Simple way to convert a negative image to a positive

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Jim Govett

• April 05, 2018 03:16
• Edited

If you have a scanned negative, and want to convert it to a positive, here's how...

1. Open your negative image
2. Add the "Texture Overlay" filter
3. Load a pure white image ("Load Texture...")
4. Increase the amount slider to +100
5. Change the blend mode (under the zoom slider in Luminar 2018) to "Difference"

Your image will now be a positive.  This can be saved as an "User Preset" for a one click solution for future negative images.

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  Julia Kot

  • April 05, 2018 12:02

  That's a very good tip, Jim!
  
  Thanks for posting it here :)  

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  Folco Banfi

  • April 07, 2018 06:53

  I think (I never use negatives, so I may be totally wrong...) you can obtain exactly the same result by:

  1. Open your negative image
  2. Add the "Curves" filter
  3. Set the black point to be the white point (i.e., move it from the bottom-left corner to the top-left corner), and the white point to be the black point (i.e., from the top-right point to the bottom-right point)

  This can also be saved as a preset, and has the added bonus that you can start tinkering with the curves to start adjusting your image, if you want to.

   

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  Fourfourianakis Stavros

  • April 21, 2019 19:31

  It would be really helpful if we had some Luminar Looks for that.... B&W and Color

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  Helena Carter

  • April 22, 2019 05:48

  Hi Fourfourianakis ,

  Thanks for your suggestion! I will pass it to the person in charge.

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  Everett Meadows

  • May 03, 2019 17:49

  Does this work equally for color and B&W? 

   

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  berry johnson

  • September 17, 2019 05:45

  Amazing Thank you @jim luminar is the one of the advanced photo editing tool since 2018.

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  Helena Carter

  • September 17, 2019 08:43

  @Everett,
  Yes, it does.

  Let us know if any assistance is needed!

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  Doug Knuth

  • January 11, 2020 21:38

  Can anyone interpret this to the Luminar 4 Version??  None of this seems to match anything I can find in Luminar 4.  

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  Roy Blackwell

  • January 12, 2020 00:54
  • Edited

  @Jim: Using Luminar 4, I used your all white texture method to 'develop' a vintage glass plate negative I found at an antique store.

  

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  Roy Blackwell

  • January 12, 2020 01:01

  @Folco: Using Luminar 4 (Essentials... Light... Advanced Settings), I used your "curves" method to develop this vintage glass plate negative:

  

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  Andy Eccles

  • November 26, 2020 23:45

  Thanks Roy. That worked perfectly. Just wish I’d scrolled down to the bottom of this thread earlier !!

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  john hinckley

  • December 26, 2020 19:26
  • Edited

  Luminar 4 Mac OS X 10.15 Macbook Pro Epson V600 flatbed

  While I understand the method described above, is there a way to automate this? I have 1-3K old negatives (of various sizes, color & B&W), having to do this for each one seems like it would eat up huge amounts of time.

  Would I be better off with a dedicated negative/slide scanner?

  Thanks so much!

  John Hinckley

  Burlington, VT

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