How can I create a washed-out pastel look while keeping detail crisp?
Asked 5/11/2012
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I’m trying to reproduce a look where colors are slightly washed out and pastel, but the image still keeps strong detail and contrast. I’ve experimented in Photoshop with levels, hue/saturation, and color overlays, but I can only get close by accident. Is this a known post-processing style, and what editing approach can create it reliably? I’m shooting with a Nikon D7000.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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It looks to me like it could be a bleach bypass. This effect was originally a film-processing technique, but it is often replicated digitally.
Here's one (rough) method to try in photoshop:
- Make a duplicate layer of your photo, and set the duplicate to overlay.
- Add a hue/saturation adjustment layer and desaturate the image (amount depends on image, so you'll have to experiment, but -60 might be a good start).
- Add a level adjustment and play with the levels - in particular, pull the black slider to the right a little, the middle slider to the left a little.
- Finally, you might want to add a curves adjustment and tweak the colour curves to your liking.
Originally by user9678. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user9678
14y ago
0
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This look is often similar to a digital version of a bleach bypass effect. It reduces saturation while preserving, or even emphasizing, contrast and detail.
A simple Photoshop approach:
- Duplicate the image layer.
- Set the duplicate layer’s blend mode to Overlay.
- Add a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer and lower saturation significantly (for example, around -60, then fine-tune by eye).
- Add a Levels adjustment: move the black point slightly right and the midtone slider slightly left to keep the image crisp.
- If needed, use Curves to fine-tune overall contrast and individual color channels for the pastel tone you want.
The exact balance depends on the image, so some experimentation is normal. It’s less about a specific camera and more about consistent post-processing choices.
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