Create "Old Photo" look

[Nat]

I didn't think this fit into Nature, Architecture, People or Pets, but it is a photoshop process, so it must go here....When I was at the Grand Canyon, I was lucky enough to see a rock quarry display....the owner parked his old work trucks along his long desert lane, with enough space in between to allow some nice photos to be taken of each one. I processed it a while ago, and simply forgot how I did it. I found an online "action" for creating a snapshot looking frame around any image. (Wish I could write one of my own!!) So I tried to duplicate my first try. Is there a tutorial somewhere for creating your own actions??? How would I create a rough edged frame as was used here?

Original:



Old attempt: in this one, I created a brush from a scan of a real coffee stain



Attempt at duplicating what I did in my old attempt:

[Donald]

Nat

I'm sure there is help available out there to learn how to create your own actions.

The thing is, I suppose, that there are so many things now covered by plug-ins that you can download, including packages of borders such as that which you want to use, that the demand amongst the general user population for learning the skills necessary has, I suspect, all but dried up.

[Nat]

the demand amongst the general user population for learning the skills necessary has, I suspect, all but dried up.

You are probably right. Thanks for at least looking. I looked at the directions in CS5 for how to create an action, and I need some directions to follow the directions ....just learning what CS5 had to offer...... No matter, I will google it, some plain and simple directions are bound to pop up....

[Maritimer1]

Nat, those look great. What part of creating the action were you having trouble with? I just go to the actions menu, click on the box to create a new action, name it and press play. When the action is finished, hit stop and that's it. I tend to make a lot of changes to levels etc while working my way through, but it all seems to come out OK. Now, mind you, my actions are pretty simple compared to what you have, so if I've given the kindergarten version and you're looking for college level, no offence intended!

[Nat]

Okay, need just a little more info.....so you go to the actions menu, click record, and THEN you do all you want to the image and then hit stop? I tried doing it to an image I had already edited, all the steps were visible, but nothing recorded, musta put the cart before the horse. eh?

[Geoff F]

One other thing to consider when creating 'authentic' looking old photos is what shade of tint or B & W is original?

For instance, an old truck looks fine in B&W but sepia is 'too old'. And even B&W needs to emulate the type of film which was around at that time; plus a little aging through storage.

However, a horse for example could be either sepia or B&W depending on the surroundings.

Even sepia changed over the years as better quality film and developing techniques evolved. Early sepia prints tend to be very yellow and lack harsh contrast while the later versions, say around 1900, were becoming quite a dark brown and with better contrast.

When attempting to create an old photo look I find it is handy to have an actual photo from the time which you wish to recreate beside you to act as a colour guide.

[Nat]

Thank you, Geoff. Good advice.....I never thought about the truck not being in the "sepia" era....I have been looking at some vintage originals of horses, when I did my vintage look on the plow horses, because I was trying to find the type of hats the guys wore at the time horse and plow were used. Now I have to see what I can find about trucks the age of the one above.
Again, thank you for bringing it to my attention!

[Maritimer1]

Okay, need just a little more info.....so you go to the actions menu, click record, and THEN you do all you want to the image and then hit stop? I tried doing it to an image I had already edited, all the steps were visible, but nothing recorded, musta put the cart before the horse. eh?

Hi Nat,

Yes, open the actions tab. Click on the little box next to the garbage can at the bottom on the menu that's called "create new action". Give your action a name or go with the default and then hit record. THe record button is in the same box as your action name, just to the upper right. Just like you said, when you have made all your adjustments, hit the little stop box at the bottom of the menu. Action completed.

[Nat]

I tried to simulate antique again. Same photo. I looked online to see what photos from the 1940-1950's would have looked like. Quite an assortment. Different films, different cameras....some sharp, some fuzzy, some on the bluish side, some on the brownish side. Hmmmm.......I guess it's more what effect you like....came up with this. I didn't go as far as to try a tear or big crease. Please tell me what you think. I found that the truck is probably 1948 Ford F3.

[Bobobird]

Found this relatively simple tutorial for creating actions which was quite helpful for me.
http://www.dpreview.com/articles/056...ting-photoshop

[Nat]

Thanks, Bobo. Lot of good information there, I bookmarked it. I was able to create my own action, for putting a white frame with shadows around an image. It's a start!!