How does he achieve this wonderful matte film like effect?

Alnjpn · 11-22-2019, 10:00 PM - **3 Likes**

I follow this amazing photographer on Flickr. I was wondering if anyone out there knows how he achieves that lovely matte film like effect in his photos? Particularly the portraits. I will post some links below. I am not sure what camera he uses but I am assuming it is digital and he gets the effect post process. Thanks.

The Old Teahouse in Pengzhen Town, Chengdu | TOONMAN_blchin | Flickr

Sadhu Baba, The Holy Men, Pashupatinath Temple | TOONMAN_blchin | Flickr

https://www.flickr.com/photos/toonmanimage/35999170865/in/dateposted/

The Old Teahouse in Pengzhen Town, Chengdu | TOONMAN_blchin | Flickr

PePe · 11-22-2019, 10:42 PM

Just a wild guess: could adding a texture layer in PP give you something like that?

**GUB** · 11-22-2019, 11:04 PM

Yes it is an inspiring effect. I can just imagine it printed on matte paper.
Based on a screenshot my guess it is simple as the fact there is no blacks in the image. As soon as I moved the black point to the start of the histogram it looked a lot more normal. Looks like he has clipped the whites subtly as well and that has flattened reflectiveness.
Like most of us I unthinkingly adjust the black point to the start of the histo - may rethink that.

**GUB** · 11-22-2019, 11:32 PM - **1 Like**

So is this down the right road? The shot was at base iso and over 3 stops underexposed (so sort of iso 800) . So +3EV . I then zeroed the base curve (this is in Darktable) and in the tone curve I actually drew the left end of the line up the axis a little and pulled the right end in till the histo was just clipped. Lowered saturation a bit and tweaked the curve slightly in Gimp. Pulling that left end up the axis is something I never do - maybe from now on.

Attached Images

**david94903** · 11-23-2019, 12:05 AM

Great photos.

**BigMackCam** · 11-23-2019, 12:11 AM - **1 Like**

I achieve it by applying a tone curve that raises the luminance of dark tones in relation to the rest of the image.

Here's an intentionally-exaggerated example in Darktable (the basic approach works in Lightroom and others too)...

BEFORE

AFTER

**Cerebum** · 11-23-2019, 12:53 AM

What a wonderful effect. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. It would work rather well on a good street shot too as an alternative to mono

**TwoUptons** · 11-23-2019, 05:46 AM

How would that work on a reduced-color, near-monochrome image? Or even straight mono?

-Eric

**BigMackCam** · 11-23-2019, 06:30 AM

Originally posted by TwoUptons

How would that work on a reduced-color, near-monochrome image? Or even straight mono?

-Eric

The method I demonstrated works just fine in these instances, as it's only acting on the luminance...

**travelswsage** · 11-23-2019, 06:38 AM

Great photos and great examples -- thanks for sharing the technique!

Alnjpn · 11-23-2019, 05:49 PM

Thanks so much for the feedback and ideas, that's really useful! I am going to give it a try over the weekend (whats left of it).

Kozlok · 11-23-2019, 07:14 PM

I tried to get this to work in Lightroom, but I go confused and switched to photoshop. Added a curves layer, it didn't seem hard.

Changed this:

Into this:

Using this:

**GUB** · 11-24-2019, 01:30 AM - **2 Likes**

And tonight driving home - the Wanganui River Estuary here in New Zealand. The hazy old sky is actually smoke from the bush-fires over in Australia.
Until this thread I would have unthinkingly taken the darkest tone right to black and would have had a more dramatic shot but it would not have been reminiscent of a smoky atmosphere.
Shot with the K1 with an old vivitar 55mm 2.8 macro at f4.

Grippy · 11-24-2019, 03:39 AM

Originally posted by GUB

And tonight driving home - the Wanganui River Estuary here in New Zealand. The hazy old sky is actually smoke from the bush-fires over in Australia.
Until this thread I would have unthinkingly taken the darkest tone right to black and would have had a more dramatic shot but it would not have been reminiscent of a smoky atmosphere.
Shot with the K1 with an old vivitar 55mm 2.8 macro at f4.

Great pic, it's amazing that the smoke is making it all the way over to NZ.

**GUB** · 11-24-2019, 03:57 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Grippy

Great pic, it's amazing that the smoke is making it all the way over to NZ.

It is basically a conveyor belt at the mo from Queensland and NSW. It is often the case.

11-22-2019, 10:00 PM - 3 Likes	#1
Alnjpn Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Osaka Posts: 158	How does he achieve this wonderful matte film like effect? I follow this amazing photographer on Flickr. I was wondering if anyone out there knows how he achieves that lovely matte film like effect in his photos? Particularly the portraits. I will post some links below. I am not sure what camera he uses but I am assuming it is digital and he gets the effect post process. Thanks. The Old Teahouse in Pengzhen Town, Chengdu \| TOONMAN_blchin \| Flickr Sadhu Baba, The Holy Men, Pashupatinath Temple \| TOONMAN_blchin \| Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/toonmanimage/35999170865/in/dateposted/ The Old Teahouse in Pengzhen Town, Chengdu \| TOONMAN_blchin \| Flickr

11-22-2019, 11:04 PM	#3
GUB Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Wanganui Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,757	Yes it is an inspiring effect. I can just imagine it printed on matte paper. Based on a screenshot my guess it is simple as the fact there is no blacks in the image. As soon as I moved the black point to the start of the histogram it looked a lot more normal. Looks like he has clipped the whites subtly as well and that has flattened reflectiveness. Like most of us I unthinkingly adjust the black point to the start of the histo - may rethink that. Attached Images

11-24-2019, 03:57 AM - 1 Like	#15
GUB Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Wanganui Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,757	Originally posted by Grippy Great pic, it's amazing that the smoke is making it all the way over to NZ. It is basically a conveyor belt at the mo from Queensland and NSW. It is often the case. Attached Images

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11-22-2019, 10:42 PM	#2
PePe Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Helsinki, Finland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 597	Just a wild guess: could adding a texture layer in PP give you something like that?

11-22-2019, 11:32 PM - 1 Like	#4
GUB Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Wanganui Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,757	So is this down the right road? The shot was at base iso and over 3 stops underexposed (so sort of iso 800) . So +3EV . I then zeroed the base curve (this is in Darktable) and in the tone curve I actually drew the left end of the line up the axis a little and pulled the right end in till the histo was just clipped. Lowered saturation a bit and tweaked the curve slightly in Gimp. Pulling that left end up the axis is something I never do - maybe from now on. Attached Images

11-23-2019, 12:05 AM	#5
david94903 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: San Rafael, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 806	Great photos.

11-23-2019, 12:11 AM - 1 Like	#6
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,661	I achieve it by applying a tone curve that raises the luminance of dark tones in relation to the rest of the image. Here's an intentionally-exaggerated example in Darktable (the basic approach works in Lightroom and others too)... BEFORE AFTER

11-23-2019, 12:53 AM	#7
Cerebum Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Lancaster Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,828	What a wonderful effect. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. It would work rather well on a good street shot too as an alternative to mono

11-23-2019, 05:46 AM	#8
TwoUptons Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,210	How would that work on a reduced-color, near-monochrome image? Or even straight mono? -Eric

11-23-2019, 06:30 AM	#9
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,661	Originally posted by TwoUptons How would that work on a reduced-color, near-monochrome image? Or even straight mono? -Eric The method I demonstrated works just fine in these instances, as it's only acting on the luminance...

11-23-2019, 06:38 AM	#10
travelswsage Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 385	Great photos and great examples -- thanks for sharing the technique!

11-23-2019, 05:49 PM	#11
Alnjpn Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Osaka Posts: 158 Original Poster	Thanks so much for the feedback and ideas, that's really useful! I am going to give it a try over the weekend (whats left of it).

11-23-2019, 07:14 PM	#12
Kozlok Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Albuquerque Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,148	I tried to get this to work in Lightroom, but I go confused and switched to photoshop. Added a curves layer, it didn't seem hard. Changed this: Into this: Using this:

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11-24-2019, 03:39 AM	#14
Grippy Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Adelaide Posts: 816	Originally posted by GUB And tonight driving home - the Wanganui River Estuary here in New Zealand. The hazy old sky is actually smoke from the bush-fires over in Australia. Until this thread I would have unthinkingly taken the darkest tone right to black and would have had a more dramatic shot but it would not have been reminiscent of a smoky atmosphere. Shot with the K1 with an old vivitar 55mm 2.8 macro at f4. Great pic, it's amazing that the smoke is making it all the way over to NZ.