Create Dramatic Mono Portraits

When creating a more dramatic picture avoid shooting the subject with a camera-mounted flash. This direct light source will fill in all the shadows on their face and create a high-key flat-lit portrait.

By popping the flash to the side of the subject, you can plunge part of the face into darkness, creating a more mysterious-looking picture that features the eyes and mouth as they emerge from the darkness.

When converting it to the mono, start with the picture being black and white. Then find the highlights and shadows and make adjustments to them.

ex) To lighten the highlights in the face, drag Reds up to 128 and Yellows to 105. Enhance the white of the subject’s left eye by pushing Cyans up to 272. Pop Blues up to 121 to make the delicate blue tint in her eyes stand out more.

Make sure the shadows, and highlights blend into the back ground.