How to Give Color to One Object in a Black and White Photo

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Have you ever seen a black and white photo and one object in the photo still has a soft hue of color? The photo looks very artistic and elegant. You can do the same thing.

Step 1

Open your photo in a photo-editing application. If you do not own a scanner, use a digital camera to take a picture of a photograph. Then upload the photo to your computer.

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Step 2

Convert a color photo into black and white. In Photoshop, click on an image.Then select "Mode" and "Grayscale." You should be able to find a black and white or grayscale mode in virtually any photo-editing application. Photoshop will query whether you want to discard the color information. Click "OK" to apply changes.

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Step 3

Now that your photo is in grayscale, you may want to punch up the black and white colors to look crisp and rich. In Photoshop, go to "Image" and select "Adjust" and "Brightness & Contrast." Adjust the slider bars for both the contrast and brightness until you get your photo to look like a rich black and white rather than a murky gray color.

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Step 4

Correct photo blemishes by using the "Rubber Stamp" tool. Follow the online instructions for tips about the tool.

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Step 5

Use the "Magic Wand" or "Lasso" tool to select the object you want to turn into color.

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Step 6

From the "Image" menu, select "Mode" and "RBG Color."

Step 7

Click on the color box and select the color you wish to use.

Step 8

From the "Image" menu, select "Adjust" and "Variation." The Variations dialog appears. Click "OK." The selected color will be applied. Alternatively, you can add more colors or make the color lighter or darker. Keep the color realistic so the photo doesn't appear to be deliberately enhanced. You want the photo to look natural.

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