crossprocessed blossoms

Just because Keri asked, here's a little bonus post for you. I really like the way my Spring blossoms photo came out when I adjusted it so it looked like it had been cross-proccessed, which is a darkroom technique used in film photography (click that link for a much better explanation than I could ever give you). I think the effect looks like a scene from a 1950's technicolor movie, and who doesn't love 1950's technicolor movies? If you don't, I suggest you go rent The Quiet Man right now. We have it on dvd, if you want to borrow it.

Here's the original image, straight from the camera to my computer. the first thing to do is create a Curves layer, by clicking the black and white cookie icon at the bottom of the layers palette and choosing Curves. Remember that Seinfeld episode? "Look to the cookie!" Sigh. I miss that show.

I still don't know what curves are, but adjusting them is a lot of fun. For this particular effect we're going to adjust each channel. So select the red channel, and click and pull the right  end point over to the left slightly, and then adjust the rest of the line into a gentle s-curve. This is the kind of thing that you'll just want to experiment with, I think, until you get it looking how you want it to look.

I barely adjusted the green channel this time, but again, pull it into a very slight s-curve.

And the blue channel, you just want to move the right endpoint down a little, and the left endpoint up a little. 

That's all I did, and ended up with this:

You can easily stop right there, but if you want a little more turquoise-y glow, add a color layer (again, click the black and white cookie icon, and this time choose Color), and make it a greenish-yellow color. This layer should be the top layer. Now adjust the opacity way, way down. I think I went down to about 10%. It should be very subtle. 

Here's what the yellow layer did to it:

And that's it! Just play around with those curves, and adjust until you like the end result.

I think we should start a flickr group for everyone to share the results of trying all the stuff we're posting about, what do you think? I really want to see what you all come up with. Who's in?   

Comments

[Keri]

YAY! And dang! I'm using PSE5 and I don't think curves is quite the same as in regular Photoshop. I'll have to play around and see. But I didn't know how those color layers worked either so even if I DON'T have the proper curves I still learned something I can play with.

Also, I'm definitely in on the flickr group.

THANKS!!!!

[Mary]

Great tutorial Just a little help for "Keri" who does not have photoshop and uses PSE5 You can get your free curves action/effect for pse from the PSE group on flickr here: curves plugin
http://www.flickr.com/groups/pse/discuss/72157594292164919/

[salwah]

I'm using Pse 7.0 and I want to make my photo something like that. But Pse doesn't has the curve thingy. Help me?

[Marcus]

Great tut!
Found it doing a search on "quick masks" and yes! Your blossoms look like the 50's magazine covers my parents had around the house! Very nice. (Don't ask me how you came up on a Google search but you did!)

[Tamara Tanuvasa]

oh, if this is my cousin, you are awesome! Been meaning to fiddle with those options and were never brave enough. Love the explanations. Thanks so much

[Pamela]

this is fascinating...i just ordered photoshop elements and know nothing about what you're talking about but hopefully will be learning soon. i have much to learn!

[Aiden Carns]

That definitely reminds one of the old TV shows! For those who are still trying the curves tool, be careful though! One wrong move can break a picture, as it can also oversaturate the colors.