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How to Use the Solarize Filter for Striking Photo Negatives

4 min read

Have you ever seen those striking photos where part of the image looks normal while other areas appear reversed, like a photographic negative? That dreamy, otherworldly effect is called solarization, and it's surprisingly easy to create in Photoshop Elements. Whether you want to turn a grandchild's portrait into unique wall art or give your garden photos an artistic twist, the Solarize filter delivers instant drama with just a few clicks.

What Is Solarization and Why Use It?

Solarization is a technique that originated in traditional darkroom photography, where film was briefly exposed to light during development. The result? Images with partially reversed tones that look simultaneously familiar and strange. Light areas become dark, dark areas become light, and mid-tones create fascinating transitions between the two.

In Photoshop Elements, the Solarize filter recreates this vintage darkroom accident digitally. It's perfect for:

  • Creating artistic versions of everyday snapshots
  • Making eye-catching poster-style prints for a teenager's room
  • Adding visual interest to photo gifts and greeting cards
  • Experimenting with abstract photography without any risk to your originals

Finding the Solarize Filter in PSE

The Solarize filter lives in the Filter menu within Photoshop Elements. To access it, you'll need to work in Advanced mode, which gives you full control over all of PSE's creative tools.

  1. 1Open your photo in Photoshop Elements.
  2. 2Switch to Advanced mode by clicking the tab at the top of the Editor window.
  3. 3Go to Filter → Stylize → Solarize.

That's it—the filter applies immediately with no additional settings to adjust. The effect is automatic, which makes it wonderfully simple to use.

Step-by-Step: Creating Your First Solarized Image

Let's walk through the complete process of turning an ordinary photo into solarized art.

  1. 1Open the photo you want to transform by choosing File → Open and selecting your image.
  2. 2Before applying any effect, duplicate your background layer for safety. Go to Layer → Duplicate Layer and click OK.
  3. 3With your duplicate layer selected in the Layers panel, navigate to Filter → Stylize → Solarize.
  4. 4The effect applies instantly to your image, creating the characteristic partially reversed look.
  5. 5If the effect feels too harsh, lower the layer's Opacity in the Layers panel to blend it with the original beneath.

Getting Better Results with Solarize

While the Solarize filter is simple, a few adjustments can dramatically improve your results.

Start with High-Contrast Images

Photos with strong light and dark areas produce the most dramatic solarized effects. Family portraits with bright backgrounds, silhouettes against windows, or sunny outdoor shots work beautifully. Flat, evenly lit images often look muddy after solarization.

Adjust Tones Before Applying

Boosting contrast before solarizing can enhance the final effect:

  1. 1With your duplicate layer active, go to Enhance → Adjust Lighting → Levels.
  2. 2Move the black and white input sliders slightly inward to increase contrast.
  3. 3Click OK, then apply Filter → Stylize → Solarize.

Try Converting to Black and White First

Solarization often looks more striking in monochrome. Before applying the filter:

  1. 1Go to Enhance → Convert to Black and White.
  2. 2Choose a style that emphasizes contrast, such as Vivid Landscapes or Portraits.
  3. 3Click OK, then apply the Solarize filter.

Creative Variations to Explore

Once you've mastered the basic solarize effect in Photoshop Elements, try these creative twists.

Partial Solarization with Layers

Want only part of your image solarized? Use layers strategically:

  1. 1Duplicate your background layer twice, giving you three total layers.
  2. 2Apply Filter → Stylize → Solarize to the top layer only.
  3. 3Add a layer mask to the solarized layer by going to Layer → Layer Mask → Reveal All.
  4. 4Use a soft black Brush to paint away the solarized effect from areas you want to keep normal.

This technique works beautifully for keeping a face natural while solarizing the background.

Combine with Colour Adjustments

After solarizing, experiment with colour to create even more unusual effects:

  1. 1Apply the Solarize filter to your duplicate layer.
  2. 2Go to Enhance → Adjust Color → Adjust Hue/Saturation.
  3. 3Check Colorize at the bottom of the dialogue box.
  4. 4Move the Hue slider to tint your solarized image with any colour you like—try deep blues for a moody look or warm oranges for a sunset feel.

Best Photos for Solarization

Not every photo benefits from solarization, but many family favourites transform wonderfully:

  • Garden flowers become abstract botanical art
  • Pet portraits gain an edgy, modern look
  • Architecture and buildings create graphic, poster-like images
  • Beach and water scenes produce dreamy, ethereal results
  • Simple portraits with plain backgrounds turn into striking wall art

Avoid using solarize on busy, cluttered images—the reversed tones can make them confusing rather than artistic.

Saving Your Solarized Creation

Once you're happy with your solarized masterpiece:

  1. 1Keep your layered file by choosing File → Save As and selecting Photoshop (PSD) format.
  2. 2For sharing or printing, flatten the image first with Layer → Flatten Image.
  3. 3Save a copy as JPEG for email and social media, or PNG for the highest quality.

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