Colorize and Breathe Life into Old Black-and-White Photos (Get started for free)

What is the best way to convert colored document photos to high-quality black and white bitonal images

To convert colored document photos to high-quality black and white bitonal images, you can use image editing software like GIMP or Photoshop. In GIMP, you can use the Threshold filter under the Color menu. This filter eliminates noise and works well for lineart and plain black scanned text. If you're using Linux, you can also try Phatch for batch photo manipulations.

When converting color photos to black and white, it's important to retain as much information in the image as possible. Instead of changing the color profile, you can use black and white adjustments. In Photoshop, you can add a Black and White adjustment layer. This allows you to make adjustments to the individual color channels, giving you more control over the final result.

Another method is to convert the image to grayscale. In Photoshop, you can do this by going to Image > Adjustments > Black and White. This will discard the color information, so it's important to make any necessary adjustments before converting the image.

In Lightroom, you can convert a color photo to black and white by going to the Develop module and adjusting the Black and White sliders. You can also use the Split Toning tool to add a color tint to the highlights and shadows.

When shooting in color and converting to black and white in post-processing, it can be helpful to shoot in RAW format. This will give you more flexibility when making adjustments to the image.

It's also worth noting that you can use colored filters when shooting black and white film or creating monochrome digital files. These filters can be placed in front of the lens and will affect the way different colors are recorded in the image. For example, a red filter will darken blue skies and make foliage appear brighter.

Colorize and Breathe Life into Old Black-and-White Photos (Get started for free)