By Graham K. Rogers

When editing in Photos on the Mac or on an iOS device, there are some similarities, particularly with the basic actions available in the Adjustments section: Light, Color and Black & White (on the iPhone B&W). The last of these has borrowed a trick from Aperture which I have been using for the last few years.

Image with Color Adjustments Applied

In that application, in the Effects section of Adjustments, there are several options for Black & White output, starting with color filters: red, orange, yellow, green and blue. There are also a number of other filters available and users may add their own adjustments as filters.

With an image that is predominantly red, applying the Red filter will make that appear a light grey. Likewise, with a green or blue filter the red section of the image will appear far darker. Care must be taken when applying these filters to faces as the effect may be far too strong for some complexions.

Monochrome Image with Red Filter Applied

Photos Black & White adjustments uses a similar selection in the image slider, ranging from red filtering through blue. With this it is simple to adjust an image, sometimes with dramatic results. I tend to slide the image-selector left and right until I am sure I have the right monochrome balance. It is also possible to fine-tune any changes with the sliders available: Intensity, Neutrals, Tone and Grain. Black & White effects may be removed by unchecking the blue circle just above (to the left) of the section.

Monochrome Image with Green Filter Applied

See also:

• Cassandra: Quick fixes in Apple Photos (3) - A Couple of Refinements

• Cassandra: Stepping Back a Little - Editing images in Photos on iOS Devices

• Cassandra: Metadata Displays Within Photos on iOS Devices - Investigator

• Cassandra:Quick fixes in Apple Photos (2) - Rotate

• Cassandra: Quick fixes in Apple Photos (1)

Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand where he is also Assistant Dean. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs. He is now continuing that in the Bangkok Post supplement, Life.