Photoshop experiments

[Pecole]

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Hi ! this is my first visit to this section of the Forum (I am quite active in some other sections). User for several years of Photoshop - today #13 -, I decided yesterday to test some transformations on an image I liked, but whose technical quality was poor. It was originally an Ektachrome slide shot more than 50 years ago in Algeria and digitized on an Epson Perfection V370 Photo.

Here are the results. It starts with the original, followed by a simple color correction trial.

Then come "purple" and "sepia" Monotone Color, "colorfull center" Fade and "old photo" effects.

Any comment will be more than welcome.

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[earleygallery]

It's a nice interesting image. I think I prefer the original scan, or the sepia version as 2nd choice.

[sanyasi]

I would go with the original. You suggest that because the original is grainy and not sharp that it needs some artificial jazzing up to overcome the deficiencies. If my read is correct, I disagree. The original is nicely composed, the colors are muted, and it captures a way of life that probably isn't as prevalent today. I don't see anything to compensate for.

 

On the other, the alternatives are nice, except the last one which strikes me as too much. But it all is a matter of personal preference.

[Pecole]

I would go with the original. You suggest that because the original is grainy and not sharp that it needs some artificial jazzing up to overcome the deficiencies. If my read is correct, I disagree. The original is nicely composed, the colors are muted, and it captures a way of life that probably isn't as prevalent today. I don't see anything to compensate for.

 

On the other, the alternatives are nice, except the last one which strikes me as too much. But it all is a matter of personal preference.

 

Thanks, Jack. I too like the original - at least its composition and "atmosphere" - but I was disappointed by the sky's grainy and general appearance. My second choice is definitely the "Sepia monotone", and I believe I will not use very often these extra Photoshop possibilities!

Pierre

[Pecole]

It's a nice interesting image. I think I prefer the original scan, or the sepia version as 2nd choice.

 

Thank you, James. My final choices are exactly yours.

Pierre

[spydrxx]

I like the original best. If it was mine, I think I'd experiment with manipulating the curves, then perhaps try two layers one slightly sharpening covered by a the second one slightly blurring, erasing thru the blurred layer to reveal the sharpened the areas of greatest interest. Nice shot BTW!

[250swb]

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I like them all, but I see what you mean about the sky. With anything that you are going to really push hard in post processing it is worth artificially softening contrast etc. before you start so you don't get exaggerated effects later in the process. Without seeing the original slide I'd guess you could soften the sky or indeed clone some other bit of sky into the central area that most suffers from the grain and harsh contrast.

 

Steve

[pgk]

I would go with the original. You suggest that because the original is grainy and not sharp that it needs some artificial jazzing up to overcome the deficiencies.

I'm trying to remember the potential pitfalls of dealing with old colour images and from what I can remember there are several degradations which can affect them. Obviously there is fading and its selective depending on the colour layer and dye. Then there is an effect called dye migration, or transfer, which is exactly what it says - the migration of dyes within the emulsion - and whilst small I remember that it can give rise to am apparent softening of the image. And there are other problems too which I I can't remember - I think that emulsions themselves can dry and harden, and impurities, or inadequate removal of chemicals, can also cause changes.

 

All of which is a long way around saying that I too would go with the original - it is what it is, an old image with all its faults - and despite them it has a quality which says just that. Old images have their own charm. As they age it changes and to my mind that is an integral part of their character. So I like the original.