Getting this type of look

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nightfly

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The photos in the new J Crew printed catalog/website:

http://www.jcrew.com/index.jsp

have a really nice look to them. Sort of warm and rich but soft and not too saturated. They look very film like to me (although they very well might be digital).

My question is what sort of film gives you this look? I would imagine some kind of color negative film shot wide open or close to it with an older lens?

Not trying to emulate it precisely but I do like the film like feeling it suggests. I don't have any digital capture devices so need to go with film and perhaps some photoshop post but I'd like to get mostly there with the film itself.

More pics:

June+J.Crew+cover.jpgl


Jcrew+pier.jpg
 
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Try a gel or UV filter smeared with Vaseline .. one can adjust that blurry-flarey effect by stopping the lens down, and maybe de-saturate a bit in CS

I suspect they used MF digi and did everything else in Photoshop
 
Kodak Portra NC or maybe Fuji Pro160s. Any low saturation neg film will do.

I don't get Sparrow's suggestion of Vaseline on a filter. I don't see anything blurry in these pics. I also wouldn't jump to the conclusion that they used digital. There are quite a few lifestyle photographers who still use film for these kinds of job.
 
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I think no film looks like those images... Parts of their soft feel are the blurred background, the colors used, and the low saturation. But as the (blue) water has a lot more yellow than usual, I think the colors were treated with photoshop, maybe with selective color... And shadows have a strong magenta shift... On both images there are only two clearly differentiated tonal families for unity and tonal contrast: blues and yellows. That's what makes them have that pleasant, simple, yet complete look...

Cheers,

Juan
 
Juan Valdenebro said:
I think no film looks like those images... Parts of their soft feel are the blurred background, the colors used, and the low saturation. But as the (blue) water has a lot more yellow than usual, I think the colors were treated with photoshop, maybe with selective color... And shadows have a strong magenta shift... On both images there are only two clearly differentiated tonal families for unity and tonal contrast: blues and yellows. That's what makes them have that pleasant, simple, yet complete look...

Cheers,

Juan
Click to expand...

There's definitely some pp involved here (as always) but I think a low saturation neg film would do as a starting point. More important, IMO, would be the use of medium format whether it's digital or film as this is required to achieve those smooth gradients.
 
Have a look at 'Alien Skin Exposure' (there is a free trial period). I have been messing with it and there are settings which look like this (and then further adjustment to get it to your taste).
 
Uncoated lens seems to be the key--the loss of contrast appears to be from flare. Looks like it is a little longer than normal. Also the lens seems to have some color--Thorium optics perhaps, but the yellow can be added later.

Looking at the shadow and highlight detail, I would say the exposure is close to normal. I would say it is not slide film with the contrast and the rendering in the shadows and highlights. Some of the loss of contrast can come from processing by bringing the white and black points in.
 
Yeah, was hoping to avoid that as it puts me in the age old dilemma of wanting to get a medium format camera that I would actually use (not too big and heavy) which brings me to a folder which brings me to them being old and fiddley. Going to have to try some old low contrast glass maybe and some Portra in my Leica and play with the exposure and shoot close to wide open to fake it.

Good suggestions so far.

What old Leica glass gets you this sort of look?

Jamie123 said:
More important, IMO, would be the use of medium format whether it's digital or film as this is required to achieve those smooth gradients.
Click to expand...
 
Everyone has their own personal taste. I personally can't stand that look.

The "look at these 1970 kodakromes I found in my parents attic!!" look has been done to death in recent years.

The only reason I say this is, I saw this look about 3-4 years ago at a wedding photography convention. Once one guy "did it" everyone else jumped on the bandwagon. It's not a style.. it's a trend.. and trends come and go :)

Cheers,
Dave
 
i sent j crew an email:

"
Hi Dan,

Thanks for reaching out - glad to hear you enjoyed the catalog. I'm
sorry to say we are unable to share the names of our photographers.

Please feel free to contact me if I can help with anything else.
"

no help there
 
A starting point could be Portra 160 NC and Nikkor 105 2.5 wide open, but especially the blue/skin tones simple tonal contrast. Looks like 35mm to me.

Cheers,

Juan
 
With digital I'd say reduce the saturation a bit but enhance the contrast. Then use split toning to give a yellow cast to the highlights and just a tiny bit magenta cast to the shadows.
 
+1 for Fuji 160s
I've gotten some similarly smooth and softish (airy) looks from this film shot at wide open .
What I think you are really seeing here is good front light and a background that is several stops higher than the subject yet still maintaining some detail. This one is from my rff gallery. Although a poor scan it is Fuji 160S and has a similar bright background. This film can be a bit bluish at times. This time I left it in for this silly snapshot.
Zeiss Sonnar 38mm from Contax T2
U29969I1265005026.SEQ.0.jpg
 
What type of uncoated or single coated Leica or Leica compatible glass would you guys suggest? I wouldn't be shooting up close, more like a general 35mm or 50mm (realize I'd loose the narrow depth of field, which is OK, more interested in tones/contrast/color). Would an old lens with separation or haze work? Could also do something that would fit on a Pentax MX as that's my other film body that is sitting unused and neglected.
 
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