc]

Hi Phillip,

Wow, thank you! What you did is exactly what I'm looking for. By the way, I am the author of this photo. Taken with my X1. The reason why I want to do this, isn't to make the image better (I agree that the RAW image is better) but because I want to put the greyish image on the cover of a photobook edge to edge. Over the bottom right of the book cover I will be using white text; "Amy Mitchell, New York City, 2010". The cover will use this artistic license and the white text will stand out. The RAW image will be on the inside. Thanks a lot.

[davidhunternyc]

Here is a mock-up of what I would like to do. Again, thanks Phillip. Now I just need to figure out how to do it myself.

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[andybarton]

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You need to put a credit on the original photograph in your first post.

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As a last resort, you could try and use the GIMP. It's available for all major operating systems and it's free.

 

I'd suggest to try several variants for the lettering. I think your first draft interferes somewhat with the lovely portrait. Just to set you thinking about some alternatives, here's another draft.

 

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[davidhunternyc]

Phillip, Unfortunately, I don't know who took the photo in the first post. The only info I could find is that it is a, "Portable Network Image". I only posted the cover with the text to show what I want to do with my photos. I don't even want to use this image for my photobooks. I am just practising. I am testing different fonts and positionings too. I like the idea of of ornate cursive script over the front of the cover for one the headings. I just don't know which one. Also, inside the photobook, the RAW image will be in its original format without alteration or text so I am not too worried about covering the photo on the cover. I just want the image and text to work together to form a beautiful cover. Feel free to play around with this as you wish. I like your version up the right hand edge but it could feel a little softer somehow; just like Amy. ; )

 

I will try and download GIMP for Apple. Thanks again.

[melissah]

if you have lightroom, and or photoshop you can do the same process there.

gl with the book

[johnwolf]

David,

 

Still another option is to do this in your page layout program. In InDesign I overlayed the photo with a black box with opacity set to 40%. It's a good approach because you can then vary the gray screen to consider both the photo and the text.

 

John

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[davidhunternyc]

Thanks John,

That is a great option. Since the photo is going to go on an 11" X 11" book cover, I wonder if the overlay with opacity settings changed will effect the quality of the photo in anyway. I have the Curves template in Aperture and I approximated the effect by fooling around but I have no idea what I am doing. I need to get an appointment at Apple to figure this out.

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[daveleo]

just dropping my two cents of confusion here . . . but your original photo (post #3) in my opinion is the best shot of any shown here . . . however, if that's not to your liking, then of course change it.

[davidhunternyc]

Hi Dave, Yes, I like the orignial photo best too and the original will go in the photobook. I just wanted to put a tint on the cover photo so you can easily read the text and it give the cover a monochrome velvety matte elegance.

[johnwolf]

David,

 

Reverse type will show just fine over the photo. I think I like the cover photo to have the same treatment as the version inside. Just a personal preference.

 

Here's an example with the original photo. Those beautiful eyes seem just too engaging to gray down.

 

John

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[davidhunternyc]

Wow! Touche, John. Your photobook cover looked awesome. I agree, Amy's eyes are beautiful and piercing in this photo. I think she is such a pretty girl, on the outside and on the inside and you can see it in this photo. Your treatment of the subject is just excellent. I still like the monochrome idea too, so now I'm torn. How did you get the shadow behind the cursive text at the top? I used the same font but I don't think it had a shadow. Thanks.

[johnwolf]

David, the shadow is a text effect applied in InDesign. I'm not sure if Aperture has text controls like that. Maybe a forum Aperture expert could comment on that.

 

If not, you could probably simulate the effect by duplicating the text layer, changing it to a gray color, blurring it, and placing it offset behind the title layer. Then play with opacity to get the right shade.

 

BTW, I also raised the highlights on the photo itself and sharpened it a bit.

 

John

[wparsonsgisnet]

This is a fascinating thread.

 

Thanks everybody.

[johnwolf]

It is a nice break from geartalk, isn't it? Thanks to David for starting things off so well.

 

John

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[davidhunternyc]

I think this thread should continue. It was a real educational experience. Perhaps someone else has a photo that they are perplexed by and would like to know the technique envolved.