How to Add Color to Black & White Photography
There are many computer programs that allow you to convert your black and white photos to color or add color to specific areas to make them more dramatic. These programs take much of the time out of coloring your black and white photos by hand with paints and oils. Plus, you don't even need a very steady hand to accomplish this task.
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Things You'll Need
- Photos
- Copies of photos on hard drive
- Color-adding software (like Photoshop)
Instructions
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1
Scan your photo with a scanner to put pictures on your computer. If you don't have a scanner, take your prints down to a local photo developing shop and have them put the images onto a disk. It is recommended to load all the photos into a "New Folder" so they are easily locatable.
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2
Open the photo editing software program on your computer. From the "File" menu, select either "Import Pictures" or "Find Pictures." Locate the photos you put onto your computer that you want to work with. Open the first photo you want to work with.
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Select the area of the photo you want to color using the freehand masking tool. Outline the area you want to color. Each program will have a different name for this selection tool, which allows you to set the area of the photo you want to color.
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Choose the color you want to put into the photo from the list of color options. Select the paintbrush or spray paint icon to start coloring the photo.
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Move the mouse to the area of the photo you want to color and click on the area to begin adding color. Save the photo when you are finished coloring it.
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Tips & Warnings
Getting the color and look right of each photo may take several tries and some practice.
