I’ve long wanted to do this kind of picture wherein only a specific part of a photo is “in color” while the rest of the photo is “in black and white”. I have discovered two ways to get this effect: one is by using Photoshop and two is by using Picasa.
In Photoshop, you open your file, click on “image” then “adjustment” then “desaturate” to convert the picture into black & white, then use the “history brush” and brush only the portion that you want in color. This will show the original color of the specific part while the rest of the picture will remain in black & white. Simple, right? By the way, I am using only Photoshop CS. There might be a shorter workflow in the newer versions.
In Picasa, open your file, go to “effects”, then, ”focal b&w” and you get the results. You can slide the bar to make adjustments in the size of the colored portion. It’s so easy! I actually used Picasa in this picture. I also used another effect, - “soft focus” to get the additional soft focus effect (what else!). I like Picasa it’s so easy to use, just one or two clicks and viola, you get your results!
I hope you try this technique in some of your photos. It’s fun!
