How to Convert to Black and White with DeSaturate

Visit our Sponsor: Jill D-Zines.



Visit Our Sponsor: Angela Sharrow

Our focus this week will be on giving tips for Photography. We will show you ways to use Photoshop to enhance your photos, to make elements out of your photos, and tips for taking photos of kids! Join us all week for great photoshop/elements tutorials!

Photography Tip by Angela Spangler, Creative Team Member

Ever wonder how to get a wonderful black and white photo? Photoshop
makes it easy with the "desaturate" command, but using only this step
can leave an image gray and dull. Here I'll explain a simple way to
bring your black and white images to life.

Here's a photo as a color image.


To turn it black and white in Photoshop, simple click
Image>Adjustments> Desaturate.
Notice how this leaves the photo muddy and gray?




The desaturated image can be brightened a bit by using the
Brightness/Contrast command.



Be careful not to bring the contrast up too high and "blow out" the
light parts of the image. It's important to leave detail in the parts of
the image. This adjustment is a matter of taste, so play with the two
sliders until you get an image with good range of blacks and whites, and
it's to your liking.


There are many actions for photoshop that will give you a wonderful
black and white image. Dig around the internet to find one you like.
This method is pretty basic and straight forward, and not hard to play
with when you're learning.

Have fun!