BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: Studio Techniques Using Digital Cameras

Photography Question 

Teri F. Inman
 

How to Color B&W Photos


Hello, I was wanting to know what software you could recommend for altering digital photos. I have 3 small children and am having fun playing with my pictures. I really love the looks of b&w photos with something in the photo that is colored like say a pink umbrella or blue eyes and everything else b&w. Could you give me some direction?

Thanks
Teri mom of 3


To love this question, log in above
0
September 02, 2003

 

Lewis Kemper
  Teri,

Almost all digital imaging programs will allow you to do this. Each program has a different way, depending on it's features. Programs such as Adobe Photoshop Elements and JASC PaintShopPro are tow fairly inexpensive programs that will allow this.


To love this comment, log in above
0
September 02, 2003

 

Teri F. Inman
  HI Lewis, Thanks for the response. So you are saying that maybe the soft ware that came with my digital camera might have this feature?It is a photo editing component but I couldn`t seem to find any special filters or tools that will change color in b&w. Will look closer at it. Thanks for the help.


To love this comment, log in above
0
September 02, 2003

 

Leo Enriquez
  Adobe Photoshop is the mother of all softwares for photos!...

Yes I have seen that modality of "painting" your B&W in Adobe elemnts; I think is around $ 70.00 usd!...

Now that if you want the mother of all softwares get Adobe Photoshop 7, at the moderate price of around $700.00 usd.


To love this comment, log in above
0
September 02, 2003

 

Lewis Kemper
  Teri if your images started out as B&W the 2 best ways to color them is first to convert them to RGB if they are grayscale.

Then depending on software either set the blend mode of the brush to color, select your color and paint or create a Hue/saturation adjustment layer. Click the colorize button. Adjust the Hue/Sat to create a color you want. Fill the layer with Black and paint with white where you want to apply the color.

If you start with color images and want to give the selected handcolor look. You first create an adjustment layer to remove the color. I suggest Channel Mixer or if not supported Hue/Saturation. Remove the color and then paint with black while the adjustment layer is active to put the color back in.

Both these techniques work with Adobe Photoshop® or JASC Paintshop Pro.


To love this comment, log in above
0
September 03, 2003

 

Teri F. Inman
  Thankyou Leo and Lewis. You make it sound so easy Lewis, guess I will need some time to play around with my software.....I`m my little world I was picturing a button you could just click to change the color of things lol lol.

Leo, thanks for the info on the software but 600is a little steep for me.

Thanks to you both *smile*


To love this comment, log in above
0
September 04, 2003

 

Lewis Kemper
  As far as price of PS7. If you have any relative enrolled in college have them buy you the software. It is half price and even though it says Educational Version, it is the same!


To love this comment, log in above
0
September 05, 2003

 

Jennifer S. Becker
  I thought Photoshop was a bit steeply priced myself. My dad had me try Microsoft picture-it which came with my computer so didn't cost me anything extra. With picture-it it is very easy to convert color to black and white and colorize b&w. If you have Microsoft Works, check to see if you also have Picture-It.


To love this comment, log in above
0
September 05, 2003

 
Log in to respond or ask your own question.