Film grain in digital photos

[Nh3]

Whats your opinion of those who add film grain through photoshop plug-ins and other software to their digital shots during post processing?

Especially in the case of B&W images.

Edit:

Normal conversion to B&W with photoshop cs3:

Converted to B&W using TRIX 400 pushed 1 stop plugin:

 

[JBee]

I am using DxO Film Pack as a plugin and am happy with it.
You can even turn a coloured picture into a B&W with the typical interpretation of colours from different films. You could also mix them. Meaning use the colour rendering from a TMAX 400 and the grain from Fuji Acros 100.
Jari

 

[varjag]

There is also a watercolor filter in photoshop to make your picture look like watercolor.

 

[sunsworth]

I use the Alien Skin Exposure 2 for all my b&w conversions - and most of my photographs from the M8 end up as b&w. I find it works very well, not just for the grain, but for b&w conversions in general even if you don't want to add grain.

 

[mhv]

Quixotic and pointless.

 

[Nh3]

Updated my original post with two pictures as an example.

The more I look at it the more it appears that this is a good idea.

 

[c.poulton]

Quixotic and pointless.

Exactly! If you want the look and feel of film, use the real thing, use film!

 

[tbarker13]

I think it's a fine idea. Do it all the time.
It is one many tools available to photographers who work with digital files. I also use curves, levels, layers, etc.

 

[JonasYip]

For my purposes it's neither silly nor pointless, as it's just another tool in the toolbox. For example, I was recently preparing a set of 80-some pictures for a book that's coming out in conjunction with an exhibit. The photos were taken over many years in various formats, from 645 transparency to 35mm print film to D1x to RD-1. For the purposes of this book it was best for the photos to have a consistent feel... so I played a lot with things like grain to get the appropriate look. That is, it wasn't about messing with an image just to mess with it, but rather to tune it to fit with a collection.

That said, I'm happy to mess with an image just to mess with it too.... à chacun son goût.

j

 

[jan normandale]

It's like Ted Turner's idea to "color-ize" classic BW movies. Bad idea.

 

[varjag]

What Fred says.

There are people now who understand aesthetic of digital and are not shy of it, see e.g. Peter Van Agtmael work.

 

[varjag]

Shoot digital, get the look of film.

Except you don't, or maybe you do if you convince yourself hard enough 🙂

 

[Pherdinand]

my pushed tri-x 400 doesn't look like that...only if i screw up the scanning.

 

[jan normandale]

my pushed tri-x 400 doesn't look like that...only if i screw up the scanning.

Pherdinand, you screw up your scanning? I never do. But I can't tell my good scans from my bad ones ;D

 

[Faintandfuzzy]

What plugin?

What plugin?

NH,

What did you use for the second Tri-X pushed conversion for Photoshop?

 

[M. Valdemar]

I like taking digital files and sometimes making them look like something else. It's just a "look" I like, nothing to do with digital or film purism or anything.

This is was taken in very low light in Camden Stables, London, with an R-D1:



I like this R-D1 "tube" shot but something similar has been done so many times it's a cliche:

 

[TheHub]

Whats your opinion of those who add film grain through photoshop plug-ins and other software to their digital shots during post processing?

😱 I hope I don't hurt your feelings, but I find it pathetic. Get a film camera and some B&W film. For the cost of PS one can buy a mountain of film and developing.

Nice photo, however (the top one.)

 

[Faintandfuzzy]

😱 I hope I don't hurt your feelings, but I find it pathetic. Get a film camera and some B&W film. For the cost of PS one can buy a mountain of film and developing.

Nice photo, however (the top one.)

What exactly is pathetic about creating a certain look that you like? Are we simply allowed to print a straight shot from the film or digital camera? Are we allowed to selectively blur the image, tone it, dodge, burn, or sharpen it? Why is it that if we choose to add a final look that involves adding noise that the image or the thought behind it becomes pathetic?

I prefer the look of the second image….but that’s just me. I don’t consider either to be pathetic.

 

[Nh3]

NH,

What did you use for the second Tri-X pushed conversion for Photoshop?

http://www.alienskin.com/exposure/

They have a demo version as well if you wish to try.


To those who're skeptical about this, I say give it a try and compare it with your film scans.

 

[sunsworth]

To those who're skeptical about thi...ying "you must do it this way". Then again...