How can I create a warm yellow retro look in my photos?
Asked 2/17/2011
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2 answers
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I often see photos and ads with a warm, slightly yellowed vintage/retro look, similar to aged prints or old film. Is this usually done in-camera with white balance or filters, or is it mainly created in post-processing? What settings or editing adjustments would help achieve this effect, and is there a common term for this style?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
4
I think there are many ways to achieve this feeling...if I were to tackle it I'd do something like this.
Aside from the technical aspect of setting the scene I would shoot RAW with color balance somewhere in the range of florescent. I would then use a selective color treatment in photoshop to fine tune my colors.
I agree with Phillippe Lavoie on the "highly photoshoped" comment though. It looks like the car has been swapped out with the new image being heavily saturated. The original photo was probably shot with film, and a yellow or magenta filter was used, and maybe had a Volkswagen Beetle in it.
Originally by user1451. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1451
15y ago
0
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This look is usually created mostly in post-processing, not as a single camera setting. It’s essentially a warm vintage/aged-print look: colors are shifted toward yellow/orange, whites are warmed, and contrast/color can be selectively adjusted.
Based on the answers, good ways to get it are:
- Shoot RAW so white balance and color are easier to adjust later.
- Warm the white balance/color temperature slightly.
- Use selective color, color balance, or curves to push tones warmer.
- Increase contrast a bit, and fine-tune individual color channels if needed.
- Try vintage presets (for example, old print/Polaroid-style presets) as a starting point, then reduce the strength.
You can experiment with in-camera white balance for a warmer file, but post-processing is much more controllable.
Also, the sample image appears heavily manipulated, possibly composited, so don’t expect one simple setting to fully recreate it straight out of camera.
Useful search terms: “vintage look,” “aged print effect,” “warm retro color grading,” or “old film/old print preset.”
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