Powerful Black & White Conversion Technique in Photoshop - Create Dramatic Photos with Calculations

In this Photoshop Photo Effects Tutorial, learn how to use image calculations tool to convert your photos into beautiful dramatic and stunning black and white images.

Step: 1) Applying Calculations:
First go to image menu, choose calculations. Calculations tool dialog box pops up. You may notice that the source 1 and source 2 have the same settings. And all we have to do simply change the channels of source 1 and source 2.

Try to find the right combination between channels. For example if you select red channel for source 1 then find the right looking channel for source 2. It depands on your personal liking & preference.

In my case, i find blue channel for source 1 and green channel for source 2 seems better combination.
Keep blending to multiply. Opacity to 100%. And select result to new document. Then click ok.

The resulted alpha black and white layer created in a new document. Now go back to original document. Again open image menu and select calculations. Keep the same previously applied settings, but this time change blending to lighten. Choose new document as result and click ok. Now we have 2 alpha documents.

Step: 2) Blending Alpha Documents:
Select the first document Ctrl+A and copy it Ctrl+C and paste it into original document Ctrl+V. Now select the second document and copy it and past it.

Right click on layer 2, go to blending options. Now select blend if tool. Set default to grey, which mean we can blend blacks and whites. I want to blend the blacks, so hold alt key and drag the slider towards right. Do the same with the underlying layer as well. Click ok to apply the changes.

Step: 3) Retouching Eyes:
Now i want to enhance and brighten his eyes retouch. To do that create a new blank layer. Shift+Ctrl+N keyboard shortcut. Take a soft brush, select white foreground color. I suggest you to Zoom in a lot and paint on the eyes. Change its blending to overlay.

Step: 4) Sharpen Details:
Now lets sharpen overall details. Duplicate background layer and move the layer to top above all layers.
Go to filter menu, other and select high pass. Add very small radius around 1 or 2px to get fine details. Click ok.
Change high pass layer blending to linear light.

Desaturate high pass layer to remove any visible colors. Go to image menu, adjustments and select desaturate Shift+Ctrl+U

Step: 5) Final Touch-ups:
Image looks good enough. If you want boost mid-tones and add matte faded look using curves adjustment.
Move the end of curve little higher to add popular fade and to mute the blacks.
Drag the curve up little bit to bring exposure up.
That's it. We're done.

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Softwares Used:
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Photoshop cc 2014, 2015, 2017
Photoshop cs5, cs6,
After Effects cs5
Camtasia Studio

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[psdesireYT]

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[RobBrens]

This is the video I keep coming back to out of all of the B&W photo PS tutorials. Cheers!

[shreyasholay]

The way you explain the things is much better than most of the others. Keep up the good work

[brendacortez]

Love this! Thank you!! I’m literally turning all my 2014 El Salvador trip to B&W. Last time a saw my abuela. They are turning out beautiful!

[Gatofeo]

Excellent tutorial! I've been trying to find tutorials on black and white photography and this is the best. Thank you very much. I will contribute to your cause.

[kylea]

Used this for all my photography edits in my class. U deserve more credit than some people who are getting twice as many views, i guess people click the one with more views sometimes.

[dineshsrkr]

Your tutorials are the best on youtube. Keep up the good work.

[cleretfernandes]

That's abc nice direction ..better and easy ..thank you

[MoisesCaster]

Thank you, you helped me a lot. Greetings from Brazil.

[thebeautyandthegeekau]

Can someone please help me here? I have followed this tutorial. In photoshop the image appears as I want. However when I save the image, it doesn’t save it in black and white and instead saves it in the normal colours. Even when I open it back in photoshop, it appears with the normal colours. I have also tried exporting rather than saving but it still doesn’t make the image appear black and white. Any ideas?

[azazel]

Thnank you bro this was the best explanation of the calculations on youtube.

[andreshiwa]

Good Technique man.
Thank you for share with us
Keep going!

[jennylorance]

I liked this technique! I think the audio could be improved or add subtitles maybe?

[AM-pksg]

Very good pausing, understood every single word and english is my third language👍🏽

[nomadasan]

Your technique is amazing! I have used with some homless male models and the result is amazing. Thanks so much for share!!!!

[nickfanzo]

Best guide for black and white

Shoot black and white film
Learn to develop it
Make a darkroom

[tara]

Wow, great detailed video, it works wonderfully, thans

[stevemclellan]

Many would have taken twice as long over this. Well done

[lynnbambrough]

Great video. I learned a lot from this - thanks

[kylea]

amazing tutorial turned my pic into amazing