B&W Editing Assistance

[marigold35]

A have a question about digital editing: How do I keep select objects in colour when I convert an image to black and white? For example, in the images below, my client requested the photo in B&W but keep the purple in the photo, e.g. flowers, neck tie, etc...

If anyone has a link to a video that would be awesome. I work with Lighroom 6 and Photoshop CC. I have been a photographer for many years, but I am still learning more and more about post-processing. I think my job on the colour in this image is not great either... Any feedback is appreciated. Thank you!

[Runmonty]

Hi Marigold and welcome to the forum.

I dont know your level of expertise with Photoshop CC, but in my opinion the easiest to achieve the spot colour is to do the b&w processing on a new layer in PS (there are many ways to do this, although using something like silverefex would be my favourite) and then using a layer mask simply paint out the area you want in colour.

Please let me know if you require further clariifcation

[Runmonty]

This is a quick video on the process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SbreHpcvNs

For a more detailed video just google it. There will be dozens out there. It is a popular topic. I suggest using the following keywords and you will find dozens of tutorials

selective color black and white photoshop

[marigold35]

Great, thanks so much! I am a beginner with photoshop. I mostly use Lightroom... I will check out the video. Much appreciated!

[Runmonty]

If you are more familiar with Lightroom, it can be done using the adjustment brush. You just don't have as much control as you would with Photoshop.

Process described here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH2NW-jjrtQ

[Barefoot]

RM nailed it. That's how most of us did it until Nik Software'w Silver Efex came along. With SEFX, you just use the plug-in to convert to b&w, then drop a control point on the color you want to preserve. Expand the drop down menu on the control point to show the bottom option of selective color and adjust to taste. A couple more unaltered(neutral) control points dropped around the selected color will knock down any influence your main CP might have had on colors you didn't want to alter.


The Nik software suite is free and plays well with the two apps you're using to edit. Here's a short video to illustrate how easy it is. I'm real sorry I edited your photo without asking first. I didn't notice that you ask us not to and now I don't know how to remove it. A thousand pardons.

[Robert1950]

Lightroom. Go to HSL/Color/BW adjustment tab. Go to Saturation and desaturate everything except purple. You can increase the saturation of purple and adjust the luminance to your taste, Simplest way to do it using Lightroom. A couple years late to respond but hey............