Filters and Effects

I've been experimenting around with different effects that give a Watchmen look. I didn't really get anywhere for a while and eventually came up with a look that I liked and wasn't too hard to get to, I logged all the adjustments I had done to keep track of what was changed. I started with the basics of what I could pick out from the shots of Watchmen.

The shot is quite moody and sad. This is made by the contrast being very high, the saturation being quite low, and a photo filter which in this shot is a light brown. Although the background in this shot is probably a image laid over a blue screen, which would give the director an infinite choice of the mood of the shot in post production. The choice made was to have the shot reflecting the character, and made it a very depressing and bland shot. The focus is also drawn to a badge the character is holding, this is done by selecting a colour that isn't affecting by the filter. In other shots there is no focus and everything in the shot is drab. 

I tried reaching the same effects by applying what I thought would achieve the same effects. I started out with one tester image of what I was trying to get to:

I applied a full contrast, took away half the saturation of the image, sharpened the edges three times and an overall sharpen effect. Then I chose a filter to apply to all of the image, which I chose as a very dark blue with a density of about 30%.

I think that this effect worked well, although there was a bit too much noise created by the sharpening effects, also because the shot was outdoors looking into a dark area with an overexposed area to the left of it, the over exposed portion was blurred and wiped away by the high contrast.

This is the original photo, I did attempt to changed the over-exposed part but it only ended with one area being too exposed or the entire image losing it's contrast and detail.

I also experimented with layers that pronounced the edges more clearly, this worked but again it created noise on the edges.

Here are some more shots that I used a perfected the shot overall shot effect:

   Above: Edited. Below: Original

   Above: Edited. Below: Original

When I get the chance I will set up some sort of shot that will be similar to one that I plan to get in the final coursework I will apply the effects and tweak them to suit the shot.