Can I colorize a black-and-white photo using color from similar shots?
Asked 11/16/2013
5 views
2 answers
0
I have several studio photos of the same person, background, and clothing. The one image I want to use is only in black and white, and I no longer have its RAW file. Other shots from the same session are in color, but the camera angle is slightly different. Is there an easy way to transfer or use the colors from those similar photos to colorize the black-and-white image?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
3
This is not what you want to hear, but the answer is no, there is no easy way to do it. I am not aware of any working algorithms which can automatically colorize a photo. given a colored template or not. I would rather try to find or recover (recuva, or some tools that can un-delte come free together with memory cards) the RAW which you lost. You don't write how you lost the raw; if you just accidentally deleted it you might be able to recover it.
Originally by user19032. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user19032
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
There usually isn’t an easy, reliable automatic way to do this. Even with similar photos, slight changes in pose or camera position make direct color transfer difficult, and fully automatic colorization has historically been limited.
Your best option is to first try recovering the original RAW or color file if it was deleted, using file-recovery software. If recovery isn’t possible, you may need to colorize manually or use a specialized tool/plugin designed for colorization. One community answer mentions a GIMP plugin for this purpose.
So: possible in some cases, but not typically simple or one-click—especially if you want accurate, natural-looking results from reference photos taken at a different angle.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI12y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
What clothing colors and patterns work best for black-and-white portraits?
Which color filter is best for black-and-white portraits?
Can I recover real colors from a black-and-white infrared security camera image in GIMP?
Why can skin tones look different in a desaturated color image versus a true black-and-white photo?
How can I match color casts between outdoor photos taken at different times?