These days of color photographs have moved a long way from those black and white images. Sometimes you may want to give a vintage look to a color photo as a spcial effect. It is not at all difficult. It can be done in any version of Photoshop. Just follow the steps below.
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Step 1 : I have opened this free stock photo in Photoshop. You can download this photo from
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The Layers pallette looks like this. The photo of the girl is the Background Layer.
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Step 2 : Press CTRL+SHIFT+U. This will desaturate the image.
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Step 3 : Press CTRL+L. This will bring up the Levels dialogue box.
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Step 4 : I have dragged the White slider at the left to the edge of the black graph. I have then dragged the Grey slider a little to the right. This is to darken the highlights. Click ok.
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The image has been darkened.
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Step 5 : In the Layers pallette click the 'Create New Layer' button. A new Layer 1 forms above the Background layer.
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Step 6 : Click the Foreground Color.
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Step 7 : This brings up the Color Picker. The column in the middle is called a Spectrum. You will find a slider at the bottom of Spectrum. Drag it up with the cursor till the color changes to Orange. The Color I have chosen is 'e3821a' . You can alternately enter the value in the box at the bottom marked with #. Click ok.
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Step 8 : Now click on the Gradient Tool from the flyout. Look at the top. You will find the Gradient Editor. You don't have to open it for this tutorial.
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Step 9 : Draw diagonally from left top to right botom.
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Step 10 : In the Layers pallette now change the Blend Mode from the drop down menu. It can be accessed when you click where the arrow points to. Click on Soft Light.
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This is how the image looks after changing the Blend Mode.
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This is how the Layers pallette looks.
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Step 11 : Click the Create New layer button again. A new Layer 2 forms above Layer 1.
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Step 12 : Click the Foreground Color. Note it is showing the last color picked.
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Step 13 : The Color Picker comes up. Drag the slider up the Spectrum till the color changes to Green. I have picked on a shade of green. Alternately you can enter '3be31a' in the highlighted box at the bottom.
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The Foreground Color changes to the color picked.
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Step 14 : Click the Gradient Tool again.
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Step 15 : Drag with the Gradient Tool from the right bottom to the top left.
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This is how the image looks.
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Step 16 : Change the Blend Mode to Soft Light.
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This is how the image looks.
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Step 17 : Reduce the Opacity of Layer 2 to 55 % by dragging the slider at the bottom or entering 55% in the little box.
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The finished image. You can use any color for the Gradients. It is up to you.
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