Fujairah Fort - UAE several conversions

[tirediron]

I had the chance to get out in the city of Funairah, UAE yesterday and take some pictures. This is one of Fujairah Fort, built in the mid 1600s, and currently undergoing a total restoration.



It was an interesting structure, and I decided to see what I could about reproducing an old-style image (late 19th/early 20th century). I started off by converting to B&W:



This wasn't bad, but wasn't quite what I wanted.


Then I tried a sepia conversion:



Didn't like this one much at all


So then I copied the sepia version and pasted it, as a new blending layer into the B&W image, reduced the opacity to about 65%, and added some noise to simulate grain:



This one turned out reasonably like the picture I had in my mind.


Thoughts, comments, critique appreciated.

~John

[tegan]

Nice try but you really can't beat the film simulation software or a program called Real Grain for that sort of thing.

The technical quality of your shot is a little too good, too contrasty, too much detail, and the tones are not right.

Try out some of the software that is available for that sort of thing, then you will get a better idea of what the look should be.

Tegan

[tirediron]

Nice try but you really can't beat the film simulation software or a program called Real Grain for that sort of thing.<snipped>
Tegan

Another $100 plugin... I'll have to have a look at that when I get home.

Thanks for the input. Agree, it's not going to fool anyone, at least not a photographer. I'll have to tweak it a little more and see where I can take it.

[trhoads]

Another $100 plugin... I'll have to have a look at that when I get home.

Thanks for the input. Agree, it's not going to fool anyone, at least not a photographer. I'll have to tweak it a little more and see where I can take it.

You could try this freeware standalone app. Maybe it will look more like what you are looking for. http://www.idimagersystems.com/FreeWare/prFilmGrain.exe

Tom

[Travis]

[QUOTE=tegan;4162]
The technical quality of your shot is a little too good, too contrasty, too much detail, and the tones are not right.
/QUOTE]

That's funny.... I thought the same thing but didn't quite know how to word it... "Your shot is too good to look this bad"... lol...

I'm a fan of trying to reproduce vintage style shots. I didn't realize how daunting a task it is. You really need to spend a lot of time "dumbing" down the image to make it really sing.

FYI - there is a semi noteworthy article in Sept POP PHOTO regarding vintage portraiture techniques.

Interesting image though Tirediron... and even more interesting are the examples of your struggle.

EDIT: I believe this is a hard image to work with due to the lack of dynamic range so you may have disadvantaged yourself from the get go.

[tirediron]

You could try this freeware standalone app. Maybe it will look more like what you are looking for. http://www.idimagersystems.com/FreeWare/prFilmGrain.exe

Tom

Won't let me download at work... I'll have to try it when I get home. Thanks.