Desaturation Technique

[Gokulananda Hari]

Hello,

I am trying to decolarate a photography. Something as the old BW handpainted pictures. I want to take it to a kind of sepia (very light colors) but keeping some vivid zones and colors in others (lips, eyes, or clothes). But I cannot do it. I attach an image from a magazine. Perhaps you can help me.

http://www.virtualtemple.net/users/gokulananda/desaturado.jpg

Thanks,
GH

[Scottes]

Here's an earlier post that might help... http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=34977&highlight=b+w


Am I having deja vu or did you post this before??

[maderito]

Start with a high key image. Increase contrast to bring more tonal values into the highlight range. Then use the "Replace Color" adjustment to selectively replace and/or change the hue, saturation or lightness of individual colors.

[gmitchel]

Do you want to do something like this?

http://www.thelightsright.com/Galleries/B&WFineArtGallery/B&WFineArtGallery2.htm

I first made a color image. The barn wood was already weathered, but there were reds, etc. I focused on the yellows for the hay and building as much contrast in the col,or image as possible.

I flattened the image and made a copy of the background layer.

I then made a B&W conversion. I used a Selective Color adjustment layer followed by a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer with Saturation set to -100. I adjusted the B&W contrast using the Selective Color adjustment layer.

When I was happy with the B&W image, I moved the copy of the Background layer (which was color) to the top of the layer stack. I selected the yellow hay and used it to make a layer mask, allowing just the color for the hay to be added to the image.

Making the selection of the hay was the most time consuming task. Everything else took just a few minutes.

Cheers,

Mitch

[Gokulananda Hari]

Thank you all for your commentaries!!
GH

[Big_B]

Am I having deja vu or did you post this before??

He posted it was elsewhere and was gently advised to move it.