Photo enhancement

[scrappystamper1]

I have been searching for a special effect for photo editing and do not know what it's called or where I can get it from,
I am looking to take a photo (for example) of my kids with a character and turn the background black and white leaving everything else in color.
I'm sure this is going to be easy once I have the knowledge.
Can anyone tell me what it's called? Or where I can download the software for it? I downloaded Picasa thinking I had found out how to do it, but it only lets me do a rounded area. I cannot choose what I want left in color.
Any thoughts?

Janet P

scrappystamper1

 

[Andrew Bichard]

Try Photoshop Elements software plus Scot Kelby's book 'Down & Dirty Tricks' (page 70)

Andrew

 

[Marimar]

Give The GIMP a shot! It is great and free to boot! Then follow their selective colorization tutorial!

Have fun!

 

[MICKEY88]

is this what you want to do..??

I use Paint Shop Pro X, it's fairly easy to do, you can seperate the subject from the background and turn the background b&w, or turn the subject b&w or tint either one after removing the color...

 

[MOmousefan]

I found the following website and used Photoshop to create this picture.
http://www.betterphoto.com/forms/Discussiondetail.asp?threadID=156746

 

[ukcatfan]

I prefer to create a duplicate layer, make the top layer B&W and then erase what you want to be in color. I usually use a selection tool and the feather the edges a few pixels to make the transition from color to B&W seem less drastic. It just seems to look more natural to me.

 

[MICKEY88]

I prefer to create a duplicate layer, make the top layer B&W and then erase what you want to be in color. I usually use a selection tool and the feather the edges a few pixels to make the transition from color to B&W seem less drastic. It just seems to look more natural to me.

I understand your reasoning, but if you think about it,,what looks natural about a picture with people in color and background in b&w...LOL

 

[ukcatfan]

Very true! I guess a better way to say what I mean is that it looks like a completely different picture of a person was cropped and dropped into the B&W background if the edges are too sharp.

I did a few of my wedding pics where I only brought the color forward on the flowers.

 

[MICKEY88]

Very true! I guess a better way to say what I mean is that it looks like a completely different picture of a person was cropped and dropped into the B&W background if the edges are too sharp.

I did a few of my wedding pics where I only brought the color forward on the flowers.

I bet the bride loved those...

I've done it both ways, and people I've shown them to seem to prefer the sharper contrast, since it makes the subject jump out at you....

 

[pyrxtc]

I've done this numerous times to just help the pictures pop.
here is my original for my favorite,

here is my revamped. It really makes my son pop,

here are a couple more

 

[Charade]

I understand your reasoning, but if you think about it,,what looks natural about a picture with people in color and background in b&w...LOL

I agree. I'm not a fan of that style.

 

[MICKEY88]

I agree. I'm not a fan of that style.

I wasn't saying I don't like it, just that I wouldn't call it natural..

it's just a different form of selective focus...

 

[MiknMinMouse]

These pictures look really cool . Can just about any picture program do this?

 

[MOmousefan]

Any program that will desaturate (Turn photo to black and white) and then use a history brush to restore color to to a chosen area will work. I used Photoshop.
Whether you like it or not is a matter of choice.

 

[Dznefreek]

Done with Photoshop . . .

 

[MICKEY88]

These pictures look really cool . Can just about any picture program do this?

paint shop pro does it also...

there are 2 ways of doing it,,,one is the technique that MOmousefan explained,,the other way with PSP is to select part of the picture and just turn that B&W...leaving the rest untouched...

 

[geetey]

I've done this numerous times to just help the pictures pop.

pyrxtc - what software do you use? Photoshop?

That is the software I have on my Christmas list.

 

[MICKEY88]

pyrxtc - what software do you use? Photoshop?

That is the software I have on my Christmas list.

are you getting photoshop elements or photoshop cs..

 

[pyrxtc]

I use mostly Photoshop. I ahve a trial of CS2 and own 7.0. I like some of what CS2 doe diferent but havent decided if it is worth the money to upgrade yet.

 

[MICKEY88]

I use mostly Photoshop. I ahve a trial of CS2 and own 7.0. I like some of what CS2 doe diferent but havent decided if it is worth the money to upgrade yet.

have you checked out PAint SHop Pro X,,it does pretty much everything photoshop does at a fraction of the cost..

I've read a lot of reviews all good, and many recomending it over photoshop, because of the cost and the easier learning curve..