How to Create a Vintage Photo Effect in a Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky Style
![](https://thephotographicangle.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/image-53.png)
What You’ll Be Creating
This week is dedicated to Russian culture, so I would like to introduce you to the artworks of the famous Russian photographer Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky. He made a large number of color photographs of the early 20th century using his three-image method of photography.
Tutorial Assets
The following assets were used during the production of this tutorial:
- Vintage Overlay Textures
- Photo
- Cat Linz Font
1. How to Prepare the Document
Step 1
Use Control-N to create a new document and use the following settings: 3000 x 2000 px; 300 dpi.
![Creating new document](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2001.jpg)
Step 2
Go to File > Place and put your image inside the document.
![Placing the image](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2002.jpg)
Step 3
Resize your image to the borders of the document and hit Enter.
![Resizing the image](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2003-min.jpg)
Step 4
Click M to activate the Rectangular Marquee Tool and select the whole canvas of the document.
![Selecting the document](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2004-min.jpg)
Step 5
Go to Image > Crop to delete the parts of the photo outside the canvas.
![Cropping the image](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2005-min.jpg)
Step 6
After that, Right-Click on the layer and then Convert to Smart Object.
![Converting image to smart object](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2006-min.jpg)
2. How to Create a Vintage Photo Effect
Step 1
Select the smart object, go to Filter > Noise > Median, and use the following settings: Radius: 2 px.
![Adding filter to the image](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=740/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2007-min.jpg)
Step 2
Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise and use the following settings: Amount: 7%; Distribution: Uniform; Monochromatic: On.
![Adding the noise filter](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=740/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2008-min.jpg)
Step 3
Double-Click on the icon near the layer to open the smart object.
![Opening the smart object](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2009-min.jpg)
Step 4
Create three duplicates of your smart object using Right Click > Duplicate.
![Creating the duplicates of the layer](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2010-min.jpg)
Step 5
Double-Click on the first duplicate of the layer and Uncheck the Green and Blue channels in the Layer Style panel.
![Unchecking the green and blue channel](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2011-min.jpg)
Step 6
After that, Double-Click on the second duplicate and Uncheck the Red and Blue channels.
![Unchecking the red and blue channel](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2012-min.jpg)
Step 7
And finally, Uncheck the Red and Green channels on the last layer.
![Unchecking the red and green channel](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2013-min.jpg)
Step 8
Create a new empty layer using Shift-Control-N and put it above the first duplicate.
![Creating a new layer](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2014-min.jpg)
Step 9
Create two more empty layers and arrange them as shown in the picture below.
![Creating empty layers](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2015-min.jpg)
Step 10
Select the first copy of the main image and Layer 1 while holding Shift, and then hit Merge Layers.
![Merging layers](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2016-min.jpg)
Step 11
Merge the other copies of the main image with the empty layers, as we did before.
![Merging the copies of the main image with empty layers](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2017-min.jpg)
Step 12
Select the main image and then use the Shift-Control-Alt-B key combination to convert the image to black and white.
![Creating the black and white effect](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2018-min.jpg)
Step 13
Select Layer 1 and click M. Then select the whole red image with the Rectangular Marquee Tool and press Control-C to copy the layer.
![Copying of the red channel](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2019-min.jpg)
Step 14
Select the main image and go to Channels panel,and then select the Red channel.
![Opening the red channel](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2020-min.jpg)
Step 15
Press Control-V to paste Layer 1 to the red channel of the main image.
![Changing the red channel of the main image by red copy of the image](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2021-min.jpg)
Step 16
Now we need to paste Layer 2 to the Green channel and Layer 3 to the Blue channel of the main image, as we did before.
![Pasting layers to color channels](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2022-min.jpg)
This is how our image will look after all the manipulations listed above:
![How image should looks like](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Image%20in%20Progress-min.jpg)
Step 17
Select copies of the main image while holding Shift, and then hit the Delete icon.
![Deleting the layers](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2023-min.jpg)
Step 18
Now let’s add color correction to improve the colors of the image. Select the layer, go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast, and use the following settings: Brightness: 125; Contrast: -50.
![Changing brightnesscontrast](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2024-min%202.jpg)
Step 19
Go to Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation and use the following settings: Hue: -25.
![Changing the hue of the image](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2025-min.jpg)
Step 20
Afterwards, go to Image > Adjustments > Channel Mixer and use the following settings: Output Channel: Green; Green: +75%; Blues: -25%.
![Creating color adjusments](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2026-min.jpg)
Step 21
Go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast and use the following settings: Brightness: 35; Contrast: -15.
![Changing the brightness and contrast of the image](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2027-min.jpg)
Step 22
To create a more realistic vintage look, we could move the color channels a bit. Go to the Channels panel and select the Red channel.
![Selecting the red channel](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2028-min.jpg)
Step 23
Click M and select the whole image.
![Selecting the color channel](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2029-min.jpg)
Step 24
Now click V and move the channel 1 px to the left.
![Moving the color channel](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2030-min.jpg)
Step 25
After that, select the Green channel and move it to 1 px to the right, as we did before.
![Moving the color channel](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2031-min.jpg)
3. How to Create a Postcard Photo Effect
Step 1
Close and Save the smart object.
![Saving the smart object](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2032-min.jpg)
Step 2
Press Alt-Control-C and use the following settings:
![Changing the canvas size](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2033-min.jpg)
Step 3
Resize the smart object (Control-T) to 90% Width and 90% Height.
![Changing the size of the smart object](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2034-min.jpg)
Step 4
Move the smart object 175 px to the left while holding Shift.
![Moving the smart object](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2035-min.jpg)
Step 5
Click T and create two text layers with any text you want to use.
![Creating the text layer](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2036-min.jpg)
Step 6
Press Control-T while holding Shift to rotate each text layer –90°.
![Rotating text layers](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2037-min.jpg)
Step 7
Move the text layers to the right side of the canvas.
![Moving the text layers](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2038-min.jpg)
Step 8
Select the text layers while holding Shift and then Right Click > Convert to Smart Object.
![Converting the text layers into the smart object](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2041-min.jpg)
Step 9
To create a more realistic vintage text effect, we need to smudge our text layers. Select the smart object, go to Filter > Noise > Median, and use the following settings: Radius: 2 px.
![](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=740/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2042-min.jpg)
Step 10
Now we can add the textures to our document. Go to File > Place and place two vintage textures above all the layers.
![Placing the textures](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2043.jpg)
Step 11
Change the Blending Mode of the vintage paper texture to Multiply.
![Changing the blending mode of the texture](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2044.jpg)
Step 12
Change the Blending Mode of the scratches texture to Screen.
![Changing the blending mode of the texture](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Step%2045-min.jpg)
Awesome Work, You’re Now Done!
In this way, we can use Adobe Photoshop to create a vintage postcard in the style of the artworks of Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky using smart objects, color correction, and vintage textures.
![Final result](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1381/posts/31908/image/Final%20Result%20Final-min.jpg)
![](https://thephotographicangle.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/image-54.png)
![](https://thephotographicangle.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/image-52.png)