Digital Cross Processing

[antishay]

Hi all! I'm new here and only have one example to give you right now.

BEFORE:


AFTER:


This effect is known as cross-processing and I learned how to do it digitally over here.

Basically, I went into curves and played with each color individually. First, I clicked on "Red" and clicked in the middle of the diagonal line to drop an anchor in the center. Then, I drew the top half of the line up slightly. Then I did the same for "Green." The final color, "Blue," I drew the line down slightly. There was a lot of playing around with extremes of line-moving before I settled on this subtle look.



I didn't do much else except play with the levels and brightness/contrast to get it just right. Online the jpeg looks a little washed out, but the actual image is sharp and dark... oh well.

All in all, I really like the new image. It has an edgier look to it and it makes the image of the rocks more interesting.

[southernbelle]

I like the new image, but it doesn't really look cross-processed to me...

[Major_Small]

I'd have to agree - I think that missed the target as a cross-processed image. I use this method.

[Nicole]

Hadn't seen that set of curves/settings Major_Small Thanks for that. I've used a few cross-processing actions, but also liked a recent tutorial that I read using another set of curves on the Layers Magazine site. The tones on that tutorial are a little more towards the blue side it seems.

[Major_Small]

That's an interesting set of curves... a little too blue for my liking, but next time I'm feeling like giving a photo the CP treatment, I'll try it out and throw a yellow cast on it.

[Nicole]

Yeah, it is pretty blue, but I have to say on the right shot I do like the effect. I've found it works best on shots that are already tending towards blues to begin with. I'm definitely going to try the tutorial you posted too.

[southernbelle]

When you say "throw a yellow cast on it" what do you mean?

[Eugene]

if you adjust on color balance, it might be somehow look cross-processed.

[Major_Small]

Originally Posted by southernbelle

When you say "throw a yellow cast on it" what do you mean?

There are plenty of ways to do it, but usually I would just create a new layer, fill it with yellow, drop opacity down to 0%, and start edging it back up in increments of 1%. Possibly not the best way, but it works for my purposes.

That, in itself, wouldn't generate a cross-process effect, but in combination with curve tweaks, it has a nice effect.

[jsanders]

I have also looked at this post and never heard on this technique. Maybe this could be a nice item for the blog roll for more explenation of this. But Anyhow, I also don't see many diferences between the first and second picture.