i've been practicing on 'fiscus-type' images and PP workflows based on what i've learned from related threads in this forum.

i just want to ask for tips on how to emphasize the shadow grains or texture as seen in this photo from jim fiscus. any idea on how to achieve this effect on shadows? i'm after the grainy feel on the shadows and midtones.

http://altpick.com/spot/jim_fiscus/fiscus_01.jpg

thanks for the help!


mike

I read somewhere a while back that the Fiscus camp added noise. Here's a trick to contain the noise mostly to the shadows:

- Open a new layer on top of your image. Fill with 50% gray. Set blend mode to Overlay or Soft Light.

- Activate your image layer. Hit Ctrl + 1, 2, 3 to view the red, green and blue channels successively. Pick one, blue let's say. Hit Ctrl + ~ to load the RGB composite channel (everything should now look normal).

- Hit Ctrl + Alt + the number of the channel you want (in this example, it's blue, which is 3). So, hit Ctrl + Alt + 3. This will load the blue channel as a selection. You should see the marching ants that signify a selection has been loaded. Invert the selection by hitting Ctrl + Shift + I.

- Activate your 50% gray layer, then click on "Add layer mask" at the bottom of the layers palette. Your blue channel mask should now be attached to the 50% gray layer.

- Activate the gray layer by clicking on it. If it's activated you'll see a little paintbrush in the square next to it. Run Filter>Noise>Add noise. Choose Uniform and Monochromatic. Play with the slider to taste.


--
Pam
http://www.pbase.com/pam_r
'art is working on something 'til you like it...then leaving it that way'

thanks pam! i'll give it a try!

btw, i'm a big fan of your work and pbase site :)

Thank you for the kind words, Mike. I appreciate that. Enjoy!

--
Pam
http://www.pbase.com/pam_r
'art is working on something 'til you like it...then leaving it that way'

regarding authentic grain/noise, I really got used to AlienSkin Exposure, probably the only plug-in I really use, which simplifies basic things like USM on lightness channel, adding noise to shadows/midtones/highlights, duotones etc. give it a try, you might like it. considering this specific picture, i personally think you can achieve similar specific texture on skin experimenting with the hipass filter in various blending modes