Fun Challenge for those that fancy it.

[Don Hoey]

To go with the BBC 4 tv series thread, on the cheap create an image that has the feel of an old picture. Duncan has of course already started with this
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...ppuser=34&sl=y

I don't have the photoshop skills so will rely on doing a lot of it in camera.

My route as I have failed to get a sharper pinhole image, and cannot afford Focus Magic that was mentioned in Marks link in the BBC 4 tv series thread, is to try a simple lens from an old film camera on a bellows for focussing. Similar focussing could probably be done with sliding tubes as in Marks link which is here.
http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/a...s_pinhole.html

Don

[Adey Baker]

Here's an easy Photoshopped one to start with - I'm sure there'll be a lot better to follow (a few with dog-eared edges would look authentic!):

Rural scene with no 'modern' items to date it (not much of interest at all, actually!)

Convert to Grayscale, then Duotone to apply a sort of sepia colouring, then back to RGB. (I think you can use 'colorize' for a similar effect if you have Photoshop Elements rather than the full Photoshop)

Eliptical Marquee tool to select a circular area in the middle of the image with 'feathering' of 100pixels - then Select-Inverse to apply blurring to everywhere except the middle via the Blur-Lens Blur Filter. De-select marquee tool.

Re-size and save for web and we have an instant 'sharp-in-the-middle-only' shot from an early, poorly-corrected lens!

[sassan]

Don;
That is one nice link to pinhole shooting.
I must give a go.

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by sassan

Don;
That is one nice link to pinhole shooting.
I must give a go.

Credit to Mark ( mw aurora ) for that link Sassan.

My update:

Too late in terms of light by the time I had the lens sorted. Something from a boot sale folding roll film camera, possibly from the 50's. Built in leaf shutter with Bulb, 1/25, 1/75 and 1/200 sec shutter speeds. Probably well off in accuracy terms.

This will be a tripod job to use as it does have to be set to Bulb to open the shutter to allow for focussing. Aperture then needs stopping down from f4.5.

Pic of the camera attatched to confirm my insanity.

Don

[Railman]

Missed the progam but like the idea of a challenge. Attached is a photoshopped version of a lighthouse given a treatment to make it look like an older style photo. (Original attached for comparison). Any comments or suggestions for improving this welcome. Perhaps we could have a monthly comp with a theme like the photo comp for those of us who like to tinker with our pics

Dan

[Don Hoey]

Nice grain effect in that Dan.
I see you have also taken Adey's route re softening the edges. Possibly still a bit sharp in the centre relative to the edges.
Are those scratches or rubbish on the enlarger condenser lenses.

Personally I will do an image that is straight out of the darkroom including all the spotting.

Don

[Railman]

A slightly different route to Andy. I used a layer mask with the Circular gradient tool to have a less pronounced edge. desaturated the image then messed about with the curves for the sepia tinge. Added some grain using a filter.The scratches were added with the pencil tool as all the old photos that I see have scratches from poor storage/ mishandling. I am sure that there are 101 ways of achieving a similar effect. The darkroom way looks like a lot of hard work, enjoy yourself
Dan

[Adey Baker]

That's the beauty of Photoshop - there are many different ways to achieve the same effect!

Looking through some old photos I've noticed that the 'sepia' toning is very variable from one to another - some are very brown whilst others are much more subtle; perhaps it's not toning, as such, but just a warmer base-colour in the paper.

One of the hardest things to simulate is the 'smooth' effect you get through old photos often being contact-printed from quite large negatives coupled with the softness of less than perfect lenses albeit not being 'stretched' by any enlargement. And, of course, old film was more likely to have been orthochromatic (a job for the channel-mixer in Photoshop!)

I've done a different version of my original shot with a different tone, more extensive feathering of the sharp middle-circle and some vignetting in the corners

[sassan]

Don;
Are you talking of something like this? Of course minus the swimming suit that is a bit in-dated...(Opposite of out-dated).

[Don Hoey]

Well wouldn't you know it. Weather here today is GRIM so no opportunity to try my lens outside, so I may have a go with flash. At least it will give some idea of sharpness or lack of it from a low end lens.

Very good Adey.
Your comment on contact printing from large negatives is very relevant to the sharpness/resolution issue. Professionals, or at least those that could afford it would be using 10" x 8" or larger. Amateurs really got involved with the advent of roll film in its various sizes that did require some enlargement. I have looked through a lot of my grandparents images from the early 1900's and they appear to be contact printed from 6 x 6 or 6 x 9 cm.
Toning to protect the image from the ravages of time/exposure to light was common and varied from sepia to selenium. Selenium being particularly nasty to health. I used to do it in an open area wearing a super filtered face mask.

Sassan,
I really like your image but perhaps the grain indicates film rated at 6400 ASA or a very heavy crop. I notice you say the swim suit is a bit in-dated but if you are not up with fashion then it could be from the 50's. I would really like to see this with a finer grain structure as it really looks like a photo enthusiast/pro shot, could be a winner.

Don