Adjusting color channels for B/W

[AlanKlein]

<p>I called Adobe up and they wanted $89 for LR3. But I bought it through Amazon for $69 (Student/teacher edition. My wife's a teacher). Does anyone know what they mean by One License?</p>

<p>also, does anyone now how to link LR3 with Elements 8 so that you can go from one to the other? Tks. Alan</p>

[AlanKlein]

<p>OK I figured out how to go to Elements from LR if you want to process something in Elements. You can either switch and edit the original file or the Lightroom edited picture. Once you have done the editing in Elements, what is the best way to save it when you go back to LR3 to continue the editing?</p>

[Brad_]

Alan, right click on you image in LR. You will have an option to Edit in Elements (if you've set that up in

preferences). Select Edit > Edit in Elements and a tiff will be automatically created and open in Elements. Do your editing in

Elements, save, quit, and then the edited tiff will automatically be added to LR's catalog and be visible in the filmstrip.

[AlanKlein]

<p>Thanks Brad that works. Have another questions. When adjust the channels to change tones in LR3, should I adjust the exposure, levels, etc in the color first and then switch to B/W to adjust the tones? Or is it better to leave the picture as shot in the camera, and then adjust everything in LR3 after switching to B/W?</p>

[patricklavoie]

<p>i always turn my image to BW first using all the color channel to get the look i want, then play with the exposure, fill, black etc... then gradient and brush tool to refine / define my image style.</p>

[Brad_]

>>> Have another questions. When adjust the channels to change tones in LR3, should I adjust the exposure, levels,

etc in the color first and then switch to B/W to adjust the tones?<P>

 

It depends. If I'm unsure of the B&W potential, I'll start setting exposure in color. Hold down the option key while you

slide the Exposure slider and you can get a quick assessment of the amount of white level clipping. Ditto when

adjusting the Blacks slider for black level clipping. Then Fill to open midlevels. And then Brightness for overall

brightness. That behaves similar to Exposure, except that white levels are protected from clipping (unlike Exposure).<P>

 

If in B&W mode, and after setting Exposure, Black, Fill, etc, I'll go to the color sliders (B&W Mix) to

accentuate/deaccentuate elements in the frame. If faces are looking a little dark, increasing the Orange and Red slider can

brighten a bit. Ditto with foliage and the Green slider. Sky too bright? Move the Blue slider to the left. Color slider

adjustment is a quick way of achieving tonal balance in an image. And for minimizing distractions while maximizing the

frame's focus.<P>

 

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