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Participant
June 21, 2013
Question

how do I convert a scanned color negative into a positive on photoshop?

  • June 21, 2013
  • 4 replies
  • 21108 views

I have just scanned a color negative into photoshop and lo and behold it comes up on screen as a color negative.  How do i now convert it to a positive so that I can work with it.?

This topic has been closed for replies.

4 replies

Participant
June 27, 2020

APPLE-I works to convert Negative color to Positive color.  OS10.15.4 using Photoshop Elements

Conrad_C
Community Expert
Community Expert
June 21, 2013

The Invert command will typically not do the job on its own for a color negative. This is because color negatives have an amber mask that will become a blue color cast after inverting, so the inverted color negative will not have the proper colors.

The best place to convert a color negative is usually at scan time with the scanning software. Many scanning applications have a good color negative conversion feature built in, and some have profiles for specific types of color film to remove the amber mask more effectively. This is the preferred method because the image comes into Photoshop positive and ready to use.

If your color negative is already in Photoshop, you can invert it as a first step, and then use a Curves adjustment layer to eliminate the mask color using a curve in each channel. You can find various tutorials for this around the web. But it takes a lot more time than getting it right at the scanner.

Trevor.Dennis
Community Expert
Community Expert
June 21, 2013
gener7
Community Expert
Community Expert
June 21, 2013

I have not tried this command on a negative,but it's Ctrl i (PC) or Cmd i (Mac) for Invert Colors.

idb52345Author
Participant
June 21, 2013

dear gener7, thanks for the prompt reply. Unfortunately, your suggestion

was unsuccessful. I have a Mac and the command "Command i" produced only

radio silence. Thanks anyway.

Trevor.Dennis
Community Expert
Community Expert
June 21, 2013

I was not being funny.  The Google search I linked to had countless links that directly answered your question.