That 70's film look. - DPChallenge Forums

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

03/02/2009 12:27:35 PM · #1

I have a photo that will lend itself to that 1970's weird color faded look. Anybody have some suggestions on how I do that? I am looking for that almost 35mm slide look, you know the type that has been sitting in your house for 20 years and the colors have begun to go funky.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

03/02/2009 12:32:23 PM · #2

You might want to try something like Selective Color or Saturation, and take down the red more than the other colors, since reds seem to fade faster.

Panasonic Lumix G 14mm F2.5 ASPH

03/02/2009 12:41:45 PM · #3

I am going to try that and see what happens. I need to find some old 70's ish photos and look at them. In this particular shot the model has a very 1970's vibe going with the hair so that is what is prompting me to give it a whirl.

Mephisto

Nikon Coolpix A

03/02/2009 12:45:23 PM · #4

you mean something like this?

i don't have a good example where it's achieved digitally (the above example WAS taken on film) but try playing around with color balance in photoshop. switch the midtone green hues towards magenta, the shadow hues towards magenta and blue and the highlight hues towards yellow and red/magenta. then go to curves and slightly turn the black point towards a dark grey for that "bleached out" look.
if you can't get it right via color balance you can try to do it all via curves by doing an "inverted" s-curve on the color channels with turns towards enhancing the magentas and yellows (i think?) and blues in the shadows.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

03/02/2009 12:47:48 PM · #5

I am going to try it. Yes, that is the look that I am going for. Photo is already super close, but it still lacks that something that would make me believe that it was taken with film. I am looking at the blues in your photo and they are much different than what a digital would see. I am wondering if it is because of the yellows that you were mentioning.

rmezzo

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

03/02/2009 12:55:17 PM · #6

There's a photographer on Model Mayhem who's work has that old faded look. Not sure if this is what your looking for, but here's a link to his profile page. Check out his blog as he has provided a few sample of his processing technique.

Mephisto

Nikon Coolpix A

Panasonic Lumix G 14mm F2.5 ASPH

03/02/2009 12:56:15 PM · #7

it depends. but usually the characteristics of that faded look is that they tend to have a faded black point and a green/yellow color cast in the highlights/midtones and a blue/magenta cast in the shadows.
i wish i had photoshop on this computer or i could try to reproduce the look as you wish to see it...
but just play around with curves and color balance adjustments and you will eventually figure it out on your own...;)

eta: the above is not my photo btw, forgot to give credits to

shutterpuppy, hope he's ok with me using his shot as an example...;)
oh and take a look at

nixter's and

annah's port's for more examples of that look.

Message edited by author 2009-03-02 13:06:01.

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

03/02/2009 12:57:19 PM · #8

Originally posted by rmezzo:

I will check that out when I get home. I need something to go off of.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

03/02/2009 01:05:30 PM · #9

The main reason why the 70's prints get that look is that the old Kodacolor print dyes included a relatively unstable magenta dye. Accordingly, a good place to start would be using curves in the RGB mode and tweaking for more green across the curve. The key will be how much you alter the green component in the different tone areas; highlight, neutral, shadows, each may need a different, tweak I am not sure. It's not a topic that interests me much (making color look "old") so I have never done it, but I happen to be fairly expert on why Kodacolor prints deteriorate, LOL.

R.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

03/03/2009 12:47:58 PM · #10

I never really achieved the look, but it still is a cool image. Maybe not my favorite, but still it has a unique look compared to the rest of my photos.

Adamsw216

Canon EOS R6 Mk II

03/03/2009 01:31:00 PM · #11

Photo taken in 2007

Message edited by author 2009-03-03 13:31:51.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

03/03/2009 01:33:39 PM · #12

My colors are still a bit vibrant for the true 70's film look, but that is ok. I like the image.

Adamsw216

Canon EOS R6 Mk II

03/03/2009 01:36:51 PM · #13

I made that photograph with a program called Poladroid. It converts photos into mock Polaroid pictures. I just stopped the development halfway through and did some touching up to it. Its a neat little program if you're interested...

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

03/03/2009 01:40:54 PM · #14

That is cool, I will check into this. That might come in very handy with some of my photos.

I just played with that Polaroid tool. That is pretty cool. I will keep that app around.

Message edited by author 2009-03-03 13:55:14.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

03/03/2009 02:16:02 PM · #15

Did someone say "Poladroid"?

chromeydome

Nikon D7000

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

03/03/2009 02:17:49 PM · #16

Yea! I just got and played with that poladroid and it is cool. Thanks for sharing that,

Adamsw216 (if that is your real name... :-)

Message edited by author 2009-03-03 14:19:58.

03/03/2009 04:07:43 PM · #17

I think there will be about 5000 Polaroid photos out there now...lol

Jedusi

03/03/2009 04:24:32 PM · #18

have you tried the 'Professional Retro' plug -in ?

That does a pretty good job.

Of course now I have to try and remember where I got it from . . unless anyone else knows ? May have been ATN central

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

03/03/2009 04:25:58 PM · #19

I was going to do more work on it, but I think that I like the shot now so I am going to leave it alone. Besides it already got one favorite! Thanks

Prash!

Adamsw216

Canon EOS R6 Mk II

03/03/2009 05:16:22 PM · #20

Originally posted by chromeydome:

Yea! I just got and played with that poladroid and it is cool. Thanks for sharing that, Adamsw216 (if that is your real name... :-)

My pleasure =)

FireBird

03/03/2009 05:45:30 PM · #21

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

but I happen to be fairly expert on why Kodacolor prints deteriorate, LOL.

R.

I'm going to be up in your area Robert. I was wondering if I could get a portrait of you to use in the 100 year old challenge.