How do I B&W a section of photo in Photoshop?

[james_tigerwoods]

I've finally got around to getting a working copy of Photoshop on my Macbook, so now I want to B&W a photo but leave the woman in the red coat as she is:



I've googled around and either I've not used the right terms or I'm an eejit as I can't find it - how do I go about doing it?

Annoyingly, I only have this in JPG and not RAW though

[nick_bbb]

Google for "Spot Colour"

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/92001/pho...

[SamHH]

The technique is usually called spot colour or selective desaturation. I won't bother giving a detailed explanation because I'm sure it's been done many times before, but very basically you need to use two layers, desaturate the top layer and use a layer mask to leave the woman showing through. Actually keeping one part in colour whilst desaturating the rest is trivial, it's the selecting the part you want to keep in colour that can be a faff. You might be able to do it by selecting a colour range or using the magic wand, but to be really precise you'll probably have to do it by hand. Paths might be useful for this.

[james_tigerwoods]

Thanks - I'll give this a go tonight

[andy-xr]

There's a filter for it in PSE7 if you're using that rather than the full blown version

(Edit - might be there in CS4 as well, havent checked)

If you're going to do it I'd go for the guy on the right reading the map, but personal preference and all that

Edited by andy-xr on Monday 6th April 12:15

[CivicMan]

Duplicate layer
Ctrl + U and saturation down to -98 (creates BW image)
Eraser tool (work on background layer), sized to about 8px
Work on whole figure to bring back colour.
Layers> flatten image.

Takes seconds ( or minutes for perfect finish!)

[Davi]

CivicMan said:

Duplicate layer
Ctrl + U and saturation down to -98 (creates BW image)
Eraser tool (work on background layer), sized to about 8px
Work on whole figure to bring back colour.
Layers> flatten image.

Takes seconds ( or minutes for perfect finish!)

really need to knock back the saturation on the foreground in that instance as well to prevent it being so visually jarring!

[james_tigerwoods]

CivicMan said:

Duplicate layer
Ctrl + U and saturation down to -98 (creates BW image)
Eraser tool (work on background layer), sized to about 8px
Work on whole figure to bring back colour.
Layers> flatten image.

Takes seconds ( or minutes for perfect finish!)

Nice - Thanks

I'll have a go myself tonight as I want to learn this and I might move on to other photos

If I get it right, I might bring the red up on this and give that a go - or would that look ridiculous?

[james_tigerwoods]

Davi said:

CivicMan said:

Duplicate layer
Ctrl + U and saturation down to -98 (creates BW image)
Eraser tool (work on background layer), sized to about 8px
Work on whole figure to bring back colour.
Layers> flatten image.

Takes seconds ( or minutes for perfect finish!)

really need to knock back the saturation on the foreground in that instance as well to prevent it being so visually jarring!

What do you mean by jarring? I'd not noticed any problems with the foreground (But I'm no photographer....)

[Davi]

james_tigerwoods said:

What do you mean by jarring? I'd not noticed any problems with the foreground (But I'm no photographer....)

The spot colour is over-powering the image and composition, you want it to work with it rather than against it. You are so drawn to the red in the foreground you don't really see any of the image surrounding it - it's just too harsh. Knocking back the colour a bit on it makes it a bit easier to view.

If that makes any sense whatsoever

[james_tigerwoods]

Davi said:

james_tigerwoods said:

What do you mean by jarring? I'd not noticed any problems with the foreground (But I'm no photographer....)

The spot colour is over-powering the image and composition, you want it to work with it rather than against it. You are so drawn to the red in the foreground you don't really see any of the image surrounding it - it's just too harsh. Knocking back the colour a bit on it makes it a bit easier to view.

If that makes any sense whatsoever

I think so....

I guess what I'll do is have a basic "stab" and see what results I get - the red in the quick edit above seems really bright and I think in the original it's pretty bright too - but I will have to work with the photo and see what results I get.

Tired eyes aren't helping me either today

[Yellabelly]

I think it would best be done by using three layers, with the second layer used for hue and saturation adjustment to tone down the rather strident red. Then desaturate the top layer as previously suggested and erase the image through to the toned down second layer then flatten image.
HTH

YB

[jasmine]

You could do as CivicMan says and play about with the levels on the coloured layer until you get the desired result - i.e. less jarring.

[Davi]

jasmine said:

spot on Jasmine ('scuse the pun...) that is exactly the end result I was referring to.

[jasmine]

Davi said:

jasmine said:

spot on Jasmine ('scuse the pun...) that is exactly the end result I was referring to.

james_tigerwoods said:

If I get it right, I might bring the red up on this and give that a go - or would that look ridiculous?

Well, the red in that picture isn't really distinctive enough for it to really stand out, you need to play around with the various filters.

For instance - a quick and dirty play with the OP's picture, adding blurs and sharp edges:

or for yours a play about with the colour balances for both the b/w layer and the colour layer

[DIW35]

Using a mask rather than the eraser to reveal the colour is more image friendly, as it is non destructive. The eraser actually removes pixels from an image whereas a mask just hides them.

[Davi]

DIW35 said:

Using a mask rather than the eraser to reveal the colour is more image friendly, as it is non destructive. The eraser actually removes pixels from an image whereas a mask just hides them.

It's more user friendly as well, saves a lot of frustration when you realise you could really do with a bit you'd deleted elsewhere could count the amount of times I've used the eraser on one hand!

[jasmine]

History brush

Besides, you can always keep a duplicate.

Maybe it is better to use masks, I'm ambivalent. In instances like the OP is talking about, erasing is a great way to get results quickly and without the frustration that masking can sometimes lead to.

[Davi]

jasmine said:

History brush

Besides, you can always keep a duplicate.

Maybe it is better to use masks, I'm ambivalent. In instances like the OP is talking about, erasing is a great way to get results quickly and without the frustration that masking can sometimes lead to.

can't say I've ever found a frustration with masks? Suppose it's down to who / how you were taught at the end of the day! History brush wasn't around when I started using PS so not one I've bothered with much (mind you neither was 90% of PS's functionality )

[james_tigerwoods]

Thanks guys - much food for thought here - I like the Tube photo above, not sure about the berry, it's not so much red as "RED!" - but I do like the greens that go with it.

I guess I've got much to learn...