Post-production: the bleach bypass

[PAQUITO]

This is a trick that can sometimes throw interesting results in your renders. The effect is having a cinema look by boosting the contrast/exposure and desaturating.
Instead of tweak the values involved, just follow this steps:

1. Duplicate the image layer.
2. Desaturate the duplicated one.
3. Put the desaturated layer on top.
4. Switch its blending mode to overlay.

You can adjust the strength of the effect by tweaking the levels of the desaturated layer or just with the opacity control. Here is the result in a random image:

[PAQUITO]

The bleach bypass in a interior (most proper to show )

[tonycho]

thanks for the tips Paquito

[cornel]

nice.

Here's my alternate method, that works without the overlay blending mode
and therefore offers more control of the bleach bypass's strength.

1. Duplicate the image layer.
2. Desaturate the duplicated one. (shortcut: shift + ctrl + u)
3. Apply contrast to duplicated layer.
4. Put the original layer on top.
5. Switch its blending mode to color.

[gabrielefx]

Nik filters and you can play with more features.

[PAQUITO]

I like a lot RealCamera, you should try it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw2WlCsDY-c

[acc24ex]

this looks interesting - anyone checked if it could work with octane

[PAQUITO]

Realcamera works with the final image, not with the 3D software, so it works regardless what youre using. I use it very often and its super simple to use, gives great photo filtering in a breeze and... Its free!

[PAQUITO]

Oh sorry, that was the colimo plugin, not realcamera. I used to experiment with that plugin in modo. Personally i dont find it very practical, the render passes were skipped in the video, but it have to make a separate render for each thing you want to tweak later (that is, if you want 3 materials and 2 lights, you must wait your render time multiplied by 5) Thats the man reason why i find this tool very interesting, but not really productive.

As far as i know, only major packages are supported. I will be very surprised if octane gets a colimo plugin.

[Daniel]

Thanks for all these tips! Very useful. Especially since I've been looking into how I can enhance my renders to the next level in post.