Uber Actions
Photoshop Actions
Each Uber B&W Conversion action uses a different method to create a black and white image and each one will give you different results. Click here to compare conversion methods. A wide range of color tones are available for experimentation and image enhancement after black and white conversion in the Uber BW Tones set.
Step 1: If you’ve just opened your image the layers panel will look like this, however if you have made adjustments or run other actions you’ll want to select the top layer before running the conversion.
Step 2: Under the Actions panel choose a black & white conversion method from the list of Uber B&W Conversions. For this image B&W Channel Mix 2 has been selected. Then press the Play selection button at the bottom of the Actions panel and the action will perform.
After the action runs a new layer or layer group will be created with the name of the conversion process used.
Step 3: To add a tone to the black and white image select one of the tone actions from the Uber B&W Tones and press the Play action button. This image was toned using Sepia Soft Tones. You can change the opacity of the tone layer to decrease the intensity of the tone.
Step 4: There are a variety of additional actions you can use to add even more interest to your image under the Uber Edges, Uber Grain or Uber Softening. This image has had the Shadow Glow action run adding softness and contrast to the image and a Vignette Darken Small to darken the edges of the image.
Step 5: You can click on the Show/Hide layer icon to make layers and their effects visible or hidden. This image has the soft Sepia Tones layer turned off. This is useful for comparing the various effects of the actions.
Step 6: When you’re finished with the image flatten the layers by selecting Layer/Flatten Layer menu choice. Be sure to save your image with a new name so you don’t overwrite your color version. We highly recommend that you always work on a duplicate image to avoid file mishaps like overwriting an original. It’s not as critical if you’re starting with a raw file conversion, but if your original is a jpg or tif, accidentally overwriting is can be disastrous.
