william_kornrich Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 A while back while loading a roll of 35mm infrared film into a reel for developing, the film snagged and when developed, was full of scratches. As it turns out---the prints made from the negatives are very "atmospheric" as the shots are of old cars and the like. How can I routinely add "random" scratches to my negatives? I assume this is not so easy to do in Photoshop if I decide to scan the negs.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Develop an unexposed roll of film. Scratch it the same way. Scan several frames. Use one or two as layers in Photoshop (and mess with the layer modes.) You don't get a more realistic scratching effect than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_tuthill Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 There are Photoshop plug-ins available to do this, and that is what I would recommend to avoid ruining the film. Google "add scratch" and noise and plugin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j._scott_schrader Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I actually saw an exhibit by a guy whose name I can't recall. Every print had serious scratches. As it turned out...he was in the darkroom trying to print an image ...dropped the negative and accidentally stepped on it and walked a step or two until he realized that it was on the bottom of his shoe. He printed it anyway and then decided to put together a whole exhibit of scratched negatives(prints). He put each one on the floor before he printed it and stepped on it with his shoe...dragged it a bit and then printed the negative. His images left a lot to be desired in my opinion, but he was hailed as a photographic genius by the local art critic for his "creativity"... when in actuality he was an idiot who walked around with his negative on his shoe before realizing he had stepped on it....and then decided to print it anyway. If you want real scratches...it doesn't get any more real than that. It's a heck of a lot easier and quicker than the photoshop route. ....and ultimately who knows....you too may end up being hailed as a photographic innovator too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_delorto Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 <i>...dropped the negative and accidentally stepped on it and walked a step or two until he realized that it was on the bottom of his shoe.</i><p>I think this guy has worked at about half the labs I've ever been to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_viapiano Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 There's a photographer on photo.net who does incredible work with altered negatives...emil schildt. His portfolio is here: http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=224043 He used to have a web page called Kill Your Darlings that described his methods. Someone posted a copy on APUG: http://www.apug.org/forums/forum216/34416-kill-your-darlings.html Great stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeaster Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 If you really want scratches on your negatives, your solution is simple: let me develop the things! I can never do a tray full of 4X5s without scratching the bejesus out of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_taylor2 Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 Pan scrubber made by 3M; did a number on my new chef's knife. Try some clean, fine steel wool or sandpaper? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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