How to get this creamy Portra-Look?

[Nitrofunk]

Hi!
I've posted this question about a 100 Times on various Forums without a proper answer.
How can one get this kind of look:
http://canlasphotography.blogspot.co...then-some.html

I guess that those are Handprints made from Portra-Films. Althought I'm not new to scanning (I use (and know how to use!) Vuescan with the Nikon Coolscan 9000), I find it almost impossible to achieve this certain creamish, pastellish look with scanned Film - even with Portra. For Post-Processing, I use Lightroom. So does anybody know how to get this characteristic color with scanned Film? Oh - and post your samples, please!
Thanks!
Peter

[David Luttmann]

The shots were obtained using Fuji Pro 400H, overexposed by 1 to 4 stops. He scans using a Fuji SP2500 scanning module.

I have posted the question in numerous places asking for advice on how to obtain this look digitally. To date, I've had dozens of workflows recommended.....some requiring many layers, adjustments, etc, etc, etc. Something that could take 10 to 20 minutes each.....and they still don't have the look.

I've decided to lgo back to color film use for a lot of my wedding work to obtain this look. Richard Photo Lab scans for pros and obtains this look for photographers like Jose Villa, among others.

[Nitrofunk]

Thanks for your answer. Finally not one of those "oh - you just have to fiddle around in PS and you're there!"-answers. I also have the feeling that this kind of look is just not possible to achieve with ordinary scanners. Which leads me to the most interesting question: Why do those Lab-Scans have this kind of "look"? Somehow those Lab-Scanners (such as the Fuji 2500) seems to get it right...
Peter

[David Luttmann]

You can do it yourself with something like a Nikon or Minolta scanner for example. But through trial and error, you'll need to dial it in through your settings in Silverfast or Vuescan. I believe Richard Photo uses the "All Hard" setting on the Frontier to maintain the highlights and shadows....and then dials in the color, etc.

Man, you should have seen some of the workflow suggestions for trying to do this digitally. I messed around for nearly and hour once with multiple layers and two suggested actions. And then when I tried it on another shot, I had to start all over as the settings don't follow with each shot.

After trying all this stuff out for the last few months, I decided that it would be easier to "just shoot film." I did a portrait session for a client. What normally took hours in post processing to get it the way I wanted (from a Pentax K20D and Canon 7D)......now was done in a half hour....mainly to sort and resize. Talk about getting my life back!

[mrred]

It's just flat lighting + desaturate colours + increase contrast + soften (blur). Easy to do in LR. But sorry, it only takes 3 seconds....

And as stated, kinda natural with portra.

[Loris Medici]

Seems something that can be done in LR indeed. Using a lens with non-coated or single-coated elements will help too...

OTOH, isn't Fuji Frontier (or any modern mini-lab) a digital image processing environment!???

I absolutely don't feel like that particular look is strictly bound to the film (and pretty straightforward C-41 process)...

Regards,
Loris.

[Nitrofunk]

It's just flat lighting + desaturate colours + increase contrast + soften (blur). Easy to do in LR. But sorry, it only takes 3 seconds....

And as stated, kinda natural with portra.

Sorry - but it certainly isn't. I've tried to achieve this look for *years*, but it's just not the real thing. But I'm curious to see some of your examples that have this look and were scanned and processed with Lightroom/PS.
Peter

[Loris Medici]

Peter, can you please describe the non-digitally-reproducible (or impractical-to-reproduce) aspects of that specific "look" in form of a numbered list, letting us understand what exactly you are looking for? I just don't get it...

[Nitrofunk]

Peter, can you please describe the non-digitally-reproducible (or impractical-to-reproduce) aspects of that specific "look" in form of a numbered list, letting us understand what exactly you are looking for? I just don't get it...

Ok - I'll try.
1) Warm, slightly pastellish Skintones
2) Strong, vibrant, "candy-ish" but silkysmooth Colors
3) An overall warm Colorbalance

But it would be easier if you post some examples of scanned Film that (in your opinion) have this certain look. This would be a good starting point for further discussions.

[mrred]

Sorry - but it certainly isn't. I've tried to achieve this look for *years*, but it's just not the real thing. But I'm curious to see some of your examples that have this look and were scanned and processed with Lightroom/PS.
Peter

Before

After

Lightroom settings Clarity -86, vibrance -21, Saturation -33, Contrast -3. Serriously about 3 seconds.