We have all seen various ways to convert colour images to B&W and there are nearly as many methods as there are photographers. We all have our favourite method and arguments abound as to their various merits - wars have been fought over less.

Well I have just been shown yet another method and it has impressed me so I would like to share it with you in case you also find it usefull.

1. Take one colour image and open it in photoshop.

2. Create an adjustment layer - hue saturation.

3. Create a second hue saturation adjustment layer.

4. The topmost hue saturation adjustment layer should be set to completely desaturated - this gives the B&W effect.

5. The middle layer or bottom hue saturation adjustment layer - set the blend mode to color. (I hate that American spelling)

Now on this middle layer you can slide the hue slider left and right to alter the greytones of the image until you acheive the desired effect. Try it, the difference has to be seen to be believed.

This method offers much more control compared to the simple desaturate method and is one I shall deffinatly be using in future for some of my iamges.

Give it a go and let me know what you think.

Please note these have to be adjustment layers not just dupliacte images that are adjusted for hue saturation. I am not sure if you can create adjustment layers in photoshop elements.

thumbup

One shot near to where Max lives



Same shot desaturated only



Now with a second hue saturation layer and played with the hue slide giving a slightly different result



It does depend a lot on the colours in the original image, but it does give you a much better graduation in greyscale tones.

Tom, I tried this in Elements 2, and although you can create both layers, I could not find thr color command. However, in the second layer, if you use the brightness slider you can also get a much better control on your image.

THANKS

David thumbup

Sorry ,Tom, Found the color command and it works well, so does the other way so two options for the price of one.

Anybody else looking for the color setting thing, its in the drop down menu at the top of the layers pallet, just next to Opacity, the default setting is normal, there is a big long list of settings and Color is near to the bottom.

Thanks Tom I have been looking for it for 2 hrs and now i know were it is lol and it works thanks.
What would we do without your help still be in the dark.
Thanks again.
J.R

Hi

A nice quick and visual (ie you can see the results immediately on screen), is to use the Channel Mixer in Photoshop. It allows individual colour or grayscale to be adjusted.

1) Go: Image/Adjustments/Channel Mixer

2) Make sure Monochrome is checked at the bottom of the Pallette

3) Adobe say you should always make the colour values (Red, Green and Blue) add up to 100%, so you could have 100% Red, 50% Green and (minus) -50% Blue. In reality, it's the individual who's in control so set to whatever percentage values you want for the look you desire.

4) Use the Constant to determine 'exposure', ie how light or dark you wish the image to be.