Sepia toning is a technique used to give a vintage or old-fashioned look to photos. This effect is often used to create a nostalgic feel, as if the photo is from the past. The color sepia, which is a mixture of light brown and yellow, became popular in the 19th century when photographers used a chemical process to preserve photos. Nowadays, this effect is not only to imitate old photos, but also to add an artistic touch to modern images.
In digital photography, sepia toning is one of the most sought-after effects, especially for those who want to give a lasting impression to their work. Whether you’re a beginner looking to try out new techniques, or a professional looking to enrich your portfolio, sepia effects can be a great choice.
In this article, Bardimin will discuss three different ways to apply the sepia toning effect with Adobe Photoshop. Each way has a different level of difficulty and results, making it suitable for different skill levels. From basic techniques that are easy for beginners to follow to more complicated methods for more authentic results, this guide will help you turn ordinary photos into classic works of art, as if they were taken from an old family photo album.
1. Hue/Saturation Method
The first method we will discuss is using the Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer. This is an easy way and suitable for beginners who are just learning photo editing in Adobe Photoshop. With simple steps, you can give your photos a distinctive sepia-toned effect.
Steps:
1. Open Image in Adobe Photoshop
First, open the image you want to edit in Adobe Photoshop. Make sure the image has a high resolution for better editing.
2. Add Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer
Next, add Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer. You can do this in two ways:
- Through the menu Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation.
- Or by clicking the Adjustment Layer icon in the Layers panel, then selecting Hue/Saturation.
3. Check the Colorize box
Once the Adjustment Layer is open, check the Colorize box. This will change the slider range to just a positive value, making it easier to set the sepia color.
4. Set Hue to 27 and Saturation to 21
To achieve a typical sepia effect, set the Hue value to 27 and Saturation to 21. This value gives results close to the classic sepia color that is often present in old photos.
5. Crop the Image to a Square
To add a vintage feel, change the image format to square, mimicking photos from the 1940s era that usually use film roll cameras in a 1:1 format. How:
- Select the Crop tool from the toolbar on the left.
- Set the crop ratio to 1:1 (square).
- Adjust the crop area to your liking, then press Enter to apply it.
After following the steps above, your photo will have a distinctive yellowish-brown hue, creating the impression of a timeless old photo. If you want to add an extra touch, you can combine this effect with other techniques such as reducing contrast or adding noise to mimic the texture of an old-fashioned photo.
2. Method Black & White Adjustment
The second method we’ll discuss is to use Black & White Adjustment Layer. This method provides more accurate results and is closer to the original photos from the classical era. Compared to the Hue/Saturation method, this technique allows you to control in more detail how the black and white colors are converted into sepia shades, so that the result looks more natural and authentic.
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Steps:
1. Open Image and Add Black & White Adjustment Layer
First, open the image you want to edit in Adobe Photoshop. Then, add Black & White Adjustment Layer by:
- Click the Adjustment Layer icon in the Layers panel, then select Black & White.
- Or through the menu Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Black & White.
2. Click the Tint button
Once the Adjustment Layer is open, you’ll see various sliders to adjust the intensity of colors like red, green, and blue. At the top of the panel, there is a Tint button. Click this button to activate the tint effect. By default, the tint color that appears is close to sepia, so you don’t have to make a lot of adjustments.
3. Reduce Contrast with Brightness/Contrast Adjustment Layer
To add to the vintage feel, we can imitate the low-contrast effect often found in old photos. How:
- Add Brightness/Contrast Adjustment Layer via the menu Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Brightness/Contrast.
- In the panel that appears, slide the slider Contrast to the left until it reaches a value of around -20. This will reduce the contrast of the image, creating the effect of a photo that has faded over time.