DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register) 
 

DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> black&white with some color
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 13 of 13, (reverse)
AuthorThread
 10/17/2007 10:10:58 AM · #1
i have a pic i took of my wife and daughter, wife wants it converted to b&w with the flower in the pic still in color, anyone know how i can do this?
 10/17/2007 10:12:34 AM · #2
Select the flower with the magic wand or something similar then make it into a separate layer, the desaturate the original :D
 10/17/2007 10:28:40 AM · #3
I've gotten a kick out of using this method lately:

PhotoShop CS3 has a new Black and White adjustement layer that I just love. It has controls for adjusting various hues. I like to adjust those controls until I get just the right tonalities for the B&W image that I want.

Then, I paint with black (on the adjustment layer mask) the areas that I want to bring back into color.

Off topic, but ... another use of the B&W layer that I've played with lately is this: create the B&W layer and save it. Change the layer blend mode to Luminosity. Then go back to the B&W layer and adjust the various hues.
 10/18/2007 09:14:08 AM · #4
Originally posted by JayA:
Select the flower with the magic wand or something similar then make it into a separate layer, the desaturate the original :D


This is how I do it. Just use the freehand drawing tool and draw around the outline of the flower and desaturate the rest of the photo.
 10/18/2007 09:36:52 AM · #5
If you mean something like this.

[thumb]600636[/thumb]

I created two layers, one is desaturated. From the top layer, simply erased by eraser, so that the color things on bottom layer were visible.
 10/18/2007 10:56:18 AM · #6
Originally posted by zxaar:
I created two layers, one is desaturated. From the top layer, simply erased by eraser, so that the color things on bottom layer were visible.

I do this kind of the same way. And should note to use a hard edged eraser while zoomed in a lot.

1. duplicate backgroung layer
2. use gradient map to change top layer to black and white
3. adjust contrast/brightness to taste
4. erase portions of top layer to reveal color layer underneath.

If the color of the flowers is too bright. I dull them with a fairly simple process (vary similar to the one above).

1. duplicate backgroung layer
2. use gradient map to change top layer to black and white
3. adjust contrast/brightness to taste
4. duplicate b/w layer so it is now top and middle layers
5. turn off top layer
6. on middle layer, set opacity to taste (start ~50% and work from there)
7. turn top layer back on
8. erase portions of top layer to reveal semi-color layer underneath.

I have a b/w of a baby girl with a pink bow in her hair. Pink was too bright without a partial desaturation. I will post examples at home tonight.

-drew
 10/18/2007 06:19:39 PM · #7
Originally posted by drewbixcube:
Originally posted by zxaar:
I created two layers, one is desaturated. From the top layer, simply erased by eraser, so that the color things on bottom layer were visible.

I do this kind of the same way.
-drew


yes this is the easiest way I guess.
 10/18/2007 06:25:37 PM · #8
Two layers with a layer mask is easier than using the eraser tool, in that you can paint with white to correct mistakes that you made.

I can't tell you the last time I used the eraser for anything. Too destructive and unforgiving.
 10/18/2007 06:31:16 PM · #9
I agree with Leroy ... I'd much rather operate on layer masks than on layer data. It's a lot easier to change your mind.

However.. I do have a use for the eraser tool from time to time. :-)

I generally do my Healing and Cloning tasks on a separate "empty" layer above the background layer. That way I can turn my healing and cloning changes on and off by just showing or hiding that one layer.

Well... sometimes I decide I don't like how I healed something. So I just erase it. Since it's on a separate layer, I'm not losing the background data at all. I'm merely deleting my changes. Now ... I *could* use a layer mask to HIDE the changes I made. But in this case, they are small changes that I can easily redo anyway.

Sorry for being off topic. ;-)

Message edited by author 2007-10-18 18:31:30.
 10/18/2007 06:36:41 PM · #10
OK, yeah, for that. :-)

And I did kinda fib... I use it for signatures on websized images instead of changing my paint brush, I use a custom brush on the eraser tool.
 10/19/2007 12:33:32 AM · #11
I like the eraser because you get instant feedback. I guess I have become a surgeon with that thing. Start in the middle, making big swaths, then move the edges...if you screw up "Ctrl z"

-drew
 10/19/2007 12:51:02 AM · #12
Originally posted by drewbixcube:
I like the eraser because you get instant feedback. I guess I have become a surgeon with that thing. Start in the middle, making big swaths, then move the edges...if you screw up "Ctrl z"

-drew


Ctrl-Z lets you see "one stroke back". The history lets you see up to about "20 strokes" back. Layer masks let you see an entire editing session (on that layer) back ... tomorrow, the next day, whenever you like. It's completely undo-able. Any time.

Once you get hooked on layers ... it's hard to do it any other way. :-)

10/19/2007 08:33:12 AM · #13
Originally posted by dwterry:
Once you get hooked on layers ... it's hard to do it any other way. :-)


Agreed :)
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 08/27/2025 03:53:04 PM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 08/27/2025 03:53:04 PM EDT.