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Special Photo Effects

Taking photographs is more fun than ever, thanks to the digital revolution. Photography is fast becoming a favorite hobby because of the more cost effective option to go digital. Film can be expensive and tends to be wasted when rolls sit in a drawer and are never developed. With a digital camera, it costs the same to take one picture as it does one thousand pictures. You simply store them on a CD-ROM until you are ready to use them.

The Black and White Option
- When you are ready to edit your pictures it is great fun to apply special effects. All you need is a favorite image and photo editing software.
  
  Make a digital copy of your image by clicking on "File" then "Save as." Name your file, and you'll have a duplicate of the original. You want to leave your original intact so that if you need to start over you can. If you remove the color saturation you are left with a black-and-white version of your favorite image. This is a simple effect, but with the right picture it can be dramatic and beautiful. They can be framed like artwork and go with just about any home decor.
Spot Color
- Choose a picture that has a great focal point. Select an object that you would like to remain colorized. Now invert your selection and remove the color saturation. You are left with a black-and-white Image with just a spot of color.
Old Fashioned Sepia
- Pick an image among your favorites that has a certain nostalgic feeling. This is the perfect image to apply the sepia tone to. The option to turn your picture to sepia is usually found under the edit menu. Once again, a simple effect that can evoke a lot of emotion.
Experiment and Have Fun
- The very best way to learn how to apply special effects to your images is to experiment with your software. Most photo editing software have similar options and features. Pick the one that you find to be the most user-friendly and put those pictures you've taken to use.

Photography