In a past tutorial we looked at how to make colors pop in Photoshop. Although that can be a very useful technique there will also be times when you want to use faded colors rather than making them pop. Here we’ll go through the process of creating an awesome faded effect that will look great with a lot of photos.
The effect we’ll create in this tutorial is the same as the one created with our Classic Blue action from our set of 18 Faded Photoshop Actions. If you’d like to use this effect on your own photos you can follow the steps shown here, or use the action if you want to save a little time.
Here is the sample photo that we’ll be using for this tutorial:
And here is a sneak peak at the end result:
The first step is to add a curves adjustment layer and apply an RGB curve like the one shown below. This basically gives it a matte effect.
The next step is to add a levels adjustment layer and set the shadow output setting to 20, as shown below. This will add a haze-like effect that lightens the shadows of the photo.
Next, add a solid color adjustment layer and fill it with #0b0d35, a shade of dark blue. The set the blend mode to exclusion and the opacity to 70%, which will give the photo a nice blue-ish look.
And here is the end result:
Follow the steps in this tutorial to use the effect with your own photos, or simply use our Faded Photoshop Actions.