photo transition black/white to color

[janets]

I got a power point e-mail and in it were photos that transitioned from black and white to their original color. It was an even flow and very lovely. Does anybody know how to do this or is it a software program? thanks for the help Janet

[Jeff Perry]

Janets, there are a number of ways to do it, here is one...

Start with a color photo.

Duplicate the backgound layer.

Convert the new top layer to B/W by whichever means works best for you (e.g., Enahnce>Convert to B/W)

Click on the Backgound Layer

Add a Levels Adjustment Layer (the ltitle half white/black circle at the top of the layers panel). No need to make any adjustments if you don't want to, we really only want the mask that comes with it, just click OK.

Click on the top B/W layer and type Ctrl G (you are grouping the B/W layer with the adjustment layer and you should see the B/W layer indent slightly and have a little arrow pointing to the adjustment layer below it.)

Click on the white mask on the Adjustment Layer to activate it (it's the layer you want to apply a gradient to)

Hit "D" on your keyboard and make sure Black is the foreground color shown in the color swatches in the lower left of the screen.

Now select the Gradient tool, and in the information bar at the top, pick the gradient that is a solid black to transparent (the checkerboard) second from the left.

Click (and hold) on the edge of the image where you want the color to begin and drag tothe opposite side and let go of the mouse button.

Hopefully, if I haven't forgotten anything, and if done correctly your adjustment mask will show a black area that is hiding a portion of the topmost B/W layer, revealing the colored layer below.

This technique can also be used to merge/blend/transition to entirely differnet photos together. Open two images, and move one image onto the other with the move tool. you 'll have two layers (different photos) and then follow the same steps.

Jeff

[Lesa]

Though Jeff explained it beautifully, I actually did a tutorial on that a long time ago. Between Jeff's explanation and my screen shots, you should be good to go.

Fading Color (http://graphicreporter.com/tutorials/elements_fadingcolor.html)

[janets]

Thank you very much for such detailed and wonderful directions. One more question. In the presentation the transition went from all black and white,to some black and white and eventually to all color. It did not look like one picture then another just a seamless progression. any ideas? Janet

[Byron Gale]

janets,

Elements usually has more than one way to get a thing done... to prove it, here's another method:

Add a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer above your color image.

Set the Saturation to the lowest setting.

On the associated layer mask, paint with a black/white gradient.

Un-do and try again to get your spacing/placement down pat.

Byron

edit: an example

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1PSHCxYhqFgaZZVqiB4LJWPsmk3_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1PSHCxYhqFgaZZVqiB4LJWPsmk3)