Duotone Photography

credits: Adobe

What is duotone photography?

At its core, duotone is just what it sounds like: an image that uses two tones or colors, typically one for the highlights and one for the shadows. It strips away the full-color spectrum and replaces it with a simplified, stylized color combo. Think of it like a remix of black-and-white photography, but with a punch of color.

How to create a duotone image (the simple way)

Technically, you can shoot a regular image and apply the duotone effect in editing. It doesn’t require a specific lens, camera setting, or lighting setup, you just need a good photo with strong contrast and structure.

Step 1: Start with a strong black & white base

Pick a photo with interesting contrast, shapes, or textures. Portraits work great. So do architectural shots, silhouettes, or moody street scenes. Convert it to black and white before doing anything else.

Step 2: Pick your two colours

You’ll usually want one darker tone for shadows and one brighter tone for highlights. Classic combos are:

• Navy & cyan

• Purple & orange

• Teal & red

• Black & neon green (for a more graphic, edgy look)

You can go subtle or high-contrast depending on the vibe you’re after.

Step 3: Apply the duotone effect

In Photoshop, go to Image > Mode > Grayscale, then Duotone. From there, you can assign custom colors to the shadow and highlight values. Or just use gradient maps for more flexibility.

In Lightroom or mobile apps, you can use the split toning or colour grading tools, assigning hues to shadows and highlights to mimic the effect.

Tips for better duotone shots

• Start with images that are simple and clean: Cluttered scenes can get messy fast when you remove detail and focus on colour contrast.

• Use it to enhance emotion: Blue and teal can feel cold or melancholic. Orange and pink can feel warm and dreamy. Pick colors that match the feeling you want to evoke.

• Don’t overdo the saturation: Keep the tones bold, but not blown-out, unless you're going for that hyper-stylized look.

• Try silhouettes: They’re basically made for duotone. Clean shapes + high contrast —> magic.

Why you should try it?

It’s one of those techniques that’s easy to try but tough to master. It pushes you to think about colour differently, not as a reflection of reality, but as a tool for expression. It’s also a great way to breathe new life into your old shots. That decent portrait you shot last year? Try it in teal and magenta, it might just become your favourite image.

Plus, duotone is super adaptable. It works in graphic design, print, digital... it’s everywhere from Spotify playlists to fashion campaigns.