Effects — Art
Solarize effect
Invert tones beyond a threshold for the surreal look of the darkroom solarization effect.
- Status
- Live
- Category
- Art
- Settings
- 1
What is the Solarize effect?
Solarization, or the Sabattier effect, happens when a photographic print or film is briefly exposed to light during development, partly reversing the tones. Photographers such as Man Ray and Lee Miller made it famous in the late 1920s and 1930s with ghostly, metallic portraits.
The digital version inverts tones past a Threshold. Lower thresholds invert more of the picture; higher thresholds only affect the brightest areas.
Solarize settings
- Threshold
Best photos for it
- Black-and-white portraits
- High-contrast landscapes
- Surreal, psychedelic art
Tips for better results
- Tip 01
Start with a mid-range threshold, then move it until the outlines glow.
- Tip 02
Try it on black-and-white photos for a classic darkroom look.
- Tip 03
Combine with Gradient map for colour variants.
Common questions
Is solarize the same as invert?
Not quite. Invert flips every tone. Solarize only flips tones beyond the threshold and leaves the rest as they were.
Similar effects
- Gradient mapRecolour a photo by mapping its brightness onto a shadow, mid and highlight colour gradient, with a mix slider.Available
- LevelsFine-tune contrast and brightness by setting the black point, white point and gamma, the classic Levels adjustment.Available
- PosterizeReduce a photo to a few flat tone levels for a bold, screen-print-style look. One simple control: levels.Available
Also searched as: Sabattier effect, Solarisation, Tone reversal.