Creating just a black and white image (no grays).

[dennis_j_smith]

<p>I am having a bit of a problem. I have a request to shoot a high key and then convert it to strictly black and white, no grays. I thought in my older days this was called composite, but I must have forgotten the name of the process.<br>

I need to do it in CS4. I have tried to use levels and/or curves, but it seems to burn out and not turn white. It is going to be a portrait of a guy, his hair will be totally black and his skin totally white. Background, totally white. The only reference to color will be the guys eye's. Now I know this gotta be real simple and I am really missing the boat here. I can not even find a sample on the net because I am not using the correct terms.<br>

Do you know what I am talking about? Can you help me? I am feeling a bit embarrassed asking this, but I just keep drawing a blank. Thanks in advance, Dennis.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>You're on the right track: you want to adjust contrast (using tone curves, or another contrast adjustment tool - there's more than one way to tackle it, tool-wise). The idea is that everything brighter than some value is pushed to white, and everything darker than some value is pushed to black. The only thing that matters, then, is where you draw the line. Push that threshold too low, and you get white stuff that you wanted to keep black. Push it too high, and you get black stuff you wanted to keep white.<br /><br />You <em>may</em> find that you need to make these huge contrast changes differently in different areas of the image. Do that with multiple layers, masking around things. That way, for example, you can preserve the color if his blue eyes (making this up, here) as blacks, even though something of a similar tone (the tip of his nose, perhaps, even though it's a different color?) can get pushed to white elsewhere in the image.</p>

[steve_wagner1]

<p>Image>Adjust>Threshold does this</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>You may also find discussion of "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duotone">duotone</a>" (e.g., <a href="http://www.pstut.com/tutorial-duotone.html">link</a>) to be useful, if not now, on future occasions. This can be done with black and gray, not just with different 'colors.'</p>

[patricklavoie]

<p>blakc white no gray.. threshold. adjust the setting to taste.</p>

[tonmestrom]

<p>+1 Treshhold. Some good advice above. Also clone out everything you don't need or want.</p>

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[tonmestrom]

<p>B&W is even easier</p>

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[riz]

<p>I have one confusion.</p>

<p>Whats the better way for Black & White conversion:</p>

<p>a) By Channel Mixture<br>

b) By Image/Mode/Grayscale / Image/Mode/Dutone<br>

c) Any other method?</p>

<p>I have been using Channel Mixer, just come across about the Image/Mode/Dutone.</p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>Riz</p>

[tonmestrom]

<p>Rizwan,<br>

There are many ways in PS. Never, and I do mean never use the Image/Mode Grayscal mode as this will only give you very poor results. The Channel Mixer though is very good and I still like to use it. However, as of CS3 and higher you'll find a Black and White slider mode (see image) which gives you a lot of control. On the other hand you could also use a plug-in like Silver Efex Pro which is available for PS as well as for Lightroom.</p>

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[dennis_j_smith]

<p>Thanks you all... I will give these a try. Thanks for the samples, exactly what I am looking for. I have CS4 and LR3, and I use the BW level in CS4 or lightrooms. If one does not have lightroom, Raw converter has the same BW convertion as lightroom has. Just as a note for some. Thanks I will try these proces this weekend.</p>