In this article, I’ll break down why the Dehancer plugin for Photoshop and Lightroom has become an essential part of my editing workflow, and why it might be the missing piece in yours. If you’re aiming to give your photos a punchier, more analog soul that makes them less predictable, Dehancer delivers. It’s a film emulation plugin that, after using for a while, I can say unlocked a dimension I didn’t even know I was missing.
What Is Dehancer?
Think of Dehancer as the analog lab your DSLR or mirrorless camera never had. Originally built for video color grading, it now brings over 60 authentic film stocks into the photography world, plus grain, halation, bloom, and additional print layers. The beauty of editing with Dehancer is that it’s highly customizable. You don’t just slap on a “Kodak Gold” look and call it a day. You sculpt it and push it into something new.
I use Dehancer as part of my actual editing workflow. I begin in Lightroom, applying my custom presets as the foundation. From there, I launch the Dehancer plugin. You can read my complete editing process here.
While Dehancer’s built-in presets are quite impressive, I prefer to make manual adjustments, paying special attention to the following elements:
- Black Point/White Point: Lets me surgically push contrast without wrecking the mood.
- Highlight Tone: Gives me that filmic softness I could never nail in Lightroom alone.
- Shadow Color: Perfect for tinting without going full teal-orange cliche.
Dehancer responds more like a physical process than a digital slider. It doesn’t fight your image; it reshapes it.
Why Photoshop and Lightroom Alone Weren’t Enough
I know Photoshop and Lightroom very well, and they are an integral part of my post-processing workflow. However, there’s a layer of tactile subtlety I simply can’t achieve with the native tools:
- Grain: The grain in Photoshop and Lightroom feels static, while Dehancer’s grain looks real and alive.
- Tone Curve: Adobe’s tone curve tools are powerful, but Dehancer’s color head gives me Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Density sliders traight out of a darkroom.
- Extra: No halation, and more importantly, no bloom. That’s what makes my edits truly pop in Dehancer.
The Dehancer Effects That Matter Most (To Me)
If you’re jumping in (CWSPROMO10 gives you 10% off your Dehancer purchase), don’t get lost in the sauce. These are my go-tos:
- Grain: Tweak size and resolution for realism.
- Halation: Subtlety is key, especially around backlit skin or shiny objects.
- Bloom: Dial it down unless you’re going for a dreamy 70s vibe.
- Total Impact slider: I usually fine-tune at 75-85% to balance power and finesse.
My Recommendation? Don’t Sleep On It
If you’re trying to bring mood into your imagery, I definitely recommend giving Dehancer a try. That said, once I send a photo through Dehancer, it rarely needs anything else. The image just hits harder.
- Dehancer Promo Code: Use code CWSPROMO10 for 10% off on your license.
Final Takeaways
I still use Lightroom and Photoshop. Dehancer isn’t about replacing your toolkit; it’s a plugin you can integrate to help you achieve more in your final edits. If you value greater control over highlights, contrast, and real grain, this plugin is definitely for you. In fact, Dehancer isn’t a filter but a finishing move.
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