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Blackness and white photography is as pop equally e'er, and, with digital software similar Adobe Photoshop, it's never been easier to convert your digital images.

In this article nosotros'll run through some of the about pop black and white conversion methods, outlining the pros and cons of each. Instructions are provided for Photoshop CS and, if the technique'southward available, Photoshop Elements. The techniques we cover:

1. Convert to Greyscale (Subversive)
2. Hue/Saturation Tool (Not-destructive)
3. Lab Color Method (Destructive)
4. Gradient Map (Non-subversive)
5. Channel Mixer (Non-destructive)
6. Twin Hue/Saturation Method (Not-destructive)
7. Black and White Adjustment Layer Method (Non-destructive)
8. Camera Raw adjustment layer (Smart Objects, non-destructive)
9. Look-Upwardly Tables (non-destructive)

In case y'all don't want to read through every technique, we recommend the terminal two techniques for nigh people: using the Photographic camera Raw filter and LUTs.

Black and White Actions

If you're looking for some great Photoshop Actions to practise the work for yous, then there'south enough of choice over at Envato Elements where you can download unlimited resources for a monthly subscription.

You could start with this fix of 31 Professional Blackness & White Photoshop Deportment which gives y'all a broad range of options for creating dissimilar black and white furnishings depending on the wait yous're going for.

31 Professional person Black & White Photoshop Actions, from Envato Elements

How to Convert a Colour Photograph to Black and White in Photoshop

Converting to black and white digitally has a number of advantages. Past starting with a colour photo and converting it to black and white in Photoshop, you lot have complete control over the conversion.

For the best possible conversion, outset by shooting in RAW. Then, in your RAW conversion software, output the photograph as a 16-bit Tiff file. 16-chip files have a lot more information to work with than eight-bit files, which makes for a better conversion with smoother tonal graduations.

Nigh digital SLRs (and some compacts) have a blackness and white mode. The camera is making the conversion for you, and the results are ordinarily poor, giving apartment, washed out photos. It's usually best to avert this mode, and utilise the post-obit techniques instead.

Black and White Conversions

Photoshop and Photoshop Elements offer both destructive and not-destructive black and white conversion techniques. Destructive methods are ones that can't be re-adapted afterwards. Once you've made the conversion, the but way to modify information technology is to disengage the conversion and start again.

Non-destructive methods use Photoshop'due south adjustment layers. The changes that you make to your photo are stored in a layer, and the original photograph remains unchanged underneath. And then, when yous're done, you flatten the image and it'due south as this stage that Photoshop makes all the changes to the photo permanent. You tin can edit the conversion at whatever time before flattening the image by clicking on the Adjustment Layer icon.

Not-destructive photo editing is always improve than subversive photo editing!

a non destructive aligning layer

1. Convert to Greyscale (Destructive)

The simplest blackness and white conversion method, converting to grayscale discards all the color information in the photo.

1. Image > Fashion > Grayscale
2. Click 'Discard'

The method is the aforementioned for both Photoshop and Elements.

• Pros: Quick and easy.
• Cons: Y'all take no control over the conversion.

2. Use the Hue/Saturation Tool (Not-destructive)

This method gives exactly the same result as converting to greyscale and adding a blackness and white adjustment layer. The reward is that information technology'southward available as an adjustment layer, and can be used as part of a non-destructive editing process.

Photoshop CS and Photoshop Elements:

1. Layer > New Aligning Layer > Hue/Saturation
2. Click 'OK'
3. Move the Saturation slider all the mode to the left (-100) and press 'OK'

• Pros: Quick and easy and and can be applied as an adjustment layer in both Photoshopand Elements.
• Cons: You take no command over the conversion.

Reduce the Saturation to 0

iii. Lab Colour Method (Subversive)

This technique converts your photo from RGB color way manner to Lab color way. Lab mode records the effulgence and colour values separately, meaning in Lab you can discard the colour data to go out a black and white image. Information technology's non available in Photoshop Elements.

1. Image > Mode > Lab Color
2. Get to the Channels window if it's already open (if non get to Window > Channel) and select the Lightness channel
3. Prototype > Fashion > Grayscale
4. Click 'OK'

• Pros: Gives a black and white conversion that is, theoretically, more mathematically accurate. Whether it'south a pleasing conversion depends on the picture.
• Cons: Subversive editing procedure that doesn't give you much control.

iv. Gradient Map (Non-destructive)

The Slope Map tool maps a black and white slope to the brightness values of your photo. Nighttime areas become black or dark grey and highlights white or light grey.

1. Press 'D' to reset the foreground and background colours to black and white.
2. Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map
3. Click 'OK'

Slope Map technique

• Pros: Quick and easy non-subversive black and white conversion
• Cons: No control over the conversion

v. Aqueduct Mixer (Non-destructive)

The Channel Mixer is the offset black and white conversion tool listed hither that truly begins to utilise the full potential of the information contained in the colour photo.

Colour photos have 3 color channels; cerise, green and blue. These primary colours combine to make the millions of colours in your photograph. The Channel Mixer conversion method lets you adjust the ratios between the red, geen and blue channels.

Lightening the value of a channel with the aqueduct mixer lightens colours shut to information technology on the colour wheel and darkens the colours that are opposite information technology. Increase the value of the cerise aqueduct, for instance, and y'all'll make the red tones in your photo lighter and the blue ones darker. This has the issue of lightening skin tones and darkening blue skies.

Channel Mixer is the digital equivalent of black and white photographers using colour filters. Setting the brightness of the red channel to 100% gives the same effect as using a red filter on the lens with blackness and white flick. It's not available in Photoshop Elements.

Photoshop CS:

1. Layer > New Aligning Layer > Channel Mixer
2. Tick the Monochrome box.
3. Move the Red, Green and Blue sliders to the left and correct to lighten and darken different tones in the photograph. The total of the three sliders should be 100% at all times.
4. Click 'OK' when you're done.

Channel Mixer method

• Pros: Gives yous a high degree of control over the black and white conversion.
• Cons: Not as flexible as the next 2 techniques. Not bachelor in Photoshop Elements.

6. Twin Hue/Saturation Method (Not-subversive)

This technique uses 2 Hue/SaturationAdjustment Layers. The top layer is a directly monochrome conversion. The bottom layer changes the colours of the original photograph, which in plow changes the tones in the black and white conversion. It gives you a fine degree of control.

Photoshop CS and Photoshop Elements:

1. Layer > New Aligning Layer > Hue/Saturation and click 'OK'
2. Move the Saturation slider all the manner to the left (-100) and click 'OK'
3. Actuate the background by clicking on information technology
4. Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation and click 'OK'
5. Click 'OK'
6. Change the blending mode of the lesser Hue/Saturation layer to 'Colour'
7. Double click the lesser Hue/Saturation layer's icon
8. Movement the Hue slider left or right and watch the tones alter! You can also experiment with the Saturation and Lightness sliders.
9. Click 'OK' when you're washed.

Twin hue/saturation method

• Pros: Extremely fine degree of control over the monochrome conversion.
• Cons: None, simply less command than another methods.

7. Black and White Adjustment Layer Method (Not-destructive)

Available in Photoshop CS3 onward, the Black and White Aligning Layer gives y'all all the control of the aqueduct mixer and twin hue/saturation techniques via six colour sliders. But the well-nigh exciting characteristic is its Targeted Adjustment Tool. With this tool y'all can adjust tones in your photo to make them lighter or darker. It's an intuitive and a precise conversion technique.

1. Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Black and White
2. Click 'OK'. The Black and White toolbox appears.
3. Move the vi colour sliders right or left to burnish or darken the respective tones in the photograph. Y'all can besides choose from from the presets in the drop downwardly menu at the summit.
4. Click 'OK' when you're washed.

• Pros: The almost flexible black and white conversion method available.
• Cons: Only available in Photoshop CS3 upwardly.

Learn more about Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.

8. Apply a Camera Raw Adjustment Layer (Non-subversive)

Adobe Camera Raw has several ways to convert to black and white, and you might already exist comfortable with them. Why not utilise the aforementioned tools in Photoshop, too? Here'southward how:

1. Select the layer (or layers) to which you lot desire to apply the filter. Correct-click on the layer name and cull Convert to Smart Object from the context menu.
2. This conversion will turn your layer into a Smart Object and permit you to readjust the filter settings afterwards.
3. Click on the Filter menu again and choose Camera Raw Filter. This activity will bring upwardly the Camera Raw interface.

9. Apply A Expect-Up Tabular array (Non-destructive)

Here's a twist on the Camera Raw method that uses presets, or Look-Upwards Tables, to make the procedure quick and instantly repeatable.

1. Install the LUTs every bit nosotros cover in our tutorial, if you don't accept any, bank check out the selection below
2. Your profiles should exist visible under Browse Profiles
3. Hover over each thumbnail to see a preview, select 1
4. Use the slider to adjust the strength of the issue
5. Your other sliders are still at 0. Make other edits based on your chosen colour profile, including further changes to the colours in the Colour Mixer.

5 Cool Blackness and White LUTs From Envato Elements

The in a higher place techniques piece of work well to convert your photos to black and white. If you lot want a quicker way to get these results, so check out these black and white LUTs from Envato Elements:

1. 50 Nostalgia Black and White LUTs Pack

If you similar a classic await, try out this parcel. It features 50 unique black and white LUTs with a nostalgic mode. This cinematic LUT pack can help you transform your photos in a thing of clicks.

2. 50 Blackness and White Wedding LUTs Pack

Are you lot editing photos from your big day? Then endeavor out this black and white LUT download. It was created with weddings in mind. Use information technology to add a affect of elegance to shots of the happy couple.

3. 50 Black and White Mystery LUTs Pack

For a scrap of mystery, try out this cool black and white LUTs pack. The effect is easy to utilise and works for both Mac and Windows devices.

iv. 20 Black&White LUTs (Look Up Tables)

This bundle of twenty LUTs takes a unique approach to color correction. It applies the black and white event, but too comes with options that let a piddling color to seep through. Effort it out to see what you lot tin can create.

5. 10 Black and White Lightroom Presets

We circular out our listing with these ten Lightroom presets. The results of the colour correction make your photos look like they were shot in black and white originally.

Speaking of presets, you tin can find twoscore awesome free Lightroom downloads to make blackness and white photos here:

Conclusion

Information technology's worth taking the fourth dimension to experiment with these dissimilar methods when deciding how to arroyo blackness and white conversion. Some may piece of work amend for you than others, only always remember to keep an original re-create of the image if using a subversive method and ultimately, information technology'southward e'er better to piece of work non-destructively, so y'all take the option to change your mind.

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