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The second half of this process (tinting the actual content of the photo, not the background color) is also achieved by dragging the color swatch over the image itself.

This was a popular technique in PageMaker, but in InDesign, you can create mixed ink swatches and use those to tint photos, achieving similar effects to what previously required creating duotones in Photoshop. It's much easier (no more messing with duotone curves) and can really extend the possibilities for projects where full color isn't affordable.

Also, by creating a tint swatch (for example, 15% gray) and dragging it over a grayscale photo, you can make the photo light enough to serve as a background, again without creating an alternate version of the image.

If you use a mix of CMYK, you are not creating a duotone which by definition is two colors. The result of the above will still be a 4 color print. To create a real duotone, you will need to use two Pantone colors such as Pantone Black C and Pantone Red 032 C.

Yes, the result is sepia, but in your quest for convenience, you've managed to obliterate the nice contrast that was in the original! If I may speak for the professional photographers of the world, please don't suggest methods that make photographs look worse.

Amen to Philbert.

How about this: duplicate the image frame, align the copies, apply a color to the upper copy of the image (not its frame), then, with the upper copy still selected, go to the Transparency pallet and select either Multiply or Darken. Then adjust the screening of the applied color to taste. I did a quick experiment, and this gives a reasonable duotone look with good contrast—true whites, full (actually rich) blacks, with color restricted to the midtones.

Philbert, on 04 February 2010 - 10:46 AM, said:

Philbert (and Lister): Thanks for reading my tutorial. I should point out that the photos you see in the article were not the photos provided by the author.

imarcw, on 04 February 2010 - 09:52 AM, said:

Thanks Imarcw. Yup, mixed inks is a perfect way to go. Unfortunately, I couldn't cover that technique--and preface it with an explanation of mixed inks--within my allotted word count.

As to your last point, what, in your opinion, would be the pros and cons of using the 15% gray method versus making the black and white image 85% transparent?

I have been using this technique for years, but only with single colour. Now that I have the new Photoshop and InDesign, however, it suddenly doesn't work anymore and I find myself scouring the internet just to do one simple little job. If ANYONE has ANY idea on how to get the Photoshop file to work properly so that this is actually POSSIBLE to do in InDesign, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE contact me on production (at) greenwoodsigns (dot) com (dot) au. Please help!