How to create LOMO photography effect

Ever since I first saw LOMO's photo, I've always wanted to be able to shoot this effect myself. However, for a long time, I didn't know how they took this photo. Until one day, through the internet, I knew I needed a LOMO LC-A camera. This is a unique camera made in Russia. According to Japanese camera standards, this is a defective fake camera. However, with the passage of time, since the 1990s, there has been a wave of LOMO, which has not yet subsided.

Then I bought two of these things. I love them, but I also have a digital SLR camera-Canon 20D. After shooting with LOMO camera, I hope that the photos taken with 20D can produce this LOMO effect.

I kept looking for and trying different Photoshop methods, and finally formed my own skills. In a word, there must be many other ways to achieve this effect, but I use this method very well.

First, make dark corners.

The first thing to do is to add dark corners to the photos, which is one of the most famous features of LOMO style. I use the lasso tool to achieve this effect. When drawing a circle with a lasso, you don't have to draw it perfectly, and you don't have to mind hard edges. Finally, set 80-90px feathering on the edge effect.

After drawing a circle and setting feathering, the selection must be reversed. There are two ways: 1. Use the shortcut key shift+ctrl+I; 2. Menu selection-reverse.

Now you can create dark corners. I added a hierarchy adjustment layer. Note: At this point, the selection is still reversed.

This will add a masking layer. Then I move the middle arrow on the color code to the right. Doing so will darken the edges of the selection, resulting in dark corners. It depends on yourself. In this example, I changed the arrow from 1.0 to 0.5.

Now the dark corner is finished.

Second, create LOMO effect.

Another key of LOMO effect is color contrast and saturation. This effect of LOMO camera is due to the use of color reversal film, but the film is developed with C4 1 medicine, that is, the positive film is negative.

Give some explanations to those who don't know what negative film is. C4 1 is usually used for standard 35mm film, and E6 is used for color reversal film. If C4 1 is used to develop the reversal film, it will produce very interesting results.

LOMO photography is a typical example of using C4 1 drug to develop reverse tablets. The result of this is that the color will be supersaturated, which will produce quite strange effects. This is the uniqueness of LOMO.

In order to get the LOMO effect of digital photos, we need to simulate the negative impact effect of this positive film.

Usually I use the shortcut key Shift+Ctrl+E to merge the layers first, or use the menu layer-flatten the visible layers.

First, I added a curve adjustment layer and set a standard S curve.

Create a new layer and put it on top. Then use the paint bucket tool, select black and fill this new layer.

Then change the blending mode of the black layer to hue and set the opacity to 40%.

Third, sharpen and save.

Now we are very close to the final result. I use Shift+Ctrl+E to flatten the layer again.

You need to sharpen the picture before saving it in JPEG format. I use USM sharpening and laboratory mode/brightness channel sharpening technology. The purpose of this step is to increase the contrast of the picture and darken some areas. Although you can use any sharpening technique, the following methods can avoid color separation caused by sharpening.

Select Image-Mode-Lab. If asked whether to flatten the layer, select Yes.

Then select the brightness channel in the channel panel.

Then choose Filter-Sharpen -USM Sharpen from the menu.

I like sharpness, so I set the quantity to 50%, the radius to 50% and the threshold to 0. Click OK. These parameters are entirely up to you. In addition, you should also look at the specific pictures, and you need to judge the results yourself.

Select Image-Mode -RGB from the menu. You don't need to reselect another channel in the Channels panel. After converting to RGB mode, all channels will be converted automatically.

Now that all the work is finished, save the file and share it with you.

Finally, save it in JPEG format.