Selective Coloring

I find that selective coloring of an image can be useful to highlight a particular item or to suppress a 'messy' background. I also like to use the technique create a black and white photograph with only key elements retaining their color.

Open the image in Photoshop. I've chosen this photo of a tiny flower taken in a Zoo at

Cincinnati. I am trying to show you the before and after of that shot. The one right below is the original.

                                 Before

It's very simple 3 step process.
1st Step:
Click on 'Quick Selection Tool (W)' and select any area of the picture you want to select. Like in above shot I selected the flower in center.

The selected object then shows a glittering margin around the selection.
[Note: You can drag onto the object you want to select with the Quick Selection Tool. If you over do the selection, you can remove the over done part by simultaneously pressing Alt key and then click the area]

2nd Step:
This step is tentative and depends on the object of your choice. Like in the above picture I wanted to keep color in the flower and thus isolate it from the background and make everything else black and white. Hence I would right click on the selection and click "Select Inverse", you will notice that the glittering margin now surrounds image border and the object you selected.

3rd Step:
At this point, I simply go to Image>Adjustments>black and White and I am done with this shot.

Full of Color

I could have made the selected flower Red, Orange or any color. But I wanted to look it original.
Similarly you can try apply different effects. I am sure you have got a lot many shots in your collection which could make great pictures with above technique.
I remember one of my friends told me that he would really want the above picture framed and hang it in his living room. I said Wow...!!! :)

My next post would be on Stereographic Projection or what some people call it "Small Planets". Till then, Keep Clicking.