WOCC West Oakland Camera clubmember offers information on image editing with Adobe Photoshop and annotates a Daryl Benson article in Outdoor Photographer

B&W or Infrared from Color Photos

Originally published in Outdoor Photographer 9/99 page 54 Daryl Benson

Abridged yet annotated version by Norb Veit

Infrared (“IR”) photographs have an other worldly, soft and ethereal quality full of rich tonality. But, IR film is very sensitive, you’ll need to buy a red filter and processing film can present some obstacles. With some of today’s digital cameras, IR photography is easily accomplished (Outdoor Photography 10/02, Dewitt Jones article 30). However you may have many color slide images, which could be tweaked in Photoshop to simulate IR photographic images. Below are Daryl’s tips on changing color images to simulated IR photos: (Capitalized terms are Photoshop commands, Icons, Tools or Palettes. Small Font italics are detailed Photoshop explanations on how to do something)

The quick and dirty way to make Black and White images:

After selecting a suitable image and scanning it, open the image in Photoshop.
Use the IMAGE à MODEàLAB command to convert your image. Then delete the A and B channels. This leaves the “Lightness” channel, which gives you a black and white image with a nice tonal range.

Or if you want to turn your color image into a simulated infrared follow the steps below instead of the steps above which are for black and white conversions.

A comprehensive way of making Infrared images:

1. Click on the CHANNELS palette tab. Now click channels palette menu icon (the little right pointing triangle) and select SPLIT CHANNELS. Photoshop will now create 3 different Photoshop images, a red, a green and a blue. Close the blue channel image without saving. Close the green channel image and save it. By discarding the green and blue channels your image now mimics the look of having used a deep red filter when you originally took the shot. (Note: if your image is mainly trees, bushes and/or leaves you may want to open up the green channel image and copy it by selecting the MOVE tool and dragging it to the red channel image. (Photoshop will create a separate layer for the green channel when you drag it over to the red channel image).

2. {You could also use Photoshop’s channel mixer for more control over how much you want each of the RGB channels to be visible in a composite output image. A discussion of the IMAGEàADJUSTàCHANNEL MIXER command is beyond the scope of this article but very briefly, you can use this command to specify the amount (-200% to +200%) for each of the three R-G-B channels.}

At this point you may want to do some DODGING, BURNING or run IMAGEàADJUSTMENTS for LEVELS or CURVES. The latter 2 adjustments are better performed with ADJUSTMENT LAYERS so that you can preserve the original version of your red channel image while allowing easy subsequent changes. (You can create ADJUSTMENT LAYERS from the LAYERS command or you can click on the ADJUSTMENT LAYERS icon at the bottom of the layers palette. It’s the one that has a circle that is half dark and half light.) If you are using both the red and green channels you may wish to create layer masks so that your adjustments only affect either the red or green layers. This will allow you to save the best of both channels. (You can create layer masks by clicking on the little icon in the layers palette, which has the gray rectangle with a white circle in the middle. After you create the layer mask you can paint black on it with the paintbrush or airbrush tools to define the mask [the part of the image which will not be subject to any adjustment. You can also paint white onto the mask to define the areas which will show through and be affected by your adjustment layer settings] One last layer mask / adjustment layer tip – If you define the selection with the selection tools before you click on the Adjustment Layer Icon, then when you click on the icon Photoshop will automatically create the layer mask for you).
In order to give the red (and or green) layer gray scale image a more glowing ethereal look, use Photoshop’s SELECTàCOLOR RANGE command. (In the ensuing dialog box; a) select “Sampled Colors”, b) click the “Selection” to on, c) select NONE under preview, d) click on the middle eyedropper icon in the lower right corner [the one with the “+” sign], e) move your cursor over the brightest area in your image and click on it, f) now use the “Fuzziness” slider to enter a conservative {15 to 100} value and, g) click OK to close the dialog box.)
You now have a selection as indicated by the “marching ants” which outline the areas selected. You might want to save this selection by using the IMAGEàSAVE SELECTION command, enter a name like “highlights” and click Ok in the dialog box.
Use the IMAGEàMODIFYàEXPAND command, enter 2 pixels and click OK.
Now use the IMAGEàFEATHER command [Ctrl-Alt-D], enter 24 pixels and click OK. This will add 24 pixels of feathering to both sides of the current selection line for a total of 48 feathering pixels.
Use the EDITàFILL command [Ctrl-Backspace], select White as the fill color, change the opacity setting to 80% and click OK.
Remember to repeat steps 4 through 8 on the green layer if you included one in your image.
Whala! Now you either have a pretty good infrared version of your color image or you have a bit of a mess. If the latter is the case fear not. Click on the HISTORY PALETTE TAB, click on the step just before the FILL command (in step 8 above) and try adjusting the opacity up or down. If this still does not have the desired effect, Go back to the step in the HISTORY PALETTE just before the SELECT COLOR RANGE command in step 4 above and try different “fuzziness” settings.

Don’t get frustrated if things don’t turn out right away, just keep experimenting and you will be able to make glowing sensuous infrared images. Once you get an image you like, you might want to try giving it a bit of a tint by:

a) Converting your image to RGB using the IMAGEàMODEàRGB command, when the warning dialog box comes up click on the “Don’t merge layers” button.

b) Go to the LAYERS palette and click on the ADJUSTMENT LAYER ICON, select the first item on the menu SOLID COLOR.

c) When the color picker dialog box comes up, click on the color chart to pick a color, once you’re happy with your choice click ok.

d) Don’t panic if your image changes to the solid color you picked, click on the opacity setting in the LAYERS palette and tweak it down until you’re happy with the apperance (usually between 20% to 50%.

You can create some very nice images using Daryl Benson’s techniques. Give it a try, once you get a nice one you’ll be hooked.

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