The best way to achieve the "milky" look.

PackingMyBags

Ive been trying to figure this out over the past couple of months, but am not sure how many of you get such good results. Ive tried to duplicate it in my wedding shoots, but most of the time i cannot. Is it a form of layering done in PP, or what?

How do you do it?

Here is an example of someones on here that i really like...

http://swartzy.smugmug.com/photos/290096646_fPpy4-L.jpg

Mod Edit: Changed image to link unless the photographer okays the usage. :thumb

The Mack

looks like the clarity tab in lightroom 2.0 to be honest.
Kinda like this, but not as much
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emack/3264718225/in/set-72157615023830140/

Llywellyn

Looks like the Orton effect or another glow action in Photoshop (or could be LR preset). Look into Orton or "glow effect" to find some actions or processing steps that could help you achieve a similar look.

jeffreaux2

PackingMyBags wrote:

Ive been trying to figure this out over the past couple of months, but am not sure how many of you get such good results. Ive tried to duplicate it in my wedding shoots, but most of the time i cannot. Is it a form of layering done in PP, or what?

How do you do it?

Here is an example of someones on here that i really like...

http://swartzy.smugmug.com/photos/290096646_fPpy4-L.jpg

Mod Edit: Changed image to link unless the photographer okays the usage.

Why don't you PM "Swartzy" and ask him yourself about the processing. You could shoot him the link to this thread and maybe he will explain here for us all.

I bet he wouldn't mind, but he hasn't visited Dgrin as often as he used to... it is his photograph however, and for anyone else to say what was done to it would be guesswork.

PackingMyBags

The Mack wrote:

looks like the clarity tab in lightroom 2.0 to be honest.
Kinda like this, but not as much
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emack/3264718225/in/set-72157615023830140/

Ive used that tab in LR as well, but his way seems to have more of an effect.

PackingMyBags

Llywellyn wrote:

Looks like the Orton effect or another glow action in Photoshop (or could be LR preset). Look into Orton or "glow effect" to find some actions or processing steps that could help you achieve a similar look.

Thanks...ill look into Orton and the "glow effect" then.

PackingMyBags

jeffreaux2 wrote:

Why don't you PM "Swartzy" and ask him yourself about the processing. You could shoot him the link to this thread and maybe he will explain here for us all.

I bet he wouldn't mind, but he hasn't visited Dgrin as often as he used to... it is his photograph however, and for anyone else to say what was done to it would be guesswork.

PM is sent. I hope he responds. I was just asking because i figured it was common knowledge amongst you pros. Ive seen many of you use this technique, so i figured i would get some good input back from the majority.

Personally a LR preset would be awesome to have, but a PS add on would work well too.

jeffreaux2

PackingMyBags wrote:

PM is sent. I hope he responds. I was just asking because i figured it was common knowledge amongst you pros. Ive seen many of you use this technique, so i figured i would get some good input back from the majority.

Personally a LR preset would be awesome to have, but a PS add on would work well too.

Theres probably several different ways to get it done, but only one way for Swartzy.....which will get you exactly what you are looking for.

Candid Arts

What I've done sometimes is using the Clarity slider in LR adjust it to roughly where I like it for the overall-ness of the photo, and anywhere I want more "milky" look, I use the brush tool and paint in additional negative clarity.

Swartzy

Hi Gang....sorry for the late response. I was up on the Northshore (Minnesota side-Lake Superior) the last 4 days....just got home a bit ago. I'll create a tutorial of sorts...don't know about screen shots but give me a bit and it will get done. There are numerous ways to achieve the look and dependent on the scene, mood, environment, there will be an "amount" of the glow to consider. Stay tuned and thanks!

jeffreaux2

Swartzy wrote:

Hi Gang....sorry for the late response. I was up on the Northshore (Minnesota side-Lake Superior) the last 4 days....just got home a bit ago. I'll create a tutorial of sorts...don't know about screen shots but give me a bit and it will get done. There are numerous ways to achieve the look and dependent on the scene, mood, environment, there will be an "amount" of the glow to consider. Stay tuned and thanks!

For a screen shot(in Windows):

-Press "Prtscn" (this will create a jpg in clipboard)

-Open MS Paint and paste the image ,

-Save as a jpeg.



- This can then be cropped in PS and shared here via your normal route.

For MAC.....

JustPlainMe

I'm late to this game, but Rita at CoffeeShop has some wonderful free Photoshop actions---her Orton Effect With Contrast Kick and her Creamy Toffee Latte actions get very close to this type of diffuse glow, and she has a set of Bakery Glazes actions that will do it, too. All her actions are worth looking at. I think the actions are all completely editable in PSCS, I use PSE so I have a more limited control at each of the steps.

HTH!

Sarah

FedererPhoto

I've done stuff kind of like this with a guassian blurred layer "soft light" on top of the normal layer...

Swartzy

OK...back now. If you need screen shots I can provide them but honestly, just follow the steps.

Open an image in PS

Duplicate the layer (cntr J or cmd J)

Set blending mode to "overlay"

Go to "Filter" (up above on menu bar)
Choose Gauassian blur..set to 15

Now create a new adjustment layer "hue/saturation"

Decrease saturation by -50

At this point it is a matter of taste. You may lower the opacity of the desaturated layer to boost color. You may also make a layer mask and paint in what you don't want super saturated by painting with a lower opacity brush to your liking.

Also, slide the opacity on your "overlay" layer for overall look. You may also create a layer mask and paint those areas (such as your people) to where you may want the scene to have that glow but not as much on your subjects.

I at times will paint directly on the "overlay layer with a black brush at 30% on the surrounding areas (not the subjects) as it will darken the scene...think painting with light in reverse.

From this point, you may add a curves layer and select the Red, Green, or Blue channels individually and adjust the curve bar up or down to your liking.

The particular photo in referrence was done in this very manner. I left a bit more of the blur on the subjects as well for an added effect. Others, I lessen the effect quite a bit. It's all about what you want at the time, what the photo is saying.

There are many many actions out there which do primarily the same thing with variations. No need to buy them. In fact, the Boutwell action page has a few freebies to download. They have one called "Super Fun Happy" which uses this technique with dodge and burn using "curves" layers.

Hope this helps. I spent much more time on this particular photo than others due to some of the imperfections requiring cloning/healing/skin work, etc. before putting the glow effect in place.

PackingMyBags

Thanks Swartzy for the writeup. I think i got the blur thing down a bit, but its not quite as good as yours. I tried to darken it as well, but that didnt go well. Im probably doing something wrong at some point, so i left those changes out.

Here is my before and after.




Comments? Also if there is a free add on for Lightroom i would be very interested.

bloomphotog

+1 for the Clarity tool.

FedererPhoto

PackingMyBags wrote:

Comments? Also if there is a free add on for Lightroom i would be very interested.

In my experience, it only works well on certain images. With experience, you can see what you need to change for certain images and what images it'll work on 'out of the box'.

Also, LR isn't an image editing program (well, it can do some stuff, but it's not very good) ... you'll need something that can do layers in order to achieve this effect.

studio1972

Nik Color Efex Pro has a filter caller Glamour Glow which is a very similar effect. It can be used in PS, Aperture or LR.