It’s 2017, and more often than not, all you need in order to create magnificent photography is a collection of Vsco filters and a reasonably advanced cell phone. To those unfamiliar with the peculiar abbreviation, VSCO stands for Visual Supply Co, and boy does this Oakland-based company supply us! Frequently called the more artistic and curated sibling of Instagram, VSCO is quite obviously the new school of cool since it actually does turn even the most casual of pictures into legitimate visual masterpieces. Photo printing expert My-Picture dives into the eclectic plethora of VSCO filters to find out which effect combinations would be the best choice for your super tasteful and, perhaps, steamy Valentine photos!

Note: Some of these are available only via the VSCO app (meaning – requires an Apple iPhone or a sufficient Android-operating device), while others (VSCO film) are specifically designed for desktop photo editing software (such as Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop).

Your First VSCO Action: Kodak Ultra Max 400 +++

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VSCO film pack 05

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Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

Okay, the whole operation is not as easy as it may seem at first. Besides applying the above mentioned preset (referencing the famous 35 mm Kodak film), there are a couple of other features to take care of. After the appliance of the filter, you have to go down to the VSCO film toolkit and find DR: Highs Squash + (the “+” signs are there for a reason). Then, in order to acquire the deep, muted green one instantly associates with VSCO these days, you have to go to the VSCO film toolkit – Colour, pick Tone: Kodak 2 and add it to the Histogram section. Here you can do the final adjustments according to your tastes (set the preferred exposure and saturation in the split toning section).

Eerie and Beautiful: N-Fuji Velvia 100 Balance Cool

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VSCO film pack 04

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Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

Once again, the filter (N-Fuji Velvia 100 Balance Cool) is not all that is needed. To add to the cold yet intense aesthetic, you have to use the section called Presence (it’s on the right, under Histogram) and pull down the Vibrance and Saturation to -7 and -10 respectively. Then, scroll up to Temperature and Tint settings and set the former to 10 and the latter to -5. Go to the Split Toning section and set the balance to +70. What’s left is to go for the HSL/Color/B&W section and turn down the green to around -21. The result should look like a beautiful, albeit a bit eerie and atmospherically charged, analog photo.

Pretty, Warm and Indie: C – Kodak Gold 100 – –

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VSCO Film pack 04

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Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

This is a short and sweet one. After applying the C – Kodak Gold 100 – – filter, once again go down to the VSCO film toolkit – Colour and pick Tone: Creamy Highlights +, as well as scroll up to the VSCO film toolkit and pick Blacks +. Finally, add DR: Highs Squash + from the very same section. That’s it; your Valentine’s photography will look just like a warm spring day – invigorated and uplifting!

Faded Vintage Romantic: T1, T2, T3 and P Series

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VSCO app

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Apple iPhone / Android Device

Although the romantic vintage aesthetic can be acquired through numerous manipulations, the easiest way to acquire this ever so popular look is the appliance of the T1, T2 and T3 filters. Each of these work to provide an effect of faded colours. However, it must be noted that they work best when applied to images depicting still-life sceneries. For photos that involve people (your love interest, if you will), much more recommendable would be the use of the P series filters. These will effectively tint your photos, creating a very specific, washed-out instant photo look.

Moody & Elegant: HB2 (Hyper Beast)

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VSCO app

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Apple iPhone /Android Device

To emphasize moodiness and the somewhat pondering tone of your special romantic encounter, there’s a huge selection of VSCO filters on the shelf for you to use (in fact, VSCO probably is celebrated mostly for its capacity to provide this exact quality). HB2 will create a muted, bluish tonality, highlighting the shadows and silhouettes, while T1, J1, and M1 will create equally muted photos, yet while still maintaining prominent RGB levels.

Monochrome: B and X Series

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VSCO app

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Apple iPhone /Android Device

VSCO is, of course, also celebrated for its ability to provide black and white photography that still feels rich, holding a kind of a fine art quality one is used to seeing at modern photo galleries. The main difference between the numbers next to the letter is the amount of brightness and contrast. However, there’s one more specific difference, namely, while B provides you with a tasteful B&W image, the X series filters will infuse your photo with vintage aesthetics. Based on which number you pick (x1, x4, x6), the filters will create either a faded, sepia-toned or bluish accent.

Your Very Own Unique Filter

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VSCO app / VSCO film

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Apple iPhone / Android Device / Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

The best way to operate with the VSCO app is to view it as your experimental playground. The numerous available features allow you to create your own unique ambiance and turn even the most casual of photography into an inspiring Valentine’s photo love story. Our only suggestion – don’t go overboard. The best results are usually acquired by the appliance of a few stylistically-related filters instead of mishmashing together completely different aesthetic qualities. As always, your picture is in safe hands with us.

*images: unsplash.com; stocksnap.io

Der Beitrag Valentine Photos to Make Your Babe Go Wild! erschien zuerst auf My-Picture.co.uk blog.