Apply a stylised detail enhancement

Give your photos a movie aesthetic with the bleach bypass effect in Photoshop

- James Abbott

The bleach bypass effect is a classic style in film-making, where the bleach step is reduced or skipped during colour film processing. This results in a bright, high-contrast desaturated look because silver was retained on the emulsion. The effect can be easily mimicked in Photoshop and as well as creating a stylised desaturated look, it also accentuates detail thanks to increased clarity.

What you’ll be using

• Levels Adjustment Layer

• Black & White Adjustment Layer

• Curves Adjustment Layer

• Blending modes

• Layer Opacity