a photoshop trick

Here is the original unedited pic I took with my camera. I took this on the Digital Cannon XTI using the aperture priority mode. Say “Hi!” to my friend, Lilli.

Here is a simple B&W version made quickly in Photoshop CS3. This is the kind of result we get when we use the Image/Adjustments/Desaturate option. This is also the kind of result I would get if I used my B&W preset on my camera. It looks ok, but it isn’t very dynamic.

This final B&W version yielded the best result. This one was edited in Photoshop CS3.

To get a color pic to look like this, open your color digital image in Photoshop and do the following:

1.  Create a hue saturation adjustment layer and switch it from Normal mode to Color mode.

2.  Create a 2nd hue saturation adjustment layer and move the saturation slider all the way down to zero.

3.  Go back to your 1st hue saturation adjustment layer (the one on Color Mode) and play with the hue slider until you get a result you like.  You should notice that when you move the slider that it works like a channel filter.

4.  Create a duplicate layer of the layer that holds your original image and move it up to the top of your layers palette.  Now we will sharpen this copied image, to do this go to your Filters–>Other–>High Pass.  Run the High Pass filter somewhere between 10-15 pixels.  If you do this right you get an ugly gray image.

5.  Now change this duplicate layer’s mode from Normal to Overlay.  Play with opacity and you should get a subtle sharpened layer on the top.  You may want to desaturate this layer too.  Do this by adding a 4th and final hue saturation adjustment layer.  Again move the saturation slider all the way down to zero.

6.  You should have a pretty dynamic and sharp B&W photo.  Go to File–>Save As change the file type to .jpg (or whatever format you prefer) and “Viola!” you have got a killer new B&W to upload on the web.

The moral of the story: Always save your pics using the raw setting on your DSLR. (and edit them after the fact!)
I will never ever take another picture using my cameras black and white settings. Giving a color pic this B&W treatment in Photoshop makes for a much better pic!