gradient editor

wallyboy

wallyboy

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walter
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been trying to edit some pics to b&w using gradient map, then editor, can anyone help me in understanding the colour stops on the slider, and the use of the eydropper, what i want to achieve without extra software is good colour to b&w conversions, using elements 9
thanks
 
wallyboy said:
been trying to edit some pics to b&w using gradient map, then editor, can anyone help me in understanding the colour stops on the slider, and the use of the eydropper, what i want to achieve without extra software is good colour to b&w conversions, using elements 9
thanks
Click to expand...

A gradient map will map your image to a custom colour gradient, eg you select the two end colours and gradient map will map your image to them.

So if you selected (using the eye dropper) blue and yellow. Gradient map would bake a blue and yellow version of your image. if you chose black and white, you get a black and white version of your image.

The colour sliders allow you to adjust this map.

You can use to say boost and extend colours in a sunset(brushed in selectively) or it can be used to even out skin tones in s portrait.

IMO photoshop has much better & easier ways to convert to black and white. Has elements got the black and white adjustment layer? Thats designed specially to do the job.

If not two hue sat layers, top one desat all the way, then play with the colour sliders on the one beneath. For quick and easy channel mixer, tick monochrome, and mess with the rgb sliders.

.....I dont know what 'editor' is sorry so can't help there.
 
Last edited:
cheers shaun, i was thinking with eyedropper you could select a certain area to make black or white,
elements hasnt got b&w layer, but has a conversion to b&w with RGB it does'nt give nice black and white,
gradient editor is layer with sliders,
back to the drawing board
 
Here's an elements friendly way from the Kelby book:

Once you're ready to convert, add a levels adjustment layer, accept defaults.
then add a gradient map adjustment layer above that, this will turn it B&W.

Then go back to your levels layer, drop down the "RGB" list and select red, green and blue separately and move the middle slider around separately for each colour to tune your B&W look.
 
thanks for replies, i have tried the levels method didnt like results, and ACR which was slightly better, just thought i might have been able to isolate the dark and light in conversion with eyedropper in some way to boost black and white, cheers again
 
It is possible to select highlights, midtones or shadows on the select colour range tool, but I don't have elements 9 available to see if it's in there on that version.
 
Walter, in the method I described you may be able to boost the whites (or blacks) by moving the right hand slider in (left hand slider for black) instead of moving the middle slider?
 
swanseamale47 said:
It is possible to select highlights, midtones or shadows on the select colour range tool, but I don't have elements 9 available to see if it's in there on that version.
Click to expand...
it has'nt got range tool wayne, :thumbs:

DorsetDude said:
Walter, in the method I described you may be able to boost the whites (or blacks) by moving the right hand slider in (left hand slider for black) instead of moving the middle slider?
Click to expand...
thanks keith will have a play :thumbs:
 
swanseamale47 said:
Thanks, in that case you could try ctrl+alt+~ (or it may be ctrl+alt+2 on your version) to select the highlights.
Click to expand...
cheers wayne, found that in levels highlights and shadows can be tweaked using alt, need to refine to get better conversion thanks for help pointed me in right direction :thumbs:
 
wallyboy said:
cheers wayne, found that in levels highlights and shadows can be tweaked using alt, need to refine to get better conversion thanks for help pointed me in right direction :thumbs:
Click to expand...

Glad to be able help a bit Walter :)
 
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