Sepia Toned Prints from Your Colour or Black and White Photos ? 5 Minute Digital Fix

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 sepia tone prints from colour or black and white photos website, where other methods of correcting common photographic restoration problems are discussed.

Benton shuttle to Midway .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

Just two months into 2025 there have been numerous Mac malware threats targeting Apple laptops, ranging from infostealers to malicious software.
A self-driving electric bus powered by artificial intelligence has an electric powertrain for zero-emission operation and an automated drive system.
SpaceX is slated to launch its Starship for the eighth time from Boca Chica, Texas, Friday, though plans could be thwarted if the FAA fails to give the green light.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Kurt the CyberGuy offers tips on how you can protect your devices against infostealer malware, which was used to infect 4.3 million machines last year.
Motional is developing autonomous vehicles capable of handling a wide range of real-world scenarios. Its high-speed robotaxi testing reached speeds of 75 mph.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explores whether there is artificial intelligence bias involved with the iPhone's voice-to-text conversion in the message app.
Apple's iPhone voice-to-text periodically flashes "Trump" when a user speaks the word "racist." Fox News Digital reached out to Apple about the flaw but did not hear back.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson presents five secret shortcuts: Adjust sound/vibration, share YouTube moments, fix tabs and tweak brightness.
VR transforms senior care: Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says immersive tech helps older adults explore and connect via virtual experiences.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says DNA tests pose privacy risks like shared genetic information, inaccuracies and hard data deletion.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says this enormous airship revolutionizes cargo transport by flying to remote areas.
Understanding the language of the internet can help you protect your personal information from bad actors. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.
Woven City is Toyota's experimental city that is a fully functional environment for people to live, work and play while doing research.
The line between spam and scams is thin. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson details his tips for identifying and avoiding phone scams, robocalls and unwanted solicitations.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents
Kurt the CyberGuy takes you through the steps to easily set your preferred web browser whether you're using a Mac, Windows PC, iPhone or Android.
Google, Instagram, Facebook and weather apps can track your location and use that data to serve you ads; here's what you can do to protect your privacy.
A new debate has emerged about whether airlines should charge passengers based on their weight to help reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Hipshipper, which is used by eBay, Shopify and Amazon sellers, exposed millions of shipping labels.
Boxabl’s Baby Box is a 120-square-foot foldable home that can be set up in 60 minutes and has off-grid features. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says it's designed to maximize functionality.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Major IoT data breach: Mars Hydro database with 2.7 billion records exposed. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the breach is a reminder of the risks that come with using IoT devices.
Unitree H1 robots dance at gala, blending AI and tradition. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson examines the convergence of cutting-edge technology and traditional culture.
For the first time ever, SpaceX launched a rocket into space from Florida and landed the booster the Bahamas, allowing for future polar-orbit spaceflight missions.

Digital Camera Reviews and Ratings De-Mystify the Choices

Shopping for a new digital camera can be quite frustrating... Read More

Bracketing and How To Use Tt Correctly...

What Is... Exposure BracketingExposure bracketing is a simple technique professional... Read More

Freelance Photography: How to Begin Your Career

Photography is a vast world. There are many different types... Read More

Photography Contest - a fun and rewarding experience

Do you like to take photos? Are you always standing... Read More

The Photography Portfolio: Building Your Reputation

If you have hopes of becoming a professional photographer, or... Read More

Choosing the Right Digital Camera

Choosing the right digital camera for general use can be... Read More

The Advantages of Underwater Camera Housing

You will need an underwater camera housing to keep your... Read More

How to Buy Wholesale Disposable Cameras

Wholesale disposable cameras are disposable cameras bought in quantity. Bulk... Read More

Choosing The Right Digital Camera

Let's get something straight right out of the box. If... Read More

How to Take Better Photos of Your Baby or Toddler

Every Mom wants to take great photos of their babies... Read More

The Mysterious Powerful Element of a Picture That Sells

A photo buyer calls for a picture of pigs. It... Read More

Transfer The Digital Camera Images To Your Computer

There are a few very important tasks associated with using... Read More

CCTV Camera Tip: Apply Simple Common Sense when Picking CCTV Cameras and Lenses

Get a good face shot: Use Higher quality cameras at... Read More

Hyperfocal Focusing: What Is It And Why Should You Use It?

When should you use hyperfocal focusing? Well, sometimes when shooting... Read More

Digital Camera Macro Mode

The digital camera is a wonderful device that allows a... Read More

Basics of Photography

Understanding light is one of the very basic principles of... Read More

Candid Photography

Candid photography is photography that focuses on spontaneity rather than... Read More

Get Closer to Your Subject

Almost any shot will look better if you take two... Read More

Canon-Powershot-A80 Review

Last month we bought the Canon Powershot A80 online for... Read More

Use A Tripod!

Using a tripod is essential when taking photos - and... Read More

Panasonic Digital Cameras - The History Behind Their Cameras

Panasonic is a world-renowned consumer electronics company today. Its digital... Read More

How To Make A Time-Lapse Video With Your Digital Video Camera

Getting the most out of your digital video camera can... Read More

Elephants in the Sky and Four Poems

Elephants in the Sky[1980s, Lee Evens in Mali, Timbuktu/Africa]Advance: Lee... Read More

Stock Your Kit with Digital Camera Accessories

There are a large number of digital camera accessories available... Read More

The Naked Truth on Shooting Nudes

There are major obstacles to overcome to get into nude... Read More

limousine Chicago airport Arthur ..