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Dying Roses in cemeteryFading Life

Today I am going to teach you how to mix black and white with color (only in some parts). This type of shot works well when you want the viewer's attention going to a specific spot. The human eye will always go to the color part of the image. To get this kind of photograph plan your shot and composition so that you place the object you want in color on a strong compositional position (rule of thirds, for example: see my blog on composition).  Next, shoot the shot in color (just as you normally would).

          Please note that I will be using Photoshop cc 2014 for this blog. Open your raw file (see my blog on what is cooking with raw) and process it for color. Save your color image. Now open the same raw file again and process it for black and white. Do not change the cropping from one to the other. Save your black and white image. Open both images in Photoshop. Click and hold on the file name of the image and drag it down. You want to see both images in two separate windows side by side. While holding down the shift key, click and hold on the black and white image. Now drag it on top of the color image. This will place the black and white image on a layer in front of the color image. Obviously, you only see the black and white image (the color one hides behind).

          There are many techniques to do what comes next. Some will use masks, others will use color pickers, I simply "paint" on a layer mask. Use what works for you. Find your layers on the right of your screen and make sure that the top layer (the black and white image) is selected (click on it in the layers pallet). Add a layer mask (there are a few icons on the bottom right corner of your screen; use the third one from left to right). I enlarge the image to 300% or 400%. Use your scroll bars to move the image around until you see the part that you would like in color. You will notice that the layer mask is white. Press the letter "d" on your keyboard to insure that the default colors are black and white. Select black (total left of the screen third icon from the bottom up). Click on the paint brush (higher up on the same row of icons). Now go paint the area that you want in color. Voila, you see the color from the image below. Keep painting until you are done. If you make a mistake, simply click on white (where you clicked on black before) and repaint it. You can go back and forth as much as you want.

          Congratulations, you have just made a black and white image with an element of color. When you are done you can flatten your image (on the menu bar choose layers, flatten image). Save and back up.

          Go make some creative shots.