Tech how-to: Colorize old black-and-white photos
Does your family have a collection of vintage photos you’d like to modernize with color? Maybe you have some old black-and-white pictures to which you’d like to add color for creative effect.
No matter the why, transforming an image with the addition of color can make all the difference in the world.
Ready to get started? We’ll walk you through the process.
Fix the base image
Before we jump into the steps, this process requires some photo editing skills and a program that uses layers, like Photoshop or GIMP. GIMP is a free alternative that has all the features of Photoshop without the cost. Tap or click here for direct download links.
If you’re working on a vintage photo that’s been scanned, you may need to start by fixing defects first. Use a photo editing healing tool to remove scratches, dust, and any nicks or mars. For steps on doing that, check out this article on digitally restoring old photos.
If you’re working on a color or sepia image, neutralize the colors by converting it to black and white. Add the black-and-white adjustment layer instead of converting to the grayscale mode for more flexibility.
Now all you have to do is increase contrast and exposure using levels adjustment layers.
Add white balance
So much of the color we see in an image originates from light conditions. We see more blues in the early morning light and warm yellows in bright sunlight.
To give your photos the right lighting effect, add a curves adjustment layer and adjust the Red-Blue-Green channel to get the look you want. Add a layer mask to get this effect on parts of an image instead of the entire thing.
Need some inspiration for your own photography goals? Check out Dreamstime for thousands of amazing pro images and start getting inspired now!
Quick photo tip: Digitally restore old photos
Does your family have old photo albums? Have you ever spent time looking at all the old black and white or wonderful vintage sepia-colored images?
Old pictures capture lovely moments in time, like your serious-faced ancestors. They posed for their first photo with the family’s first Brownie or Polaroid camera. While it’s great to look through all those snapshots, it’s sad to see how faded, scratched or torn some can be.
Free Photoshop clone that runs in your browser
Photoshop is the gold standard for image editing and the choice of serious professionals and dedicated amateurs alike. There are other image editors out there, but they have limited functionality or are just about impossible for non-pros to learn. Maybe you want to clean up the family photos and let your artistic side flow, but the high-end image editors are too intimidating, and the free ones are too limited.