editing black and white

[mmillerphotography]

I am very new to photoshop and feel so lost! I am trying to change some photos to black and white - the background is mostly black but I want to make the black blacker and the subject ( newborn in dad's hands) whiter - please help!!!!

[Inspeqtor]

Hi and Welcome to the forum!

It would be helpful if we knew which version you are using? Are you using Photoshop or Photoshop Elements and which version.

Also if you could post the photo for us to see exactly what you are working with.

First please reduce the size by going to Image/Resize/Image Size. Resize the image to 800 on the largest size then choose Save As. Be sure to not write over your original filename.

Next go to www.pixentral.com and upload your photo there. When the photo is loaded, scroll down to the 2nd url named Forum under the photo, click 3 times with your mouse until the full line turns blue in color. Press Ctrl-C (for copy).

Start your reply to this message then Press Ctrl-V (for paste)
The url pasted will be very long.

1524

Someone I am sure will be along to answer your question.

[graficalicus]

try a levels adjustment layer - click the circular mini icon in the layers paklette and choose Levels.

Then inside the Levels dialog, you'll see three eyedroppers - those are black, gray & white point samplers.

Click the black sampler eyedropper and then click in your image the area you want to be black.

Then choose the white eyedropper & click in your image the area you want to be white.

You could do the same for the gray - it selects the area in your image that is the midpoint.

You may want or need to click in a few different places each time to get the "right" sample.

Each time you click, you should see the histogram (the jagged bar graph) move around a little an open blank spaces - it's stretching the available info to full dynamic range.

Finally, at the bottom of the histogram, pull the black slider in just a little, and then the same for the white.

That should be a good starting point ;)

[Cmcburnett]

Just wanted to say welcome to the forum. Good luck w/your black/white editing.

[mmillerphotography]

Thank you all so much. I am using elements 5 and am going to start the tutorial on levels. I will try to figure out how to post the photos to get some feedback. I appreciate all the help I can get as I am very green!!