How is this photo done?

[kristan_mcintosh]

<p>I need to know how these photographers did this photo. Is it a filter on the lens? Is it strictly photoshop? I like how the little girl stands out and the background is muted. How do I take a photo like this? <a href="http://www.loft3pd.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/img_0513filter.jpg">http://www.loft3pd.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/img_0513filter.jpg</a></p>

<p>Also how do you think they did this one as well. Did they have an external flash? I like how the figure is lighted directly. <a href="http://www.loft3pd.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/img_0838-1.jpg">http://www.loft3pd.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/img_0838-1.jpg</a></p>

[kari v]

<p>First one is PS, there are no filters like that. Fiddle with color balance and selective color, go easy on the girl and dress layer. Perhaps add some blur and vignette if your lens is not working out-of-the-box.</p>

<p>Second one, external flash, perhaps two. Expose for the background and let flash do its job. If the beach gets too much light PS it away. Dodge/burn and add contrast for more punch.</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

<p> number one looks like either film awas cross processed or a cross processing look was applied i neither the raw to TIFF/JPEG processing stage or as a post processing effect in Photoshop. If you shoot raw the original information is always intact unless you make the mistake of discarding the raw file - -whic his never a good idea). The photographer used a moderately large aperture like f/2.8 and a short telephot olens (Okay, I cheated: I looked at the EXIF information: he useda Canon EOS-5D Amrk 2 @ ISO 125, shuuter speed of 1/1600th and a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens at 70mm @ f/2.8) to keep her in focus and the background out of focus.</p>

<p>In number two, yes an off camera flash was used.</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

<p>Here arethe processing setting the original photographer ( who was foolish enough not to add his or her name to his or her photo ) used in Adobe Camera Raw or Lightroom to get the effect in photo 1.</p><div></div>

[a._j._jacobs]

<p>The first one looks like a "Vintage" action in PS, you can download them all over. The second one looks like a "grunge" action I've seen before...Do some googling, I think you will be able to find them :)</p>

[tibz]

<p>The first one looks to be some sort of selective coloring. You can try this in some canon compacts. That one was probably done using masks in photoshop combined with some adjustment of saturation and color balance to acheive the sepia look in the background. The second one is lit with a single light source off to the right, most likely a remote triggered strobe.</p>

[kristan_mcintosh]

<p>So seeing as though I am an amateur how exactly would I go about layering the girl picture? Would I maybe lasso her out and put her on a layer? I know this is very beginer, and it seems the post by Ellis would help if I knew exactly what to do with that information:) Nicholas--what do you mean by using masks in photoshop?</p>

[SteveH]

<p>Kristan, I wouldn't be too anxious to reproduce a photo like the first one. I think there are a lot nicer ways to photograph a little girl. The lighting is harsh, most of the image is out of focus midtone brown, the blue in the sky wasn't artfully applied (that low and it would be more white). I bet you could do better. Cheers. The second one has sortof a gritty charm that's more appropriate to the subject.</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

<p>Kristan shoot raw and apply those settings in Adobe Camera Raw.</p>

[dbcooper]

<p>I think #1 was both the lens used and the post-processing together. The focus pattern looks like a Lensbaby. The second image most definitely used off-camera lighting...just look at the defined light circle on the ground. The light's position can be determined by examining the shadows, especially on the subject's nose...looks about 2 o'clock high and camera-right to me.</p>

[cathy_and_david_bock]

<p>First one looks to be using a TRA while the second one is off camera flash.</p>