Adobe Photoshop Elements - The Image Menu - Details on Mode, Convert Color Profile, and Magic Extractor

Adobe Photoshop Elements - The Image Menu - Details on Mode, Convert Color Profile, and Magic Extractor
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Mode - The Choices and What They Do

Mode is where you can change your color mode in your image. There are four options for changing the color, along with two other choices regarding color modes. The four options for your color modes are:

  • Bitmap - Bitmap photos’ pixels are either black or white. There are no shades of gray in the image at all.

  • Grayscale - Grayscale images are your typical black and white photos. They can be any combination of black, white, or gray depending on the colors and shadows in the image before it was converted. Be warned, though, that if you convert an image to grayscale a lot of photo options will not be available to you.

  • Indexed Color - This option allows for you to choose the amount of color range in your photos. At most, it will be 256 colors. If a color in your photo does not match up with one of those colors, Elements will choose the color closest to it, or simulate its color using the existing colors.

  • RGB Color - This color mode that will more than likely be used the most. It gives access to all of Element’s tools and allows for the widest variation of colors.

The other two options are 8 Bits/Channel, which allows you to convert 16-bit files (usually when working with RAW images) so that you can work with them within the Elements program, and Color Table which shows your image colors as swatches when you are working with an indexed color image.

Converting A Color Profile

Converting a color profile allows you to change the image colors for the photo you’re working with. Clicking on Remove profile will take out any of the data that Elements has created. You can also choose between sRGB (usually the default selection with photos) and RGB (most commonly used if you plan on printing your photo.) Many inkjet printers don’t understand sRGB which is why it’s converted to RGB.

Magic Extractor - What Is It?

This is a great tool to have if you want to keep only a selection of your photo. Along the same lines as selection tools like the marquee or magic wand, the magic extractor will allow you to choose what you want to keep in your photo. When you click on Image>Magic Extractor a dialog box appears with your photo, some rules along the top, and choices along the left and right side. If necessary, you’ll want to change the colors for the foreground and background selection tools (default of red and blue) if they’ll interfere with your image colors. Make marks (lines or dots) around the part of the image you want to keep using the foreground color. Use the background color to make marks around the area you want to discard. Once you’ve finished, click preview to show what Elements believes the finished product should be. Click OK if you’re happy with it, or Reset at the bottom if it doesn’t look as you want it to.

This post is part of the series: Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0 Menus - Photoshop Elements Made Easy

This tutorial series will explain all the menu options within Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0. From the File Menu to the Help Menu.

  1. Adobe Photoshop Elements File Menu - Including New, Open, and Duplicate
  2. Adobe Photoshop Elements File Menu - Including Save, File Info, and Organize
  3. Adobe Photoshop Elements File Menu - Including Import, Export, and Print
  4. Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0 Edit Menu - Including Undo, Redo, Cut, and Copy
  5. Adobe Photoshop Elements Edit Menu - Including Selections, Brushes, and Patterns
  6. Adobe Photoshop Elements Edit Menu - Including Color Settings, Presets, and Preferences
  7. How to Rotate Your Images Using Adobe Photoshop Elements
  8. Adobe Photoshop Elements Image Menu - Including Crop, Transform, and Resize
  9. Adobe Photoshop Elements Image Menu - Details on Mode, Converting Color Profile, and Magic Extractor
  10. Adobe Photoshop Elements Enhance Menu - Including Auto Smart Fix, Auto Levels, and Auto Red Eye Fix
  11. Adobe Photoshop Elements Enhance Menu - Including Adjust Color, Unsharp Mask, and Convert to Black and White
  12. Adobe Photoshop Elements Layer Menu - Details On New, Duplicate, and Rename Layer
  13. Adobe Photoshop Elements Layer Menu - Details On Adjustment Layers, Fill Layers, and Layer Content
  14. Adobe Photoshop Elements Layer Menu - Including Type, Merge, Flatten, Arrange, and Group
  15. Adobe Photoshop Elements Select Menu - Information On Deselect, Reselect, Inverse, and Feather
  16. Adobe Photoshop Elements Select Menu - Including Modify, Grow, Similar, and Loading, Saving, and Deleting a Selection