GIMP: Convert color photos to black and white

Special memories and sad subjects sometimes look especially good when you convert the color photos to black and white. This can be done completely free of charge with the software GIMP, where you desaturate the colors with just a few clicks.

How to convert color photos to black and white with GIMP

In GIMP there are many different features that you can use to edit and enhance your photos. If you want to convert a color photo to black and white, you just need to know where to find the option to do so:

1. Open the color photo you want to convert to black and white in GIMP.
2. Next, select "Colors" at the top and click "Saturation". Namely, by changing the saturation, you can create black and white images. To do this, you need to remove the saturation, so move the slider to the far left.
3. To make an image look good in black and white, it is often helpful to change the contrast as well. This will help you to distinguish black and white even more clearly. To do this, click again on "Colors" at the top and this time select the "Brightness/Contrast" menu.
4. Slide the slider at Contrast to the right and possibly also change the brightness until you are satisfied.

Create color dots

Color dots look particularly interesting in images that are otherwise black and white. You implement them by using the selection tools to select the color object, then right-clicking and "Edit" to invert the selection. Once everything but the color object is selected, proceed as described above.