How do you make a true b/w picture from a color photo?

How do you create a true black and white photo from an original color photo. i know you can select greyscale but that isn't a true black and white photo(i don't think).

Any help would be greatly appriciated.

Thank you,
Senna

get the picture :

press CTRL and A

then go to Image > Adjustments > Desaturate

HEY PRESTO:

black AND white magic in minutes

Or, if you want be efficient, just activate the layer you want and go SHIFT-CTRL-ALT-U for desaturate. Then I would press SHIFT-CTRL-ALT-L for auto levels - makes it look nicer sometimes.

I'm not really sure what you mean by "true" black and white, though - you might want to explain.

tom

Greyscale is as true Black and White as you can get. There is only one colour channel. Desaturating an image still leaves it in CMYK, which is still fine, but there's no point to it. You have 3 extra channels left over that aren't doing anything. Now the problem with converting straight over to Greyscale, is that sometimes the image is flat and you may have to play with your levels.

This was a technique I was shown to produce a slightly richer B&W photo.

1. Colour Correct in RGB
2. Adjust desired levels/saturation etc.
3. Change image to Lab Colour
4. Delete Channel B and then Alpha 2
5. Now convert to Greyscale.

This allegedly provides a richer image in print, although may not totally be noticed on your monitor.

Another good technique mentioned on here before is to go Image > Adjustments > Channel Mixer. Set the first level to +75 the second to +25 and then hit monochrome. You can play with it a bit, but these are good starting numbers. Then switch it over to Greyscale.

Damn you Spectra...you know too much after you have started working on that magazine company

Good advice Spectra. On the subject of Grayscale, Duotones and even Tri-tones can also produce a richer colour result than greyscale alone.

great points Spectra

heathrowe