A better bw conversion in photoshop (for Liz and others)...

[Asylum Steve]

Liz,

I didn't forget about my promise to help you with photoshop conversion to bw. It's just that there are quite a few ways to do this, and I wanted to sift through them to try to figure out which one might be best to start you off with.

As you and many others have discovered, the two most obvious ways to convert a basic RGB image to b&w in photoshop, IMAGE>MODE>GRAYSCALE and IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS>DESATURATE, while quick and easy, produce relatively poor results.

This is another method that I've been using for a while, and after viewing one of the video lessons of the Epson Online Print Academy, I've picked up a couple of extra steps from pro photographer Greg Gorman.

Start with a COPY file of your image with what looks like basically correct tonality, IOW proper white, mid, and black points (levels or curves can correct this).

Choose IMAGE>MODE>LAB COLOR Don't worry about the flatten option just yet.

In the CHANNELS palette, click on the LIGHTNESS channel.

Choose IMAGE>MODE>GRAYSCALE (Discard other channels OK).

CONTROL CLICK on the GRAY CHANNEL in the CHANNELS palette. This loads LUMINOSITY as a selection. Choose SELECT>INVERSE, then IMAGE>MODE>RGB COLOR.

In the LAYERS palette (at the bottom), click on the CREATE NEW ADJUSTMENT LAYER icon. From the menu choose SOLID COLOR.

In the COLOR SWATCHES palette, click the eyedropper tool on a NEUTRAL GRAY. The choice is not crucial, just eyeball a middle gray. Click OK on the COLOR PICKER window.

Your image is now a fairly flat gray, but that will soon change...

Change the LAYER MODE (top of LAYERS palette) to MULTIPLY. This is now your basic bw image. If the contrast is not as you like it, click on the CREATE NEW ADJUSTMENT LAYER icon again, and choose LEVELS. Move your midpoint slider until the image looks the best. Click OK...

This should be your final image, which you can now copy and flatten, but if you think a touch of color will make more of an impact, double click on the small color icon in the COLOR FILL layer (should be the second one from the top). This brings up the COLOR PICKER, and you can choose any color to tint your image. Click OK, then adjust the OPACITY of that COLOR FILL layer using the top right slider to get it exactly as you want.

I know this method may seem complicated on the surface, but if you copy down all the steps and go through them methodically, it really doesn't take long to do. Any questions about any of this, please let me know...

[Trevor Ash]

Cool I can't wait to try it when I get home. Thanks Steve.

In your studies, did you happen to use any method that makes use of the Channel Mixer feature? That's the method I always use and it gives me full control over what color information I want to use for the back and white version.

I'll try the method you posted and report back. Thanks again for the post!

[Liz]

I thought you probably got busy (know that feeling lately). And because I've been busy without a secretary lately, I actually forgot!

BTW, can this be done in PSElements2? I'll try it soon. Actually I printed it out so I'd have it when I need it .

Thanks
Liz

Liz,

I didn't forget about my promise to help you with photoshop conversion to bw. It's just that there are quite a few ways to do this, and I wanted to sift through them to try to figure out which one might be best to start you off with.

As you and many others have discovered, the two most obvious ways to convert a basic RGB image to b&w in photoshop, IMAGE>MODE>GRAYSCALE and IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS>DESATURATE, while quick and easy, produce relatively poor results.

This is another method that I've been using for a while, and after viewing one of the video lessons of the Epson Online Print Academy, I've picked up a couple of extra steps from pro photographer Greg Gorman.

Start with a COPY file of your image with what looks like basically correct tonality, IOW proper white, mid, and black points (levels or curves can correct this).

Choose IMAGE>MODE>LAB COLOR Don't worry about the flatten option just yet.

In the CHANNELS palette, click on the LIGHTNESS channel.

Choose IMAGE>MODE>GRAYSCALE (Discard other channels OK).

CONTROL CLICK on the GRAY CHANNEL in the CHANNELS palette. This loads LUMINOSITY as a selection. Choose SELECT>INVERSE, then IMAGE>MODE>RGB COLOR.

In the LAYERS palette (at the bottom), click on the CREATE NEW ADJUSTMENT LAYER icon. From the menu choose SOLID COLOR.

In the COLOR SWATCHES palette, click the eyedropper tool on a NEUTRAL GRAY. The choice is not crucial, just eyeball a middle gray. Click OK on the COLOR PICKER window.

Your image is now a fairly flat gray, but that will soon change...

Change the LAYER MODE (top of LAYERS palette) to MULTIPLY. This is now your basic bw image. If the contrast is not as you like it, click on the CREATE NEW ADJUSTMENT LAYER icon again, and choose LEVELS. Move your midpoint slider until the image looks the best. Click OK...

This should be your final image, which you can now copy and flatten, but if you think a touch of color will make more of an impact, double click on the small color icon in the COLOR FILL layer (should be the second one from the top). This brings up the COLOR PICKER, and you can choose any color to tint your image. Click OK, then adjust the OPACITY of that COLOR FILL layer using the top right slider to get it exactly as you want.

I know this method may seem complicated on the surface, but if you copy down all the steps and go through them methodically, it really doesn't take long to do. Any questions about any of this, please let me know...

[Asylum Steve]

BTW, can this be done in PSElements2?

Not being familiar with that version, I can't really say. If you can create ADJUSTMENT LAYERS, then it should be no problem.

If not, there are ways around that, but I'd have to rethink the steps. Let me know what happens when you try it...

[Asylum Steve]

did you happen to use any method that makes use of the Channel Mixer feature?

Yeah, that's another method I wanted to talk about. Just didn't have time today...

[Asylum Steve]

Well, Liz, in hindsight I probably should have explained this method to you first. As Trevor mentioned, the Channel Mixer method is a very good way to create a custom bw image from RGB color, and in a lot of ways it is much simpler to do than the LAB method. Just a bit of brain freeze today, I guess...

Open a COPY image (notice I keep emphasizing that because you never want to edit your original image file). If your version of ps supports ADJUSTMENT LAYERS, click on the AL icon. Choose CHANNEL MIXER. Or, if not, you can simply create a DUPLICATE LAYER of the bg and choose IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS>CHANNEL MIXER.

Check the MONOCHROME box in the CHANNEL MIXER window. This will change the image to a bw. Adjust the three channel sliders, and you can easily view the results on the screen. Click and unclick the PREVIEW check box to compare. Simply click OK when your pic looks the way you like.

One great thing about this method is that you can come up with some really interesting variations, grayscale tonalities you may have never envisioned looking at your original color image. CHANNEL MIXER is a place where "happy accidents" happen all the time...

[another view]

I just tried this the other day. I have Scott Kelby's book and he recommends the LAB way to do this as well, but only goes about half way thru your instructions - up to the "Image>mode>greyscale" part. At that point, you can change the luminosity of the Lightness channel, and then flatten layers.

That worked pretty well - much more adjustment than just converting to greyscale. I'll have to try this one too.

[Liz]

for taking the time, and for the effort it took to do this. I really appreciate this. i'm hoping I'll have a chance to try it soon.

Liz

Well, Liz, in hindsight I probably should have explained this method to you first. As Trevor mentioned, the Channel Mixer method is a very good way to create a custom bw image from RGB color, and in a lot of ways it is much simpler to do than the LAB method. Just a bit of brain freeze today, I guess...

Open a COPY image (notice I keep emphasizing that because you never want to edit your original image file). If your version of ps supports ADJUSTMENT LAYERS, click on the AL icon. Choose CHANNEL MIXER. Or, if not, you can simply create a DUPLICATE LAYER of the bg and choose IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS>CHANNEL MIXER.

Check the MONOCHROME box in the CHANNEL MIXER window. This will change the image to a bw. Adjust the three channel sliders, and you can easily view the results on the screen. Click and unclick the PREVIEW check box to compare. Simply click OK when your pic looks the way you like.

One great thing about this method is that you can come up with some really interesting variations, grayscale tonalities you may have never envisioned looking at your original color image. CHANNEL MIXER is a place where "happy accidents" happen all the time...

[Sebastian]

I would like to nominate this thread for stickiness. I think it is a common question, and the methods presented here are sound. Slap it up there for the world to see.

[John USA]

wow, there are a lot of ways to convert an image into greyscale.
I sometimes use the channel mixer as described here as well but find it sometimes hard to pick the right combination of R,G & B percentages. Therefor I use another method that is quick and gives good results:

Layer->New Adjustment Layer->Gradient Map
Change the layer mode from Normal to Saturation; Select OK
A gradient map window is now up; in the color picker select black/white,
You'll now have a black to white gradient in the gradient map window. hit OK
You're done ;)