How to achieve pastel colors

[forge]

Hi,
I'm trying to get Pastel colors effect in my images. I'm following a lightroom tutorial to do this effect: http://photographypla.net/pastel-effect-lightroom/

But I'm not 100% convinced by my results...

Do you have any tip or tutorial ?

Thanks for the help !

[Paul Gessler]

You mentioned a Lightroom tutorial but posted in the Capture One subforum.
Are you using Lightroom or Capture One?

It might be helpful to post an image you're working on and explain which part of the "pastel" effect isn't turning out the way you want.

[forge]

I'm following a lightrooom tutorial because I couldn't find one for Capture One. So my goal is to convert this lightroom tutorial into a capture one tutorial but some tools are quite different between lightroom and capture one that's why I ask for help ! Which tools should I use in C1 Pro to get a similar effect to the ones in Lightroom ? (I don't have my computer with C1 with me so can't post more details about the tools)

From the tutorial, the before image:


The final image:

[SanderKikkert]

Can't help you on the C1, yet LR or C1 doesn't matter imo as the adjustments are basic and universal.

In LR this would be the just the result of lifting shadows and perhaps either upping exposure a smidgen or highlight or whites (or both, see what works for you and your histogram) and at the same time dropping saturation and playing with the vibrance slider in both directions to achieve the look you want.

Kind Regards, Sander
 

[Jimmy D Uptain]

I think your results are quite nice.
You could always get the Nik Efex package. Its not much $$ and it would be easy to build a recipe that would open your image in one of those tools.

[indusphoto]

I dont think that C1 has split toning.

[Chairman Bill]

I'm also interested in achieving a pastel colour on some of my landscapes, inspired in large part by this - http://www.rps.org/technical/gallery?a=%7BACCEACE1-724D-4DA7-AB47-C70761AE5EDB%7D

I'm still trying to get the same sort of effect with Aperture

[David Grover / Capture One]

I dont think that C1 has split toning.

Yes we do!

And these effects are pretty easy to achieve with a combination of Levels, Curves, Saturation, Colour Editor, Colour Balance and so on.

[forge]

Thanks for the answer David.
It's certainly easy to achieve this kind of effect but, for beginners, it can be quite hard to figure out how to do.

Could you share some kind of tutorial ? It would help me improve my process (If I know how a professional create this effect, I can more easily figure out where my errors are). Because at the moment, I try to move sliders and analyse the resulting image...

[David Grover / Capture One]

Thanks for the answer David.
It's certainly easy to achieve this kind of effect but, for beginners, it can be quite hard to figure out how to do.

Could you share some kind of tutorial ? It would help me improve my process (If I know how a professional create this effect, I can more easily figure out where my errors are). Because at the moment, I try to move sliders and analyse the resulting image...

Well, its probably easier than you think.  Start with..

1) Lowering Saturation

2) Lowering contrast (simple way with the slider or being more critical with the Curve tool)

3) Experiment with Output values in the Levels tool, on individual channels.  i.e, goto the Blue, channel, pull the TOP slider on the left hand side to give the shadows a cool tone. (You could try with the other channels too)

4) Destaturate certain colours with the colour editor.

Just had a quick play with this shot.. (Attached)

[Garry Sarre]

Hi Forge. There is far, far more going on in those images than just desaturating. There is a blending of nearby tones into others. I have achieved almost exactly that effect with a Nikon soft filter. Have a look at the link to the page and look at the girl with the shell, bottom right. Nikon soft filter in pre dawn light. This image has more grain and saturation than your examples, however, the softness and bleeding of tones is similar.  They especially were before I added grain. Saturation and curves are relatively simple to fine tune after the softness is taken care of.

http://www.sarre.com.au/ourstory/fineart.html

Photoshop can duplicate the affect, but not as well. A large pixel spread of Gaussian blur, maybe 40 pixels on a 4000 pixel image. Blend that with an un softened layer at about 20% and you should be starting to get the feel.

Have fun

[Rhossydd]

I'm also interested in achieving a pastel colour on some of my landscapes, inspired in large part by this - http://www.rps.org/technical/gallery?a=%7BACCEACE1-724D-4DA7-AB47-C70761AE5EDB%7D
I'm still trying to get the same sort of effect with Aperture

Difficult to really see what's going on with those from the small images on the site. An 'A' for those suggests the prints will tell more of the story.

I'd guess; lifted blacks, lower contrast, slight over exposure, slight warming to the CT, negative clarity and some desaturation. Not much sharpening and some local colour adjustments. No rocket science there that I can see.

I've sometimes messed around with similar styles eg https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulholman/5377739633/in/photostream/ and that could be improved a lot if LR had better local adjustment tools.

For me split toning has no place in "Pastel" tones as it's different look entirely.