Quite often I will have clients bring in old photographs of their "elder" relatives that were taken before colour photography was around.
This generally means that the photos in question are either black and white or, in many cases, the photos have been tinted, usually a muddy brown colour better known as Sepia.
Some clients will ask for their restored photos to be produced in pure black and white even though the original is in Sepia.
Others will ask me to retain the warm Sepia tone and in fact there are some clients who bring in old black and white prints who ask that we produce a Sepia toned restored version because they like the "old world" feel that a Sepia toned print gives.
Not only can you create a Sepia print from your old black and white photographs, but it is just as easy to create that "old world" feel from a colour photograph as well.
The example image on our web-site is a simple colour floral arrangement which we will apply a Sepia tone to using Adobe Photoshop CS.
Step 1
After opening the image up in Adobe Photoshop CS, the first step is to remove all of the colour information from the image by choosing Image-> Mode-> Greyscale.
All of the colour information will have been removed leaving you with a pleasing black and white photograph with, hopefully, a full range of tones from pure white to pure black.
Step 2
If your image appears a little flat, or is too dark or light, then use the Image->Adjustment->Levels command to "tweak" the left and right sliders below the histogram (looks like a black "mountain range") to get the desired result prior to toning.
Step 3
Because we set the image "mode" to Greyscale in the previous step we do not have the ability to re-apply any "colour tinting" while the image is left as is.
So the next step is to select Image-> Mode-> Duotone.
Step 4
This is where the fun really begins ...
Make sure the upper left "Type" option pull-down is set to "Duotone".
This will activate Inks 1 and 2 field entries.
Step 5
You will now be able to select two colours (hence the term "duotone") which will then be applied to your photo to produce the toned effect we are looking for.
Click on Ink 1's colour swatch and select a "black" colour of your choosing.
I generally set Ink 1 to "PANTONE Black C".
Step 6
Now click on Ink 2's colour swatch and select a "warm reddish brown" colour of your choosing.
I generally set Ink 2 to "PANTONE 145 C" (which looks like a nice "warm mustard brown" to me), but you can select any brown (or in fact any colour at all) and watch what effect a particular colour has on toning your photo.
As you will see we have been able to turn a colour photo into a very pleasing Sepia toned print in less than five minutes using the "Duotone" feature in Photoshop.
But we are not quite finished yet ...
As you have seen you have total control of the tone colour by changing the value of the Ink 2 setting.
What if the tone colour is correct but the photo is still too dark or too light and/or flat?
Step 7
You can fine tune the final result by applying a "Hue/Saturation" adjustment layer.
You will notice that if you try to add a "Hue/Saturation" adjustment layer to your duotone print it is "greyed out".
You now need to revert back to a mode of "RGB Colour" by selecting Image-> Mode-> RGB Color.
You will then be able to add a "Hue/Saturation" adjustment layer and make final adjustments to the overall appearance of your Sepia tone print.
By the way ... Want to know where the term Sepia comes from?
Sepia comes from the Greek word for the rich reddish-brown pigment obtained from a fluid that is secreted by the cuttlefish from their ink sac.
The cuttlefish is a relative of the squid and octopus family (cephalopods).
If you find the steps being taken are a little hard to understand in this text based article, you can click on the link at the end of this article to see the same method explained on our website with the aid of example graphical images.
© Gary Wilkinson 2005 - All Rights Reserved
You can see this method complete with example images at Sepia Tone Prints from Colour or Black and White Photos
Feel free to re-print this article provided that all hyperlinks and author biography are retained as-is.
Gary Wilkinson is a photographer, photographic restorer and the owner of a photographic retail business. He is also the publisher of the http://www.restoring-photos-made-easy.com website, where other methods of correcting common photographic restoration problems are discussed.
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
You will need an underwater camera housing to keep your... Read More
There's so much you can do with an underwater video... Read More
How many of the birthday party pictures you've seen are... Read More
As it is a fact that digital cameras are comprised... Read More
There are lots of options available for getting your digital... Read More
One of the biggest debates in the photography world is... Read More
It doesn't matter if your emailing photos of your grandson... Read More
Reflected Light Readings for Film and Digital ImagesIn order to... Read More
If you are buying a new underwater camera or video... Read More
The world of photography is an amazing one. It's been... Read More
It's hard to find sometimes but it's making a resurgence,... Read More
The photos you took of the party are really great... Read More
In a traditional camera, the lens was king. If the... Read More
Probably one of the most common problems you will be... Read More
1. Pet photos - advertise a Pet Photography business where... Read More
When should you use hyperfocal focusing? Well, sometimes when shooting... Read More
So, you have taken lots of pictures with your new... Read More
If you are in the market to purchase a digital... Read More
Let's start there (but not spend too much time on... Read More
Like many people who've made the switch from film cameras... Read More
Taking pictures of your new baby is a great way... Read More
So you recently bought a digital camera or perhaps your... Read More
Too many people have the idea that being paid to... Read More
Using a tripod is essential when taking photos - and... Read More
There are two types of underwater camera systems: an ""amphibious""... Read More
Basic CompositionNow that you are beginning to understand how your... Read More
Get a good face shot: Use Higher quality cameras at... Read More
Sony was the first company to introduce digital cameras into... Read More
One technology that hasn't kept up with the rapid pace... Read More
Ordinary photos of dull subjects do actually sell, but the... Read More
Nature is all around us, and its beauties are unlimited.... Read More
There are also some excellent online courses available and some... Read More
Like most folks you have probably have organized and sorted... Read More
Candid photography is photography that focuses on spontaneity rather than... Read More
Why is a 3 megapixel camera better than a 1... Read More
Fuji digital cameras entered the market in the late 90's.... Read More
While it would be nice to live in a house... Read More
Anyone with the right camera equipment, and the necessary skills... Read More
You may have already started to make money from your... Read More
You arrive at your photo shoot excited about the images... Read More
Started in a single-room by three Japanese men in the... Read More
If you are in the market to purchase a digital... Read More
Underwater digital cameras are fun and easy to use under... Read More
With modern technology in the form of SLR digital cameras,... Read More
You may have joined the photo-sharing craze to share your... Read More
Reflected Light Readings for Film and Digital ImagesIn order to... Read More
In a device such as a digital camera it is... Read More
George Eastman, founder of Kodak is world renowned today. Digital... Read More
Shopping for a new digital camera can be quite frustrating... Read More
The digital camera is but a technological advancement of the... Read More
A picture is worth a thousand words, so goes a... Read More
The digital camera being a fantastic and technologically advanced device... Read More
Using a digital camera to take pictures is great. It's... Read More
As it is a fact that digital cameras are comprised... Read More
Are you having megapixel envy each time you walk by... Read More
What I learned from a mentor that enabled me to... Read More
A photo buyer calls for a picture of pigs. It... Read More
Some compact cameras are small enough to fit in your... Read More
Before you are able to take the kind of photos... Read More
There are way too many tape, disk and stick formats... Read More
I once heard a lady say to a photographer that... Read More
It was widely reported in the press (15 September 1997)... Read More
Outlined below is a list of genres that call for... Read More
While analyzing any camera, one of the most important qualities... Read More
Like most folks you have probably have organized and sorted... Read More
Once you have clicked photos through your digital camera, then... Read More
Photography |