How to get colors like these?

[bbailey]

Ok, I've been trying to learn how to process images to achieve a certain type of color.

What I'm trying to achieve is something like the images on these pages:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wvs/63382661/
and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/frankko/81786435/

I've tried all I know in photoshop, but can't seem to get close. Anyone have some tips for me? Sites with tutorials?

[Silvernic]

Wow, those are definitely interesting.

[dminton]

Lower the saturation. It's just like playing with the color on the TV.

[Stephen]

David is correct, in PS go to Image, Adjustments, Hue Saturation and decease saturation by about 50%.

[bbailey]

Ok, I've tried something similar to that but haven't been satisfied with the results. I guess I was probably doing to much or to little. I was trying to make it more complicated than it probably is.

[Chris Anderson]

use the color range tool to make your selection, then desaturate!
C

[Detonate]

Looks like the Urban Acid filter evil4blue posted many moons ago.

[Gordon]

There is some cross processing/ desaturation going on.

You can mix things around in the channel mixer.



If you want some actions to use as a starting point or as something to copy the techniques from here's some pointers to cross processing techniques

[adam7731]

use the selective color and sat on adjustment layers after you balance the colors and get the right exposure. you cant do anything with out a correct exposure.