Photoshop Elements > Layers >
Separate RGB Channel Layers >
2 - Make a Red Channel Layer
Use this section to create a Red channel layer.
The other channels are here:
• 3
- Make a Green Channel
• 4
- Make a Blue Channel
• To restore the separate color channels back to color, go to
5 - Recombine RGB Channel
Layers to Color.
Be sure to check off as you go along.
Red Channel Layer
1) Make sure
the Background copy layer is active (highlighted).
If you've already used the Background copy layer for another
color channel, create a new Background copy layer.
2) Deselect the
eye icon on any existing color channel layers that you've already
made.
3)
Create a
Solid Color adjustment layer.
The Color Picker window will open.
Enter 255 in
the R: box, and click OK.
The screen will turn red.
4) Change the
blending mode of the Solid Color adjustment layer from Normal to
Multiply.
The combination of the red fill color, and the Multiply blending
mode, filters "in" the red color from the Background copy layer.
You now have a red and black photograph.
5) Make sure
the Solid Color adjustment layer is active (highlighted).
6) Merge the
Solid Color adjustment layer and the Background copy layer by pressing
Ctrl + e.
7) Rename the
Background copy layer as Red.
The next two sections filter out the green and blue from the
Red layer, which was the Background copy layer.
Green Filtering Out
1) Make a duplicate
of the Red layer.
The new layer is called Red copy.
2) Make sure
the Red copy layer is active (highlighted).
3)
Create a
Hue/Saturation adjustment layer.
The Hue/Saturation window will open.
Make the adjustments described below.
Click OK (Pre-8.0 only).
Change the Hue
to 120.
The photograph is now green and black.
Red, green, and blue, are 120 degrees apart from each other on
the color wheel.
By changing Hue by 120 points, the hue of the Red copy layer
has been shifted from red to green.
4) Make sure
the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer is active (highlighted).
5) Merge the
Hue/Saturation adjustment layer and the Red copy layer by pressing
Ctrl + e.
6) Rename the
merged layer as Green.
7) Change the
blending mode of the Green layer from Normal to Screen.
The photograph will turn yellow.
This is because the Screen blending mode is mixing the green
of the Green layer with the red of the Red layer.
Green + Red = Yellow
Blue Filtering Out
1) Make a duplicate
of the Green layer .
The new layer is called Green copy.
2) Make sure
the Green copy layer is active (highlighted).
3)
Create a
Hue/Saturation adjustment layer.
The Hue/Saturation window will open.
Make the adjustments described below.
Click OK (Pre-8.0 only).
Change the Hue
to 120.
The photograph will turn cyan.
4) Make sure
the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer is active (highlighted).
5) Merge the
Hue/Saturation adjustment layer and the Green copy layer by pressing
Ctrl + e.
The photograph will turn blue.
6) Rename the
merged layer as Blue.
7) Make sure
the blending mode of the Blue layer is still Screen, not Normal.
If you don't merge the layers exactly as described above, the
blending mode may change from Screen to Normal.
Check it.
Merge the Layers
1) Press and
hold Shift, and select the Blue, Green and Red layers.
2) Press Ctrl
+ e.
3) Rename the
merged layer as Red channel.
You now have a grayscale layer of the red channel.
Red Channel Layer
Levels Adjustment Layer
If needed,
create a Levels
adjustment layer.
The Levels window will open.
Make the adjustments described below.
Click OK (Pre-8.0 only).
Play with the sliders to adjust the exposure and contrast.
Experiment with changing the exposure and contrast of a single
color channel, by selecting Red, Green, or Blue, in the Channel
box.
Try changing the blending mode from Normal to Luminosity.
Make the Selection
1) If you wish,
to avoid distraction, use the Eraser tool to erase the portions
of the image that will not be selected.
You can erase because you're working on the duplicate of the
original.
2) Make a selection
using the Magic Wand tool.
When selecting the curls and strands of hair that extend over
the face and background, enlarge the image, and use very low tolerance
values.
Drag the Selection
1) Make sure
any selection tool is selected except the Selection Brush tool.
2) Click and
hold the selection, and drag it to the original photograph in the
project bin (photo bin).
If needed, you can add to the selection.
3) Go to Select
> Save Selection, and enter a name for the selection.
You can retrieve the selection, if you save the photograph with
the PSD file format, by going to Select > Load Selection.
