[christo]

Years ago, I cam across a great tutorial on PhotoShop that outlined a relatively quick and easy way to turn photographs into quality B&W silhouette images. Does anyone know where I can find this technique or something like it?

[Leah]

Well, with a photograph taken against a white or light-coloured background you could do this pretty easily using Levels, Curves or Threshold (probably picking out one of the component channels first). I don't know of the specific tutorial you mention, though.

[Leah]

For images in general, the way to approach it would be to look at the individual channels and try to combine them to create a clear outline, then fill in. Depending on how complicated the background is you might have to use several different masked combinations to do that, but it might be quite simple. Splitting the channels, layering them over one another and playing with blending modes should give you an idea of what's likely to work.

The book Photoshop Channel Chops would be an invaluable resource here.

See attached quick attempt using the source photo here as a starting point.

[DannyRaphael]

Leah:

Excellent illustration on the method and process.

~Danny~