5 Ways to Get a Wes Anderson Effect in Lightroom
Wes Anderson's films are known for their distinctive visual style, characterised by vivid colours, high contrast, and a sense of symmetry and order. If you're a fan of his work and want to recreate this look in your own photos, Lightroom can be a powerful tool to help you achieve it. In this article, we'll go over five tips for using Lightroom to create a Wes Anderson-style look in your photos.
Before we go on, this is not my first article on Wes Anderson. You can learn more about Wes Anderson’s visual style and ways you can achieve this in camera by clicking the link.
Start with a high-contrast image
Starting with a high-contrast image is an important step in achieving a Wes Anderson-style look because his films and photos are known for their bold and dramatic visuals. By increasing the contrast, you can make the dark areas of your photo darker and the light areas lighter, creating a more dynamic and eye-catching image.
In Lightroom, you can adjust the contrast by using the Light panel in the Edit module. Simply drag the Contrast slider to the right to increase the contrast in your image. Be careful not to overdo it, though, as too much contrast can make your image look unnatural or overly processed.
Another way to increase contrast in Lightroom is to use the Tone Curve panel. Here, you can adjust the contrast of specific tonal ranges in your photo, such as shadows or highlights. For example, to increase the contrast of the shadows in your image, click on the bottom-left corner of the tone curve and drag it downwards. To increase the contrast of the highlights, click on the top-right corner and drag it upwards. We will discuss Tone Curve later on in this article.
Keep in mind that starting with a high-contrast image doesn't mean you have to sacrifice detail or accuracy. You can still maintain a natural-looking image while increasing the contrast by being mindful of your adjustments and making subtle tweaks as needed.
Adjust the white balance
Adjusting the white balance is another crucial step in achieving a Wes Anderson-style look in Lightroom. In Wes Anderson's films and photos, warm colour temperatures are often used to create a nostalgic or whimsical atmosphere. By adjusting the white balance in Lightroom, you can create a similar effect in your own photos.
To adjust the white balance in Lightroom, go to the Color panel (my Lightroom has the US spelling of colour) in the Edit module and find the Temperature and Tint sliders. The Temperature slider controls the overall warmth or coolness of your image, while the Tint slider adjusts the balance between green and magenta tones.
To create a warm, Wes Anderson-style look, try dragging the Temperature slider towards the yellow/orange end of the spectrum. You can also adjust the Tint slider slightly towards magenta to add a subtle pinkish tint to your image. Keep in mind that the exact settings you use will depend on the specific photo you're working with and the look you're going for, so don't be afraid to experiment.
One thing to keep in mind when adjusting white balance is that you want to avoid making your image look too unnatural. A slight adjustment towards warmer tones can add a nostalgic or vintage feel to your photo, but going too far can make your image look overly yellow or orange. As with all adjustments in Lightroom, it's important to make subtle changes and use your own judgment to find the right balance for each photo.
Increase clarity
Increasing clarity is another important step in achieving a Wes Anderson-style look in Lightroom. Clarity is a setting that enhances the contrast and detail in the midtones of your image, making it look more defined and textured. In Wes Anderson's films and photos, this can create a distinct, almost painterly look.
To increase clarity in Lightroom, go to the Effects panel in the Edit module and find the Clarity slider. Dragging the slider to the right will increase the contrast in the midtones of your image and make it look more defined. Be careful not to overdo it, though, as too much clarity can make your image look overly sharp or gritty.
One way to fine-tune the clarity setting is to use the Adjustment Brush or Radial Filter tools in Lightroom. These tools allow you to apply adjustments to specific areas of your image, such as the subject's face or a particular object in the scene. By using the brush or filter to apply additional clarity to these areas, you can create a more pronounced effect without affecting the rest of the image. To add specific brushes, you can create masks using the Masking module.
Keep in mind that the amount of clarity you use will depend on the specific photo you're working with and the look you're going for. While increasing clarity can add a distinct look to your photos, it's important to use your own judgment and avoid overdoing it.
Adjust the tone curve
Adjusting the tone curve is another important step in achieving a Wes Anderson-style look in Lightroom. The tone curve is a powerful tool that allows you to adjust the brightness and contrast of specific tonal ranges in your image, such as the shadows, midtones, and highlights.
To adjust the tone curve in Lightroom, go to the Tone Curve panel in the Edit module. Here, you'll see a graph that represents the brightness values in your image. The bottom of the graph represents the shadows, the middle represents the midtones, and the top represents the highlights.
To create a Wes Anderson-style look, you can use the tone curve to create a "flat" or "low-contrast" look by dragging the shadows and highlights towards the middle of the graph. This will create a more even distribution of brightness values in your image, which can give it a distinct look.
Another technique you can use with the tone curve is to create an "S" curve, which increases the contrast in the midtones while keeping the shadows and highlights relatively flat. This can create a more dramatic and stylised look, which is often seen in Wes Anderson's films and photos.
It's important to note that the exact settings you use will depend on the specific photo you're working with and the look you're going for. Be sure to experiment with the tone curve and use your own judgment to find the right balance for each photo. Additionally, if you're not comfortable using the tone curve, you can achieve a similar effect by adjusting the contrast and brightness settings in the Light panel. We covered this earlier in the article.
Adjust the HSL sliders in the Color Mixer
Adjusting the HSL (Hue, Saturation, and Luminance) sliders is another crucial step in achieving a Wes Anderson-style look in Lightroom. The HSL sliders allow you to adjust the specific colours in your image, including their hue, saturation, and luminance.
To adjust the HSL sliders in Lightroom, go to the Color Mixer panel (US spelling again in Lightroom) in the Edit module. Here, you'll see three tabs for Hue, Saturation, and Luminance.
To create a Wes Anderson-style look, you can adjust the HSL sliders to create a specific colour palette. Wes Anderson is known for using pastel colours and muted tones in his films and photos, so you can use the HSL sliders to create a similar effect.
Start by adjusting the Hue slider for each colour. This will change the actual colour of the object in your photo. For example, you can shift the hue of the green foliage in your photo towards a more yellow or teal colour.
Next, adjust the Saturation slider to control the intensity of each colour. You can reduce the saturation of certain colours to create a more muted, pastel effect. Alternatively, you can increase the saturation of certain colours to create a more vibrant, punchy effect.
Finally, adjust the Luminance slider to control the brightness of each colour. This can be useful for creating a more even, consistent look across your photo.
As with all adjustments in Lightroom, it's important to use your own judgment and experiment with the settings to find the right balance for each photo. The exact settings you use will depend on the specific photo you're working with and the look you're going for.
Other things to consider...
You can try adding a vignette: Wes Anderson's photos often have a distinctive vignette effect around the edges. To achieve this look in Lightroom, go to the Effects panel and increase the amount of the Vignetting slider.
Adding film grain: Finally, to give your photo a more vintage, film-like quality, try adding a bit of grain in the Effects panel. You can adjust the amount and size of the grain to your liking.
Wes Anderson effect in Lightroom - conclusion
By following these tips, you can use Lightroom to create a distinct and recognisable look in your photos, inspired by the visual style of Wes Anderson's films. Remember, though, that these are just guidelines, and the exact settings you use will depend on the specific photo you're working with and the look you're going for. With some experimentation and practice, you'll be able to develop your own unique style, inspired by the work of one of the most visually inventive filmmakers working today.