Black and White Filter

Color splash

Selective Color Filter

Convert most of the frame to Rec. 709 grayscale while keeping a chosen hue range in color. Adjust keep-hue and tolerance until the splash reads clean.

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PNG, JPG, WEBP, HEIC - processed locally in your browser

Images stay on this device. Black and White Filter never uploads photos to a server.

How to create a selective color look

Upload a photo, pick the hue to keep, then widen or narrow tolerance.

  1. Upload your image

    Scenes with one strong color against a quieter background work best.

  2. Set the keep hue

    Use the keep-hue control to target reds, blues, greens, or another accent.

  3. Dial tolerance

    Widen tolerance to include nearby hues; narrow it to isolate a tighter splash.

  4. Download a PNG

    Export when the color island looks intentional, or reset to defaults.

What selective color does

Selective color (often called color splash) keeps one hue family and grays the rest.

Each pixel’s hue is compared to your keep-hue target. Inside the tolerance band, original RGB stays; outside, luminance-only gray is written. Contrast still applies to the gray regions.

When selective color works

Use it when one color carries the story.

  • Product accents

    A single brand color on a mono plate.

  • Editorial emphasis

    A red coat, yellow cab, or blue door against gray.

  • Not for full-color grading

    If you need the whole frame in color, skip this filter.

Settings tips for color splash

Start narrow, then widen tolerance only as needed.

Busy multi-hue scenes fight selective color. Simplify the frame or pick a cleaner subject. Grain and vignette usually stay low so the color island stays the focus.

Related concepts

Selective color sits next to desaturation and channel thinking.

  • Color splash

    Common name for keeping one color in an otherwise B&W image - see the glossary entry for selective color.

  • Hue tolerance

    How wide a band of related hues stays in color.

  • Full grayscale

    Use the grayscale page when you want zero remaining hue.

Black and White Filter · Grayscale Photo Filter · High Contrast Black and White Filter · Desaturation in the glossary · Color splash in the glossary

Related guides

Grayscale vs black and white vs monochrome · How grayscale conversion works

Selective Color FAQ

What is a selective color filter?

It keeps a chosen hue range in color and converts the rest of the photo to black and white - often called a color splash effect.

How do I pick which color stays?

Use the keep-hue control to target the accent color, then adjust tolerance so nearby shades are included or excluded.

Does this work on any photo?

It works best when one color stands out. Busy rainbow scenes are harder to isolate cleanly.

Is my photo uploaded?

No. Processing runs locally in your browser.

Try selective color now

Upload, keep one hue, gray the rest, download a PNG.

Processing stays on your device. No sign-up and no watermark.

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