Digital Art How to Go From Flat Color to Final
Today, for most motion picture photographers, scanning picture show has often replaced the darkroom or printing process. While information technology's certainly non the most interesting part in the life of a moving-picture show photographer, almost of united states desire to share our analog gems on social media and so this step is crucial to succeed in our quest of "likes"!
I receive a lot of questions almost scanning and then that motivated me to make this article and evidence you how I scan my Black and White and Color negatives.
We'll be looking at the Epson V550 flatbed scanner using the EPSON Browse software.Even if you are non using this specific model or software proceed reading as I'll be sharing lots of universal information that tin can be applied to well-nigh scanners and softwares.
I'll walk you through from preparing the negative to be scanned until the postal service processing.
The point is not to make full your caput with too much technicals details as I want to continue this commodity sugariness and simple. If y'all are afterwards more than information about resolution and stuffs, bank check out the mail service where I go more into details and compared 5 scanners under 200$.
Just a small disclaimer: I'thousand no practiced in this topic, information technology'southward just desire to share what worked for me and so far and gave me results that I'm happy with. If you notice something wrong or have any proposition to improve my workflow, I'd dearest to hear so don't hesitate to ship me a message.
At present permit me show you step-by-step how I scan my images.
Step 1 – Preparing the negative
Once your rolls are developed and completely dried it'due south important to flatten your negatives. Even if your moving picture hanged over dark to dry, chances are that information technology will still scroll in one case y'all remove the pic clips.
To practise so, y'all have to cut the negative in strips that fits in the film holder from your scanner. In my case, when scanning 35mm moving-picture show, I have to cut strips of 6 frames. So the all-time way to make them apartment is past putting them into a negative storage canvass and allow it sit under heavy books or weight for a few hours or even days if your patience allows it. Some films accept a trend to curl more the others and so go check from time to time how it evolves.
Having the pic perfectly flat is not crutial but it makes it easier to be manipulated and as well improves sharpness. What'south more than problematic is if the film is aptitude on the width. This could crusade some parts to appear out of focus or develop some weird rainbow halos (likewise known as Newton Rings).
It tin be tempting to scan your images every bit soon equally the film is dried but your patience will be rewarded if you piece of work with a flat negative.
Step 2 – Mounting the negative
At present that we've seen how to flatten the negative, it's fourth dimension to mount it onto the flick holder. First affair is to insert a strip of moving-picture show in the film strip holder, shinny face down.
Then make sure that the images are perfectly aligned on the edges and then we don't crop any images.
When the film is placed into its holder, apply a compressed air spray can to remove a maximum of dust and hairs from the film and glass. If yous employ air spray, it's important that the can remains at all times vertical and that you lot don't milk shake it. Otherwise it could spray some sort of liquid instead of air which could harm your movie.
If you lot don't take one of these, you can also gently pass a microfibre tissue onto the negative (exist extra careful to don't scratch the film surface).
Step 3A – Scanning Colour
When you launch the Epson Browse software for the first time information technology will be in automated mode and looks similar this :
What we want instead is to switch to the Professional Way so nosotros can accept access to more advanced options.
In one case we are in the Professional Mode, in that location are a couple of options to select :
- Document Type : Film
- Flick Type : Colour Negative (if you scan slide film cull "Positive Motion picture")
- Image Type : 48-Chip Color – This ensures a smooth transition between colour tonalities
- Resolution : 3200 dpi – There is no need to become college than that. Information technology will generate files more heavy and increment the grain visibility.
- Cheque theUnsharp Mask andGrit Removal option.
The control panel should looks like this :
Once all settings are gear up you tin can hitting the Preview button. It will generate thumbnails of your negative and automatically crop the images. You lot can adjust the orientation of each images and so press the Scan button.
If the ingather is non correct you can always adjust it manually using the selection tool. For example when I'1000 scanning rolls shot on my Xpan I have to practice this for each frames. For more than info virtually this step, check out the video above.
When the images are scanned they are automatically saved into the Pictures folder.
Pace 3B – Scanning Black and White
The settings are almost the aforementioned than Colour negatives and so I've marked in bold the only ones that needs to be changed :
- Certificate Type : Moving-picture show
- Film Type : B&West Negative Film
- Image Type : 16-Bits Grayscale – This ensures a smooth transition between tonalities of grey
- Resolution : 3200 dpi – Once again no need to go higher than that with this scanner
- Check theUnsharp Mask andDust Removal option.
Same as above : click on "Preview" and so "Browse" in one case the thumbnails take appeared.
Step 4 – Organising
Files on my computer are usually a mess but I try to go on my images organised. For every gyre scanned, I create a folder with the following name : Yr-Calendar month-Camera-Ringlet-LOCATION-INFO
For case this roll is called : 2016-11-LeicaM6-RolleiCR200-London-CrossProces
By having the yr and month at the beginning it sorts the folders past dates instead of name. I prefer having them chronologically sorted rather than by alphabetical order.
Footstep 5 – Importing the files to Lightroom
Your images are now organised and then it's time to import them into Lightroom. There are many means to practice this just I'll simply testify you how I practice it.
First thing, make sure that you are in the Develop module. And so on the left bar look for the Folder section and click on the + sign and and so "Add folder". Look for the binder you've just created on your difficult drive and click on "Choose" to open the images and terminate by clicking on "Import". It takes a few seconds for the images to appear in your library.
Pace 6 – Developing/Retouching
This is probably the most interesting function only likewise the well-nigh personal considering you can finally utilise your creative touch the images.
I won't become besides much into details here equally it's a matter of personal gustation. What you should know is that scanning tends to makes epitome await apartment and colours can exist a bit off. This also depends a lot on the type of film that you lot are scanning. To correct this flatness, I usually add a bit of dissimilarity and play with the curves to bring the highlights up and shadows down. This normally does the trick to bring my images to life.
Dwelling house scanning is not perfect but information technology'southward a great style to save lots of coin compared to professional lab scans. If you want to go further with this I highly recommend this video from Marc Falzon who's behind the channel Analog process. He knows a lot about scanning and explains how to wet mount negatives onto a flatbed scanner. This is the closest you can get to loftier-stop scanners using a flatbed.
I hope you enjoyed this commodity and could acquire a few things.
Vincent Moschetti worked exclusively with digital equipement until he had a revelation and discovered the beauty of shooting with movie cameras.If you would like to acquire more nearly his work, you tin can visit his website, Facebook, and Instagram pages. This article was originally published here.
Images Used With Permission
Source: https://digitalrev.com/2017/04/21/how-to-scan-film-negatives-colour-bw/
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