Still Journal :: #5. Velvia Effect

Still Journal is a weekly digest of accumulated links, tutorials, news, tricks, ideas and creativity on the culture and art of modern photography.

Still Journal is currently on hiatus - hope to resume updates soon.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

I've got the camera...now what? | Great discussion thread over at Ask Metafilter about what to take pictures of. Some tips and inspiration for beginners.
Ask Metafilter

Photoshop vs. Photoshop Elements | About.com ask the question: Is Photoshop worth the extra $500 compared to Photoshop Elements?
graphicssoft.about.com

Portrait Photos Tips | 25 things you must know when taking portrait photos. Some great stuff here.
camera2photo.com

Getting Tack Sharp Starts with a Tripod | "There's not just one trick that will give you the sharp photos the pros get—it's a combination of things that all come together to give you "tack sharp" shots."
Lost In Bluedom

Rotation 360 Photography Backpack | "This amazing new backpack lets you access the gear inside of the backpack without taking if off of your back. This allows you the comfort of a backpack with the convenience and accessibility of a beltpack."
rotation360.com

The (Photoshop) Art of Beauty | More great examples of how Photoshop is used to "create" beauty through heavy manipulation.
idigitdesign.com

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

#5. Velvia Effect

Add subtle saturation and depth to bring out the best in a colour photograph.

This week I have picked out a simple, but very effective Photoshop action to demonstrate. My favourite attribute of the Velvia effect is that it enhances an image closer to how I remember it in real life.

There are many Velvia actions available for download around the web - the one I used is by Paul Bleicher and also includes a Provia film effect. You can download it free from Action Central (#46 on this page).

In addition to the Velvia action, I also added a slight darkened vignette to aid in giving the photo some depth.

Conclusion
This action has become a staple of the digital photography post production workflow. As can be seen in this example, the saturation brings quality depth to a flat image without overdoing it.

About The Photo
Taken at the Muriwai gannet colony on the West coast of Auckland.

Velvia Film (Wikipedia)
Information from Wikipedia on the qualities of Velvia film.

Action Central Velvia Action (atncentral.com)
Downloadable Photoshop action from Paul Bleicher - as used in this week's feature technique.

Velvia (Photoshop Tutorials) (photoshoptutorials.ws)
Excellent illustrated tutorial on the steps to replicate the Velvia effect.

Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006

#16. Paranormal Blurry TV Effect
An effect frequently used and abused by horror/thriller films these days - now you can give your still images a spooky look.
View Technique

#15. That Cross-Processed look
Take a few years of a photograph and give it that nostalgic colour shift.
View Technique

#14. Soft Focus for Holiday Shots
The technique of applying Soft Focus to a photo is not just for portraits - give a dreamy look to your holiday photos.
View Technique

#13. Black & White Colour Overlay
A distinctive method of bringing out detail and depth in a photo.
View Technique

#12. Simulating Light Leaks
Another bygone characteristic of the film age that you can resurrect with a simple layer trick in Photoshop.
View Technique

#11. Creating dramatic skies.
Give your skies more punch with a simple Photoshop layer effect.
View Technique

#10. Vintage Film Effect
A quick and easy way to transform an image back in time with a vintage film effect.
View Technique

#9. Morning Light
Give a dazzling morning glow effect to a photograph.
View Technique

#8. Grunge Effect
Give an aged and grungy look to a photo.
View Technique

#7. Half Sepia Toning
Give a warm, yet grungy look to a photo by applying a half sepia effect.
View Technique

#6. Extreme Contrast (Faux Bleach Bypass)
Punch out the contrast and hold back the saturation of an image in this Faux Bleach Bypass technique.
View Technique

#4. Digital Infrared Effect
Creating a dramatic infrared effect in Photoshop.
View Technique

#3. Lens Blur (Selective Focus)
Give your action shots a visual boost with this selective-focus/lens-blur effect.
View Technique

#2. Ray of Light
Adding shafts of light to photos with a single light source.
View Technique

#1. Faux Lomo Effect
A modern digital approach to creating a traditional alternative process.
View Technique