Cinematic Retouching Adobe Photoshop 2024,
Cinematic retouching in Photoshop involves enhancing and transforming images to give them a dramatic, movie-like quality. This often includes adjusting colors, contrast, and lighting, and adding various effects to create a mood or atmosphere similar to what you would see in a film. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you achieve a cinematic look:
Step-by-Step Guide for Cinematic Retouching in Photoshop
Therefore, Open Your Image:
- Therefore, Open your image in Photoshop.
In other words, Basic Adjustments:
- In other words, Use the Camera Raw Filter (Filter > Camera Raw Filter) to make basic adjustments to exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites, blacks, and clarity.
However, Color Grading:
- Add a Color Lookup Adjustment Layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Lookup). Experiment with different LUTs (Look-Up Tables) such as “TealOrangePlusContrast.CUBE” or “Cinematic3DLUTs” to apply a cinematic color grade.
- However, Use the Curves Adjustment Layer to fine-tune the color balance and contrast (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves).
For instance, Selective Color Adjustment:
- Add a Selective Color Adjustment Layer to target specific colors in your image. Adjust the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black sliders to enhance or change particular color tones.
Above all, Lighting Effects:
- Use the Gradient Map Adjustment Layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map) to add a gradient overlay. Set the blending mode to Soft Light or Overlay and adjust the opacity to blend it subtly with your image.
- Add a Vignette using the Lens Correction filter (Filter > Lens Correction). Under the Custom tab, adjust the Vignette settings to darken the edges of the image.
In addition, Add Grain:
- Please create a new layer and fill it with 50% gray (Edit > Fill > 50% Gray). Set the blending mode to Overlay and add noise (Filter > Noise > Add Noise). Adjust the amount to your preference, usually around 5-10%, and then apply a Gaussian Blur (Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur) to soften the grain.
After that, Sharpening:
- Similarly, Use the High Pass Filter method for sharpening. Duplicate your image layer, convert it to a smart object, and apply the High Pass filter (Filter > Other > High Pass). Set the blending mode to Overlay or Soft Light and adjust the opacity.
Final Adjustments:
- Use the Dodge and Burn tools to lighten and darken areas of your image selectively. This can add depth and dimension, enhancing the cinematic feel.
- Add a Photo Filter Adjustment Layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Photo Filter) for a final color cast, if needed.
Tips for Cinematic Retouching
- Study Film Stills: Look at stills from your favorite movies to understand how light, color and contrast are used to create mood.
- Consistency: Apply consistent color grading across a series of images if you’re working on a project to maintain a cohesive look.
- Subtlety: Sometimes, less is more. Subtle adjustments often yield the most professional results.
Experiment with these techniques and adjust them according to the specific look you’re aiming for. Cinematic retouching is highly subjective and can vary greatly depending on the mood and style you want to achieve.