Color Negative workflow

[Adam D'Agosto]

Hi. Just wanted to see if I can get an idea of what people are doing for a "standard" workflow when taking color negatives and editing them into something pretty.

I don't use Photoshop, but instead use Affinity Photo, but it doesn't really matter much, the workflows are pretty much the same.

What I'm looking for is the steps you typically take. For instance...
1. Invert the image
2. Create curves layer and get it close
3. Create second curves layer and fine tune it
4. Adjust WB
5. Xxxx
6. Xxxxx

That sorta thing.

Thx!!!
Adam

 

[lifted spirit]

I use Negative Lab Pro. It works as a plugin for LR/Photoshop, but I also believe it works standalone to export TIF files. Trying to get WB where I wanted it was driving me batty, and this software does a great job of getting it much closer to what I actually want.

It also works for black and white negatives, but I find it unnecessary there.

 

[Alan9940]

I, too, use NegativeLabPro when working from LR, or the ColorPerfect plugin when working from PS. If you don't want to support Adobe for PS, I know the ColorPerfect plugin works great within PhotoLine (not expensive to purchase a license.) Don't know if either works from AP.

 

[runswithsizzers]

Hi. Just wanted to see if I can get an idea of what people are doing for a "standard" workflow when taking color negatives and editing them into something pretty.

I don't use Photoshop, but instead use Affinity Photo, but it doesn't really matter much, the workflows are pretty much the same.

What I'm looking for is the steps you typically take. For instance...
1. Invert the image
2. Create curves layer and get it close
3. Create second curves layer and fine tune it
4. Adjust WB
5. Xxxx
6. Xxxxx

That sorta thing.

Thx!!!
Adam

I think you skipped a step. Somehow, the negative must be converted to a digital file. I have different workflows, depending on whether I am starting with a TIFF file from my film scanner or a RAW file from my digital camera.

 

[Adam D'Agosto]

Hi.
So couple things....What I'm asking is not what program you use, but instead the process you use within the program. That's your workflow.
So, if you use Negative Lab Pro, what are your steps? If you don't and you just use Ps, what are your steps?

And yes, I skipped the step of how I get my negatives moved into the digital world...I use a DSLR to scan them.

 

[Lachlan Young]

The attached document is how I proceed - it should essentially work with any reasonably linear file, not just a flextight etc. Easy enough to save it as a 3D LUT for specific emulsions, then it can render inversions very fast - if your C-41 process controls are good/ consistent.

The main alteration since I wrote the document is that I now use the alternative method listed (ie not clipping individual channels, instead just the main RGB), unless it becomes clear that the film has curve crossover issues.

 

[Adam D'Agosto]

Lachlan Young,
This is exactly what I'm taking about. Very helpful. You have things in a slightly different order than I've been trying. I'm going to adjust to match this workflow and see how that goes.

Many thanks!!

 

[Lachlan Young]

Lachlan Young,
This is exactly what I'm taking about. Very helpful. You have things in a slightly different order than I've been trying. I'm going to adjust to match this workflow and see how that goes.

Many thanks!!

The sample/ divide before inversion makes all the difference in getting things where they should be.