When I started working in Photoshop, I used most of the filter tools as they were presented. But, I'm trying to create my own style, and the one area I felt I could punch up was my use of the Sepia filter.
Generally, after I edit a photograph, I make a duplicate for sepia, and a duplicate in black and white. See the images below, one in color, and one in standard sepia, with the levels slightly enhanced.
My new take on sepia is simply to retain the brown undertones, but not quite saturate my image in them. Rather, I apply the sepia filter and adjust the saturation levels of the filter itself. Each image is adjusted according to how much color undertones I want to show. I feel like it gives the same vintage effect, but adds more visual interest to the image.
By the way, this photo was one of the 'rejected' images taken on a recent trip to San Francisco. I recommend you keep your photography folders clean and organized, but save a few discarded images for practicing!
