How to give photos a natural rustic look?

<p>Hi everyone,<br>

I am looking for some Photoshop / Lightroom tips to make digital photographs look rustic, with a natural, "peaceful" spirit.<br>

In fact, the description of what I want to achieve is as short as that: digital photo that stimulates film - but I omitted that label in the title since all the instructions I managed to find under it had "vintage/aged"- like image as a goal (overcooked to me, I'm not interested in the ways of manipulating the image in a way that literally shouts it's been manipulated).<br>

What I am looking for is a way to make a photograph look natural, with its colors deep and slightly muted - yet vivid, profound! Here are some examples: http://gotujzdrowo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/konfitura-ala-chutnay-z-zurawiny-i-jablka-1-800x1195.jpg or http://gotujzdrowo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/kasza-jaglana-z-marchewka-i-borowka-1-800x1168.jpg or http://gotujzdrowo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/zupa-krem-z-pieczonej-papryki-i-pomidora-3.jpg ; a perfect example is also "Kinfolk"-style photography (what I believe has become a term now, see here: http://www.pinterest.com/kinfolkmagazine/).<br>

Any tips on how to achieve the effects described?<br>

Thanks for your help in advance,<br>

Martin</p>

<p>If you are willing to pay for a solution DXO has something they call Film Pack <a href="http://www.dxo.com/intl/photography/dxo-filmpack">link</a></p>

<p>But given your examples I would suggest that you make three adjustment layers, hue/saturation, levels, vibrance, and then adjust to taste. I might add in some Shadows/Highlights as necessary, which is in Images-->Adjustments, and as far as I know can not be done as a layer.</p>

<p>Agree with Phil. This seems pretty straightforward. Experiment with those layers, and don't push too hard on the sliders. Don't overexpose (levels will take care of that).</p>

<p>And ensure that your lighting is well thought out so that you have a quality starting point for adjustments.</p>

<p>Photoshop could certainly give you the effects you want, as Phil and Stephen have said. You could also look at the plugins from Nik/Google. Their "Analog Efex Pro" and "Color Efex Pro" plugins both have a wide variety of preset filters a couple of which come close to what you want, and it is very easy to make adjustments to these preset starting points with the various sliders. Good luck. Here is a link:<a href="http://www.google.com/nikcollection/">http://www.google.com/nikcollection/</a></p>

<p>Don't forget that a lot of what you see in 'vintage' shots is not what the picture originally looked like but the result of age.</p>

<p>For that sort of effect, the Nik plug-ins are better, although I occasionally use the DxO film pack.</p>

<p>Thanks for your tips. I'll keep experimenting with the adjustment layers, then - I'm much rather into learning than buying.<br>

What's your experience with different modes a layer can be created in? Lately I've been very much into curves layer in the soft light mode.<br>

JDM von Weinberg, the photos I've linked are by no means aged, that's the point :-)<br>

Martin</p>

<p>But one adjustment layer that comes to mind is putting a gradient overlay and blending it back. That will help mute the colors and enhance blacks. You could even try bumping saturation and then a gradient map.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>What's your experience with different modes a layer can be created in?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>These, of course, are blend modes, different ways layers can be blended. I am sure you knew that but the wording to your question threw me off. Other than the fact that the blend modes are divided into categories, I just use them by experimenting with them until I find my desired result. Of course you develop favorites over time. I had to add yellow highlighting to a photo of a document the other day. This one was easy, blend mode Multiply to the rescue. I watched this youtube video that you might find interesting, the first half anyways. It shows a good use for the soft light blend mode and comes up with a result that you may be able to use. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbU3C_2v_qU">link</a> </p>

<p> </p>

<p>You can pick up a few cues from studying individual characteristics of the photos: light, shadow, reflections, comparing the colors in the photo with real life colors of the same objects. There's also a careful selection of colors to create the overall mood.</p>

<p>Note the colors in the second and third examples you linked to. Red and orange are desaturated and the hues are shifted toward the warmer end - note how the tomatoes and carrots are slightly brown. By themselves, brownish carrots would appear unappetizing, but alongside the blues and greens in the composition the desaturated and color shifted carrots look appealing and don't create the visual tension you'd normally see between bright orange and red alongside blues and greens.</p>

<p>In the third photo the blueberries and grapes appear to be shifted slightly toward violet/purple and the luminance decreased a bit.</p>

<p>Reflections in the grapes in the third photo appear squarish, so either window light was used or a square shaped reflector or softbox with flash or continuous lighting. Might even be a video LED panel with diffuser - hard to tell. But the photographer was going for the look of natural window light.</p>

<p>There may also be some split toning. Highlights in the first photo appear slightly cyan. And in the third photo you could use a dropper to check for bias in the whites and grays - the plate, flowers, silverware.</p>