adding dust and scratches to a photo

[cas5]

Hi Everyone-

I was cruising around J.Shipley's site (http://jshipleyphotography.com/) which is freaking amazing if you haven't looked at it. He's got one image that has dust and scratches added to it. see sample: http://www.hostingarizona.net/photoc...&Scratches.jpg. I am trying to recreate the effect and haven't been too successful yet. I tried obsidian dawn's brushes (http://www.obsidiandawn.com/brushes-categories) and I tried Photoshop essential's brushes (http://www.photoshopessentials.com/p...rks-scratches/). I also looked at Vanderlee's old movie plugin (http://www.vanderlee.com/plugins_oldmovie.html). They're all great tools but they don't create an authentic look. Any thoughts on another tool to use or an alternate method of using the existing tools?

All the best,
Corey

[0lBaldy]

cas5, Welcome to RetouchPRO Hope you enjoy your stay here and make lots of friends. Poke around, ask questions, offer help, have fun!

when using someone else's pictures a link is preferred unless you have specific permissions to use their work..

FAQs:
What about Copyrights and Likeness Rights?
This isn't a legal guide, just a brief summary about posting here. We aim to follow United States copyright and likeness rights laws, and it's your responsibility to make sure your uploaded images are within those laws. If in doubt, check http://www.copyright.gov.
Copyrighted images cannot be posted without explicit permission from the copyright owner. "Someone put it up on the web" does NOT count as explicit permission.

Public domain images can be posted (this usually means at least 70 years old, or formally released into the public domain by the copyright owner) assuming you have permission of anyone recognizable in the image (or their estate if they have been dead less than 50 years).

Images you own can be posted by you if you have permission of anyone recognizable in the image. Posting your image here does not mean you surrender copyright, but it does mean you give permission for other users to retouch the image and upload here, unless you explicitly state otherwise at the time of uploading.

Images you don't own can be posted if permission is explicitly given by both the owner of the image and any recognizable person in the image.

Celebrity images or random images from Google or anywhere else on the internet cannot be posted unless explicit permission from both the photographer and the subject has been obtained.

Changing a copyrighted image in any way does not remove it from copyright.

Pieces of copyrighted images, no matter how small, retain their copyright and all the same rules apply.

"Fair use" and parody protection are problematic to define, but to be safe lets assume neither apply here.

You are responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions for images you upload, and you are liable should anyone choose to enforce their copyright or likeness rights.

To post one of YOUR pictures that you are trying to get a certain effect on and if you use Photoshop... fairly large pictures can be posted which are under 100k using the save for web function in Photoshop as described here:
Size, Quality and/or Format your Attached Images.. (Click here)

If you want to post a larger resolution that is over 100K then you can host your image elsewhere and attach a link in the thread, but also please attach an under 100K version (so the thread remains useful in the future, regardless of external links).
Other Hosts if you do not have your own site:
ImageVenue.com (3Meg max, free) pixentral.com (2Meg max, free) photobucket.com (1 Meg max free, 5 Meg PRO) mediafire.com (100 Meg per file, free) post a link in the thread to the site that is hosting the larger image.
Remember to attach an under 100K version in the thread so the thread remains useful in the future, regardless of external links.
You can also use these Free sites: (YouSendIt.com); (Podmailing.com);(Pando.com); (Sendspace.com) to send your original to your own email address, then open that email message, copy the link, and post that link in the thread.

The Brushes are a pretty good way to achieve what you want if applied on a new blank layer trying different layer blend modes and possibly changing the opacity.. the free transform tool also comes in handy