Photoshop How To

Last week we featured an eye-opening post-processing tutorial explaining how to employ Adobe's Amazing AI-based Adaptive Color Profile as a great start to your workflow. But what if you're editing for monochrome? That's what you'll learn in this quick this follow-up lesson from the Better Pics YouTube channel.

Today's instructor Daniel is an Australian pro who's traveled to all seven continents with camera gear at hand. He also a very adept instructor and this episode what prompted by a question from a fan who wondered whether Adaptive B&W, when set to zero, is the same as the familiar Adobe Monochrome Profile.

It's a perceptive question and Daniel demonstrates how these two options are "very, very different." His enlightening four-minute response not only clarifies why, but he explains everything you need to understand for taking advantage of Adaptive B&W yourself. He pulls up s selection of unedited images to illustrate how the AI approach works in different situations.

Daniel notes that Adobe's Monochrome Profile is "merely a translation or transfer from color to black and white, whereas the Adaptive black-and-white option includes algorithms and other background tools that modify tonal values." And these will simplify and accelerate any subsequent enhancements that you decide to apply after AI determines the best way to move forward with the task at hand.

Once you open the Adaptive B&W panel you'll notice a sliding scale that enables you control the Amount from zero, the default of 100, and all the way up to 200. Daniel chooses the default setting, applies the profile, and further evaluates the one-click outcome to the effect achieved with Adobe Monochrome. He then drops the amount to zero and the result is more similar to Monochrome but the differences are still readily apparent.

Daniel moves on to a few other images to demonstrate how the powerful Adaptive B&W Profile is far more than a one-size fits-all solution—capable of adapting (hence the name) to outdoor photographs with different tonal characteristics.

Be sure to check out the Better Pics instructional YouTube channel once this episode concludes so that you can take advantage of the many how-to videos available.

And be sure not to miss the tutorial mentioned above in which another post-processing expert walks you through the many benefits of Adobe's Adaptive Color Profile.