Lonnit, your comment about the grain needing to be only affecting the dark areas of the image and how to do it, made me try something: assuming a flat (as in just one layer, the background layer) monotone image, here's what I did:
1. Duplicate layer. (Cmd J)
2. Select all and copy. (Cmd A, Cmd C)
3. Add layer mask to new layer by clicking on the layer mask icon at the bottom of the layers palette.
4. Alt-click on the layer mask. This will make only the mask show.
5. Select all and paste, then invert. (Cmd A, Cmd V, Cmd I)
6. Depending on the image at hand, apply some curves to the layer mask, maybe darkening the shadows (highlights in non-inverted image). (Cmd M)
7. Click on the layer icon of the new layer to get out of the mask.
8. Add noise, gaussian or uniform, whatever you prefer. Overdo it a little.
9. Finally adjust the opacity of the new layer to fine-tune the grain-effect.
Seems a long process, but really it isn't. The keyboard shortcuts are for the Mac. On a PC, I think all you have to do is replace Cmd with Ctrl, but I am not sure (never used Photoshop on a PC). Give it a try and see what you think.
--
Olaf.dk
Great capture. There are people that would say I would like to be built like that (8.5 straight years of non-stop breastfeeding!) LOL! Now, I love the shot, but I really (did I say really?) do NOT like the post-shot grain. It's a personal pet peeve of mine. I'm having a hard time figuring out a way to do grain that is natural looking - more grain in the darks, less in the lights. This overall willy-nilly-random stuff doesn't cut it for me. Hits me like a plastic wig! LOL! But it's a great shot! ~ Lonnit
