Toning is a darkroom technique used to alter the black areas of a black-and-white photograph to a chosen colour while leaving the paper base and whites unchanged. Common toning colours include sepia, blue, and selenium, which can enhance mood, archival stability, and artistic appeal.
In digital photography, toning can be achieved using software tools such as hue/saturation adjustments or Photoshop’s duotone system. Mastering toning allows photographers to add creative colour effects, refine image aesthetics, and produce visually compelling and professionally finished photographs.