Damien Symonds

Ok. DEFINITELY don't do any editing until you've got the prints, and made sure your calibration is ok.

I desperately need to know if you have a set of pro lab prints there, to verify the calibration result.

PLEASE answer the question. When you calibrated, did you follow my exact instructions?

Is the answer "no"?

Hi @Adventurechic, can we talk about your calibration first? Are you following my directions here?

I've never found a way, sorry. If you find one, can you let me know?

No, you have to ignore that 120 nonsense. I don't know why they persist with that! I'm so sorry I don't have instructions for the 4 Elite. Have you tried following my instructions for the 5 Elite? They'll be in the ballpark.

Are you certain of that? Where are you looking? The reason I ask is this: https://www.damiensymonds.net/icc-profiles

Yes, and make sure they DON'T do colour correction on them.

Yes. You think the prints came back dark, but actually the prints came back correct. Short of a lab cock-up, which is rare, prints are ALWAYS correct. The disparity is because your screen was too bright.

Zero is fine. It's not common, but it's not unheard-of either. Does zero give you a print match?

https://www.damiensymonds.net/what2buy_cal.html

Online and other monitors are meaningless. ONLY the print match matters. Do you still have them?

Right. So you're not calibrated at all. Calibrate again.

That kind of stuff is minor details. I just wanted to reiterate that the heart of this look is the aggressive midtone darkening layer, with the "Blend if" sliders being used to take it off the bright end.

That's ok, just bring in the white slider on the RGB channel on that final levels layer I just gave you.

Next step?

Just by taking readings from the sample photo you posted.

Good. Finally, to get the right colour tinge, add this Levels layer on top: R 0/0.98/255 and 17/244 G 0/1.00/255 and 14/242 B 0/1.02/255 and 9/244

No, this is what I said: You must do your skin smoothing on the colour version.

No, the smoothing must happen BELOW all adjustment layers. NEVER allow a pixel layer above adjustment layers.

What the heck??????? Show me a screenshot of your layers panel.

As you can see, I moved mine to 118. But play around and see what you like.

Thank you. Now, select the Levels layer, and go to Layer>Layer Style>Blending Options. Are you familiar with the "Blend if" sliders? I need you to Alt-click on this white slider and drag it in to about halfway: (You probably already know this, but using Alt breaks that little slider in half, allowing only one section to move).

Because you're a Premium Member, of course!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!