B&W CONVERSION

Here's a tutorial for converting your color images to Black & White. While desaturated is a super easy way to turn a photo into B&W, I prefer using Lab Color Mode because the initial conversion already has more contrast than desaturated.

• First, apply any adjustments you may want to do beforehand. For example, sharpen or color correction (performed in this photo).
• Flatten image and then go IMAGE>MODE>LAB COLOR.
• Select the Channels tab in the Layers Palette.
• Click on the "Lightness" channel. CTRL+A to select the entire picture then press CTRL+C to copy the Lightness channel.
• Go IMAGE>MODE>RGB COLOR to return to the RGB mode.
• Now go back to your channels tab and under each channel (Red, Green, Blue), CTRL+V to paste the original Lightness channel you copied in Lab Mode.
  
• Once complete, go back to the layers tab.
• To adjust the contrast to your liking. I use the Levels Adjustment, which is located under "Create New Fill or Adjustment Layer".

*Using the Create New Fill or Adjustment Layer is best when editing photos instead of using IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS section. This is because you are not altering the original photo and will always have that original layer.

Click here for other pictures that have been converted to B&W!