Loretta Lux's skin tone and pastel tinting

[Godmother]

Originally Posted by imsireal

EXCUSE ME!
Now I understand why I have heard so many complaints about this forum.

I understand you. But please don't generalize.

This forum has some people that just like to argue. But not all people. Most of us just try to help

[snook305]

Thanks lasse...
But you lost me on the green channel deall. You work on the green channel. In other words you put the White color layer on the green layer channel?
Can you explain a little more or post a Picture of the layers palette?
Thank you
Snook

[RAitch]

Originally Posted by imsireal

EXCUSE ME!

Yeah, sure you can take my words out of context and make me sound like a real dickhead, but that doesn't make it so.

In actuality, I did not include information on 'basic adjustment and retouch' because this is not part of the technique and everyone will have their own approach to preparing their own images; not giving a 'full play by play' in this case translates to not including precise opacity adjustment for each layer because that will vary from image to image; I saw no reason to explain capture sharpening in a skin technique tutorial, capture sharpening is related to a plug-in suite from pixelgenius.com, google it; the rest I don't need to justify but there is no sense in giving every detail in a technique that depends on variables from image to image.

Now I understand why I have heard so many complaints about this forum.

I don't know how I took them out of context... but anyway...

Where have you heard complaints about this forum? I think it's great. I haven't participated as much as I'd like, but I usually browse around here first to see what's going on. Everybody seems really friendly.

[Lasse]

you just copy the green channel into the layermask of the color layer. Note i used the green channel in this case you might need to use another or adjust the channel using levels in your images. But this is a starting point

[RAitch]

Originally Posted by Lasse

you just copy the green channel into the layermask of the color layer. Note i used the green channel in this case you might need to use another or adjust the channel using levels in your images. But this is a starting point

Excellent tip!! Very easy and the effect is very nice!

[snook305]

Lasse.. do you goto the channels and copy the green channel and then paste it inot what? what is that example you posted a Curve layer and then you paste the green channel into the layerMask?
Soor but you lost me and I do not understand what effect that would have?
Putting it into a layer mask?
Thanks for any more information.
Snook

[RAitch]

Originally Posted by snook305

Lasse.. do you goto the channels and copy the green channel and then paste it inot what? what is that example you posted a Curve layer and then you paste the green channel into the layerMask?
Soor but you lost me and I do not understand what effect that would have?
Putting it into a layer mask?
Thanks for any more information.
Snook

I don't want to speak for Lasse (since you directly asked) but I hope I can help you out anyway.

It looks like Lasse copies the green channel greyscale into the mask of a solid colour adjustment layer (set to white). Then adds another solid colour adjustment layer on top (set to a nice soft blue) and dropped the opacity way down (to cool off the image and bring back some subtle blues).

Lasse mentions changing the blend modes to colour... but when I tested it out, I got some really nice high key soft pastel looks leaving on normal blend.

Try this.
- Switch to the channel palette
- CTRL+Click the green channel to load it as a selection
- Switch back to the layer palette
- Add a Solid Colour adjustment layer and select white as the colour
(because you have an active selection, it will be loaded into the mask for this layer)
- Add another Solid Colour adjustment layer and pick a soft blue.
- Drop the blue layer opacity down to around 7% or so (give or take)
- Play with the white colour opacity as well if you like.
- Try different blend modes like Colour (as Lasse mentions)


The layer mask will show the effect (of the current layer) where the mask is white. Everywhere it's black, the layer won't affect.
In this case, you're using image data to control the amount of the effect that will be applied. Look at your sample image and think to yourself "the whiter the green channel is... the more white will be applied to the image in that area."

Hope that helps.

[alksowelal]

First of all, this work is cheesy. 2ND OF ALL. All you need to do to achieve this cheesy effect is to photograph your subjects with a softbox, flat on. It's really not that complicated what she does:
1. find a cute child and ask the child to pose with a blank expression.
2. shoot the cute child with a softbox straight on with a medium format camera or hasselblad with phase1 back.
3. paint a background or go to a museum and photograph a painting.
4. In photoshop flatten contrast even more until you get pastel tones. retouch away any blemishes to get smooth skin.
5. enlarge eyes, head slightly. only slightly so it's not too obvious. you want to get that balance where it looks off, but still it looks normal.
6. Now make an Ilfochrome print of your creation.

Done!!

[Godmother]

Originally Posted by alksowelal

First of all, this work is cheesy. 2ND OF ALL. All you need to do to achieve this cheesy effect is to photograph your subjects with a softbox, flat on. It's really not that complicated what she does:
1. find a cute child and ask the child to pose with a blank expression.
2. shoot the cute child with a softbox straight on with a medium format camera or hasselblad with phase1 back.
3. paint a background or go to a museum and photograph a painting.
4. In photoshop flatten contrast even more until you get pastel tones. retouch away any blemishes to get smooth skin.
5. enlarge eyes, head slightly. only slightly so it's not too obvious. you want to get that balance where it looks off, but still it looks normal.
6. Now make an Ilfochrome print of your creation.

Done!!

cute...
Maybe you can show me something you've done that resembles her beautiful work?
Maybe you did something original and created a new look for ppl to admire and settle with "copy" -or maybe not

[paulbyun]

I have been obsessed with creating this "painting" or "pastel" look for about a year now. Loretta Lux is definitely one of my biggest influences along with other photographers like Gregory Crewdson, Erwin Olaf, Sacha Waldman, Desire Dolron, Eugenio Recuenco, Dragan, Dan Winters and Matt Hoyle. When you look up these artists, many of them do variety of styles, so look for a series or gallery with this particular look.

Even though all these artists have their own looks that are unique, if you dissect the images and examine them, they are very similar. The simplest way to describe the technique is that they destroy information elegantly with a lot of control to create the look. By saying "information", I mean the detail in the images.

I think I have figured out the fundamentals of creating this look. However, I have spent so much time studying the look, I am willing to teach you everything if you can pay me. So if you think I have the "look, then send me an Email and we can arrange something. I am willing to use Skype for a live video tutorial.

here's my portfolio, and a link for contacting me is available there.

www.paulbyun.com

[xxxliger]

soooo stylish pics ) tns forposting them )

[Ansku]

I haven't tried your advice on my own photos yet, but found that a trial Photoshop action set has one action called Lux hard that emulates Loretta Lux's style. Probably not the best, but extremely handy and fast. You can download the trial at www.gettotallyrad.com. Tell me what you think!