Black and White Conversions, how do you do it?

[fotografz]

<p>Nik Silver Efex 2.</p>

<p>Workflow: Nik is a plug-in for Lightroom, Aperture and Photoshop. I mostly use it in LR. When I want to convert to B&W I just select Open In: "Nik Efex" from the LR menu, process the image, and save it next to the original back in the LR Library. </p>

<p>If I have other retouching requiring layers or some tool not available in LR I select Open In: "Photoshop" from the same LR menu and then convert it to B&W using the Nik PS plug-in located under "filters" ... which is then all saved to the LR Library next to the original. </p>

<p>I do a LOT of B&W and this is the fastest workflow for the results I want that I have been able to find. Many of the Nik Presets are a good place to start because you can run your curser over each and see their effect real time on the display sized image rather than a little thumbnail. Then select one that has the feel and make adjustments. Nik has better, more comprehensive selective tools than PS for working on areas. </p>

<p>Some folks have difficulty with B&W looking dull because their mid-tones are to flat ... if you ever spent a lot of time in a B&W darkroom, you tend to learn what a B&W tonal range should look like. </p>

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[fuccisphotos]

<p>Wow Marc, BEAUTIFUL conversion and great image composition to start with. Thanks for the explanation of the workflow with NIK. I may have to check it out!</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>I use the same LR-based workflow with Nik as Marc. Works great for me.</p>

[plangereis]

<p>I also use the Lightroom/ Silver Efex Pro 2 combination and have have very nice results.</p><div></div>

[ruslan]

<p>Like this:</p>

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[davebell]

<p>When I saw the title, my mind immediately jumped to an old post by Marc Williams:</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00DQR3</p>

 

[fuccisphotos]

<p>David, thank you. That was a cool post. Neat conversions there too. So many ways to do something ya know. All have different effects. So often our clients just have no idea how different a B&W image can be from the same original color shot. =) So much more than just flipping it over to grayscale, it seems like a whole other art in and of itself.</p>

[fuccisphotos]

<p>Paul, beautiful shot and conversion!!!</p>

[picturesque]

<p>I like playing around with Power Retouche's Black/White Studio. You can mimic various black and white film responses. I like Tri-X, because that's what I'm used to. Notice the green response is different between the two examples.</p>

<p><a href="http://powerretouche.com/Black-white_plugin_tutorial.htm">http://powerretouche.com/Black-white_plugin_tutorial.htm</a></p><div></div>

[fotografz]

<p>One thing that hasn't been touched on here is how the choice of camera affects B&W conversions. Since I do so much B&W work, and have owned so many different cameras, I've taken note of which are easier to do B&W with.</p>

<p>For example, I used a Nikon D3/D3X prior to switching to Sony A900s ... where the Nikon mid-tone response was conducive to punchy B&W, at first I struggled with the Sony due to a much flatter mid-tone response. The Sony A900 is somewhat known for wonderful color right out of the camera, but all those subtile color separations just flattened out when converted to B&W. It took sometime to finally get the right recipe for B&W thanks to the huge array of presets in Nik Silver Efex as a starting point.</p>

<p>Likewise, while the Leica M8/9 rangefinder is a bit more difficult when dealing with color compared to the Sony A900, it produces wonderful B&W work with far less effort ... especially the M8 which is quite troublesome with color due to a weak IR filter, but is still perhaps the best B&W camera I've yet to use ... followed closely by the M9. Both of these cameras are CCD type sensors and have no AA filter over the sensor. Some B&W shooters actually have the filter removed from their digital cameras which really shows up well in B&W. </p>

<p>Here is a M9 ambient shot done with a M35mm lens ... for me, deep rich blacks that still have detail, and bright areas (like the lamp shade) that also record some tonal detail is the objective. One other little trick I often do is use the color balance tool in PS to add 4 points of blue which increases the feel of contrast a bit.</p>

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[bikealps]

<p>I understand the basic principles of mid-tone contrast and using color sliders. I've put this in practice and really enjoy how much more power and control we have now than in the darkroom days. Still, I see many images that I envy and would like to improve my game.<br>

I just started reading "Black and White -- From Great Snapshots to Great Shots" by John Batdorff. It seems to be very insightful and very well written. It is written from a landscape point of view... and no way am I a landscape photographer... but he explains things clearly and has insights I haven't seen elsewhere. I believe I'll learn a lot from it.<br>

The book strongly recommends Nik Silver Efex Pro. I was planning to purchase this. Having read responses to this post and sections of Batdorff's book, I'm pretty convinced I'll be buying Nik SEP soon.</p>

[julie_izotov]

<p>I agree with a few of the above posts. I start from scratch on almost every b&w photo. I like to use the Lightroom black and white setting, then tweak the color channels. You can check out my work here :) </p>

[StuartMoxham]

<p>Well I use the channel mixer followed by enhancing local contrast to tweek the image some more followed by toning if needed. I tend to work individually on each image rather than have a set formula.</p>

[StuartMoxham]

<p>Ok here is the correct image.</p><div></div>

[StuartMoxham]

<p>Here is another version note the flower is better separtated from the others. This is more correct but I could not use as much red channel during the conversion for this I just desaturated the image so I had to work quite hard to get the skin tones back to how I like them.</p><div></div>

[the_mongrel_cat]

<p>I am trying to upload a jpg that shows my process, but I don't know if it will work.</p><div></div>

[kevin_maurice]

<p>I've tried for years to use a 'recipe' in my conversion process with the same 'just don't work' effect. I've come to realize that a lot of times it really depends on the situation and the subject. I've been using my left calibrated eye and gut with pleasing results. YMMV.<br />KM</p>

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[fuccisphotos]

<p>Just an update, I now use Jared Platt's actions in lightroom and they are fairly good, and just started out using alien skin's Exposure 4 which has some amazing B&W conversions. Look so much like film!</p>