platinum tones

[msvadi]

Can anyone share any ideas on how to make platinum tones for B&W in PS? I've installed some plug-ins that promise such an effect, but did not really like what I saw...

[slejhamer]

Can anyone share any ideas on how to make platinum tones for B&W in PS? I've installed some plug-ins that promise such an effect, but did not really like what I saw...

Have you tried the duo/tri/quadtones that come with PS? You need to convert to greyscale first, then to duotone. There are quite a few with which to play. Also you may need to adjust levels afterward.

[msvadi]

Mitch,
yes, I use duotones all the time.
There are some nice duotones available for download from the web: bronze, selenium. But I could not find Platinum yet. I really like the look of platinum toned prints.

[slejhamer]

Mitch,
yes, I use duotones all the time.
There are some nice duotones available for download from the web: bronze, cellenium. But I could not find Platinum yet. I really like the look of platinum toned prints.



Give this a try in PS:

Convert a color image (any one will do) to grayscale and then back to RGB. (It will remain gray.)

Create a curves adjustment layer.

In the red channel of the curves dialog, click on the lower-left third of the curve. Set input to 64, output to 71. Click again, set input to 128, output to 129. One more click on the curve, set input to 192, output to 194.

In the green channel, use the following: 64/62, 128/128, 192/193

In the blue channel, use 64/53, 128/117, 192/182.

Those are the settings given by Thomas Niemann for a platinum tone, but you can tweak the numbers to your liking. (I find the shadows a bit too yellow, and prefer 64/60, 128/120 in the blue channel.)

Remember to save the curve so that you can simply call it up (or make an action for it.)

Hope that helps.

[msvadi]

Thanks, Mitch.
It's really helpful. I tweaked it a little bit now it's the way I like it :)

[Gibmeister]

Mitch,

I tried your combination and I really liked the results. Is there a site where other combinations are listed? Are there samples of what the results should look like? Thanks for sharing.

Gib

[Roger_Cavanagh]

I've got a Tones script for PS CS here (http://www.rogercavanagh.com/actions/variations/03_tones.htm). There's a free version and a donation-ware version with more options.

Regards,

[slejhamer]

Mitch,

I tried your combination and I really liked the results. Is there a site where other combinations are listed? Are there samples of what the results should look like? Thanks for sharing.

Gib

Gib, that was the only one specifically listed. Also, if you search Luminous Landscape you will find the numbers for a selenium tone, and somewhere else is an action that emulates bronze tones.

Niemann has an action that is very similar (in result) to Roger's Tones script. I still haven't tried scripting so can't tell you if there's an advantage to that method.

Here is Niemann's site:
http://epaperpress.com/psphoto/index.html

Go to the B&W section, then the "Create a Tone," "Copy a Tone" and "Classic Tones" sections.

[msvadi]

Thanks everybody for posting you suggestions and ideas. It was very helpful.

I just wanted to mention the contrast issue. I find that quite often the contrast needs to be adjusted after applying tones. It might be obvious, but I wanted to mention it anyway.