Digital Kodak Portra Editing

Hi all,

 

I'm trying to achieve a certain look in Photoshop/Lightroom but can't quite get to it. Instead of describing the style, I'm going to link to images I'm referring to. It's the look of Eva Vermandel, who's based in London and has shot a lot of celebrities, always in a natural, homely environment. She always works with a Mamiya 7ii and Kodak Portra 400/800. Alltough I can get close to the look of film through tweaking VSCO presets, somehow I miss the soft colors and right color grading.

 

Somehow, I can't put a link in this message, even not to her website, so I'm attaching a collection of 4 of her images.

 

I can't get to that soft, painterly look. Can somebody with a better eye explain me what's happening here? I know how to shoot it, but can't edit them right. Also, in a lot of film photographs I love, the skin lookes more yellowish/lightbrown. How do you do that?

 

Many thanks!

 

Per the photo.net Terms of Use, do not post photos you did not take. Post a link to photos in their original location.

Edited November 16, 2017 by Spearhead

Have you tried using the Nik film efex option? Nik > color efex pro> film efex modern < Kodak Portra where you have a choice of Portra 160 NC, 160VC 400 NC and 400 VC. Here's a before and after with Portra 160 VC.

After a few clicks.

You may never quite achieve exactly the same look unless you use Vermandel's lighting technique, time of day or surroundings etc., all of which will contribute to her look. You can only do the best you can. The film is one issue, but many software packages include Portras as actions. As Bill says, Nik has them, as does Alien Skin Exposure which I use on occasion.

Bob, they don't look like Portra to me. They actually look like the normal digital and lighting combination that creates overly orange skin tones. At least to me. But lovely portraits. Portra looks more like this. (actual Portra:) OP, might try to slightly desaturate. Edited November 16, 2017 by Uhooru

Not sure why the OP wasn't able to post a link. The IMO depressing portraits in question can be seen here.

 

Something intangible must be lost in the translation to web images, because I don't see anything worthy of hanging in the V&A or NPG there. Most of her sitters look characterless and bored to death, so I'm not sure why anyone would want to imitate that style.

 

That aside. Since all that's viewable on the web are digital files, it follows that there must be some transform possible to reproduce any displayed colour pallette from a larger colour space.

 

I'd suggest playing with the Hue/Saturation tool as a start.

Edited November 16, 2017 by rodeo_joe|1

Ennui, and kitchen sink interiors are where it's at, Rodeo. Obviously, you didn't get the memo.

Well, I don't like her site much, but I do like a good number of her portraits. I had the misfortune to acquire (temporarily) two years worth of "Loan Collection" portraits, which made almost anything else look great.

 

As to the "film look", why not just shoot film?

Wogears. I have a roll of 160 loaded in one of my MF film backs.as we speak.