Photoshop Friday 2007 #9 - Videos. :)

This week’s technique is super quick and simple: Black and white conversion.

I know I’ve covered this in a past PSF, but I’m officially retiring the Gradient Map method of black and white conversion that I covered a few months back. PSE 5 has adjustment layers, and I feel like this is the way to go for speed, ease, and control.

Now keep in mind that there are at least a dozen different ways to convert a photo to black and white in Photoshop. And we’re not just talking about Image > Mode > Grayscale, but a true, controllable conversion.

One thing surprised me this week. I posted the poll (down a couple posts - if you haven’t voted, please do) asking about the Photoshop version you use, and I was very surprised to see that the numbers for CS/CS2/CS3 are almost the same as those for Elements. Totally not what I expected to see. I know that a few hundred isn’t necessarily a scientific sampling, but it shows me that I need to be better about posting clear instructions for the full versions of Photoshop.

So to start that off, I’ve created two very quick videos that will guide you through the one-minute process of getting a really nice, basic black and white conversion. Elements users, you’ll be using Levels. CS/CS2/CS3 users, you’ll be using both Levels and Curves.

Black and White Conversion for PSE

If you use PSE, click here (or click the screen shot below - vid will open in a new window).

Black and White  Conversion for CS/CS2

If you use CS/CS2/CS3, click here (or click the screen shot - vid will open in a new window). (And probably if you use 7, you should click here too. :)

 

Why do I say “basic” in the tutorial?

Even though adjustment layers are an awesome and sophisticated step in Photoshop, the end result is that by making adjustments to the entire image at once, we get  a lot of control over our image, but not total control. Most of the black and white conversion tutorials I read online involve mixing together the color channels that you can see in 7/CS/CS2/CS3, or creating layer masks over multiple blended layers to get a truly perfect b/w conversion. Sound time consuming? It is. We just aren’t going to go there. Not when we can get 80% of the way with 1 minute of effort. :)

However, if you’re interested in some more detailed b/w conversion steps, and you use CS/CS2/CS3 (this method uses channels, which aren’t available in PSE), check out this PDF on black and white conversion from Adobe. Very informative and interesting. :)  

Why adjustment layers?

The quick answer to this is non-destructive editing. Meaning that you can add layers on top of your photo to produce the same effect that changing your photo itself has. The main benefit here is that because you haven’t made any changes to your photo, you can go back and re-do previous steps (such as making changes to your  Levels adjustment) without having to undo and lose other changes.

I hope you enjoy these. I’ll get a layout put together with a black and white photo as well. Because I’m all about layouts. :D

Have a wonderful, phabulous, photoshop phriday. :)  I can’t wait to see your beautiful black + whites. :)

Comments

[gabby]

you are my favorite.
xoxoox,
g

[Heather]

Hi Jessica- I just wanted to say thanks for all of these great tutorials and tips. You are so nice to do these! -Heather Taylor

[Dedra]

This is awesome Jessica,,,TY, TY, Thank you!

[Leslie]

Your tutorials are so helpful. Thank you so much.

[digigal]

Great video, thank you :)

[jenny]

Thanks! I learn something from every one of your tutorials. I appreciate the time and effort you put into this!!

[Kaye]

That was so informative and clear. Thanks so much for helping those of us without any background in photoshop to understand things that will help our finished project.

[nikki]

Thank you for this clear tut. And your son stays adorable, in b&w too!

[Brooke in Oregon]

Thanks so much! I see I have some
phun photoshop'
time coming up this weekend!

[Nora]

Once again thank you! I've always wondered how people made their b/w pics "pop", mines always looks run down and muddied if you know what I mean! This really helps. I used to try the brightness and contrast to help define the colors a bit more, but this levels thing is great! Thank you! You Rock!!!!!

[Cathy Pascual]

thanks so much for the video for CS2 - I just got mine recently and am still learning everyday!
here's my conversion.....

http://twopeasinabucket.kaboose.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=1101200

any advice on tweaking would be great!

thanks!

p.s. and your ref in the last post? was it said by baldric in blackadder? I cheated - I goodled it, but there you have it ;)

[Nora]

Hey Jessica,
Know your really busy, but had to ask...I just did that tutorial on the b/w with the adjustment layers and loved it. Question though...I'm not able to apply color tinting once I convert the pic to b/w using this method. I use the gradient map method to turn it b/w then use the brush to do the tinting. I tried first with the method you just taught and nothing happened when I applied the brush to do the tint. Then I tried it with the gradient map method and used the levels slider, and when I apply the brush it comes out in grays. Hmmm.... Not knowledgeable enough about this program to figure out how to get around this or to make it happen. Just thought I'd ask, being that I enjoy changing to b/w and then doing color tinting to just certain spots. Thanks for your time. PS loved the pic of your son, bed head and all, he's a cutie!

[Emily Higbee]

Jessica, I loved the video! Totally clear and easy to follow. I love photoshop Friday! Thanks!

[scrapcat (Catherine)]

http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/gallery/details.ihtml?idx=39469

is my black and white conversion! I am really starting to look forward to fridays for your tutorials and challenges. Thanks! I know how time consuming those tutorials are...
Can we do one EVERY DAY???????????? ;o))))))))

[Summer]

Great step by step video Jessica - I will try it today.

[Christine Ousley]

Great tutorial. Thanks so much. That picture is awesome!

[Linda]

I haven't even looked at the tutorial yet...just scrolled down to find that picture!
THAT picture!
Oh. My. Goodness.
That picture is ADORABLE!!!!
Can't wait to see that one scrapped!
Toooooooo cute, Jessica!

[Gail]

Wonderful tutorial - thank you!

[Carol]

What a wonderful picture of your adorable son!! And thanks so much for the vid!!!

P.S. My 16 year old would kill me if he knew I was saying this...when he was 5 years old all he wanted for Christmas was an Easy Bake
Oven. And yes, he got one!!

[Holly]

WOW. Thank you so much for that amazing tutorial. I absolutely loved the step by step video. Thanks again!

[Sharitas]

Thankyou for the bw video. Very clear & easy to understand.
I am a CS user, so really appreciate that we now have our own tuts :)

XX Sharon

[Cathy Pascual]

here's another b/w conversion...and i made a digi page out of it:
http://twopeasinabucket.kaboose.com/album_display.asp?album_id=30536

best,
cathy

[chall]

Jessica- Thank you, yet again. You may be the reason I am staying up all night playing with PSE, but you are also the reason I am getting such awesome photos and layouts!! Thank you doesn't seem like enough.

[Andrea Senn]

Thankyou so much for your tutorial. I had just learned this in a book but this was so much clearer and easier to understand.

[Kristen]

Oh thank you, thank you, and thank you again. You will never know how much my photos and layouts are improving week by week. So much so, that my hubby has agreed to upgrade my camera (can you say Nikon anyone?)! Thank you.

[leslie]

Awesome tutorial -- thanks so much!

[Aubrey]

I think I was meant to meet you. You know I've wanted to learn photoshop and here you are with clear step by step tutorials.

I'm excited to try this. I know I can handle it. Although I may have to watch the video a few times. You're a gem!

[Abie]

Thank you so much! Your explanation on how to improve photos using layers and curves is so easy to understand.

[Debbie Hodge]

thanks!

[wendy]

http://www.designerdigitals.com/ddgallery/showphoto.php?photo=23587&nocache=1

thanks for the tutorial! LOVED it!!!