A step by step, Help with this please !

[noypi]

Hi,
Im still learning some retouching, and want to start with this attached images(sample.jpgs)by Jake Radaza, Is this sepia tone ?, I would like to ask the helps of the pros. here, on where to start, on how to process an image like this, a step by step guide if possible, Please , since Im not sure on where to start. also attached is the starting image file for manipulation, the pottery guy.

Thanks a lot

[Vernon]

Re: A step by step, Help with this please !

Hi, noypi.
Would you include what tools/software you will be using in achieving your final results?

It may help those here that will generously offer their wisdom to define more precise suggestions, etc.

[Tony W]

Re: A step by step, Help with this please !

The first 3 images are not sepia toned but just manipulations of images in one of several ways e.g. curves, filters, hue and sat etc. etc.

The last one IMO is possibly the least manipulated of the images in fact it could be a straight capture in camera just relying on the ambient light in the scene.

The important thing is that without your image to give a starting point it is difficult to say what is needed. The actual capture is the most important starting point, so if you have a particular image in mind why not post it for comment.

[Wolfman]

Re: A step by step, Help with this please !

All the samples have some fairly heavy vignetting added and it looks like some desaturation and a yellow filter or a curves move to get that yellow or warm color.

[noypi]

Re: A step by step, Help with this please !

@Vernon, I'll be using Photoshop.

@Tony W, Im sorry about my post, yes you're right, the last image, the guy doing some pottery work, would be my starting image, I'll like to transform it, to somehow similar effect with the rest of the images, but still confuse on where to start.

Thanks Guys.

[Tony W]

Re: A step by step, Help with this please !

noypi, the first thing that strikes me about the first three images is that they are all similar in as much as the lighting on the face is front full or slightly side on. This is very different to the potters image which is side/ back lit causing much of the skin tones to be in shadow. Also there is the issue of the bright baclit window to deal with. Therefore you may not get the effect that you are looking for in skin values.

The last sample does not IMO have any vignetting added in pp this is just an available light shot probably untouched.

It would be wrong for me to attempt to show this as neither of us is the copyright holder. So some suggestions:

You could try first getting the skin tones looking correct value by perhaps trying a combination of curves to get the yellow in (try moving the blue channel points) and possibly look at Hue and Sat. layer to reduce overall saturation.

Next add a vignette effect. Using the oval selection tool, drag to create an oval starting at potters head and ending somewhere middle base of the wheel.
Click to add a curves adjustment layer and drag the RGB centre point down to darken the background considerably.
You should now have a well defined oval with the outer portions much darker than the centre of interest-if the reverse click on the mask and press Ctrl+I
Next click on the mask and goto filter blur gaussian blur and apply a large radius blur until you get the oval to blend in correctly i.e. not sure where it actually starts

[Johann29]

Re: A step by step, Help with this please !

Try desaturating image a bit then add contrast and add tone by lowering blue channel in curves as tony_w said. than add the vignette.
you could dodge and burn the highlights and shadows to increase the effect more.

it reminds me of parc cruz work. its very simple.

[Johann29]

Re: A step by step, Help with this please !

This is my quick try on your image. other guys here can do better

and they are right about the lighting.

tony_w and others might be confused that the last image is your starting image and not your "target".

your target or goal should be the first three images.

[noypi]

Re: A step by step, Help with this please !

thanks a lot guys

@Johann29, thanks for clarifying about the starting image, I edited my post to avoid the confusion. and also thanks for your quick try on the image .

@Tony_W, also thanks again, and is it possible to show us your try on the image, the pottery guy, I have the rights with that image, or is it still consider copyright infringement ?, again thanks for the very informative steps about this.

[Tony W]

Re: A step by step, Help with this please !

This is just a guideline so one way that you may want to try. You will need to experiment with the Hue & Saturation layer and the Curves layer to fine tune skin tones as required.

Hopefully the image should be self explanatory you will end up with 3 adjustment layers as shown:

1. Hue/Sat. For this I reduced the Saturation to -62
2. Curves Layer. As shown. Added a little contrast in the RGB by lowering the black point and raising the white point slightly
3. Dragged the Elliptical marquee tool over the image to define vignette shape then added a Curves layer and reduced density by dragging the mid point down
4. Select the vignette mask next to the curve layer and goto Filter>Blur>Gaussian and set a high blur to blend the edges of the vignette

You will definitely need to fine tune to taste and you can do this by just going back to the Hue/Sat and Curve1 layer to play as much as you need.

If it was my image I think I would want to darken the window behind the potter as it is IMO a distraction

[Johann29]

Re: A step by step, Help with this please !

lol i almost did the same as tony_w and also the same opinion about the window. too bright and pretty distracting.
only what i did different is lowered the opacity of yellow and sharpened the image.

[noypi]

Re: A step by step, Help with this please !

, This is it .

Thanks a lot, Tony_W, for the step by step and also to Johann29. and I agree about the window too bright, i'll should darken it

Thanks Guys

[kav]

Re: A step by step, Help with this please !

I think you should spend a little more time focusing on control than someone else's technique as it allows you to better problem solve and develop a look for your own work. It's a lot more valuable in many ways.

[noypi]

Re: A step by step, Help with this please !

thanks for the advice kav

[kav]

Re: A step by step, Help with this please !

No problem. I wish I could have thought of a better response. I just think it's better to start to look at characteristics of an image and make adjustments accordingly rather than viewing their result as an effect. In the end if you can do that, you have more ability to make the end result your own.