Converting color digital to black and white

[rod_white]

I was wondering if anyone knew of a really good plugin for photoshop

that would automate conversion from color to black and white?

[Spearhead]

If you scroll down the questions page, you will find a section called Imaging Techniques>Emulating (B&W, IR, filters, etc.). Believe it or not, that category has answers to this question.

[Craig_Cooper11664875449]

Rod,

 

There's a number of good plugins, actions, techniques, etc for conversion from colour to B&W but NONE will deliver automated *quality* B&W images. It takes individualy attention and consideration on how to convert each image to achieve really good results.

 

regards

Craig / Beijing

[gregg_johnson]

Rod - <p>

Check out this link it may help you <a href= "http://www.smartshooter.com/infocenter/jt011.html" target="new">www.smartshooter.com</a><p>

You can do it in Photoshop with excellent results!

[gregg_johnson]

... without a plugin

[jack paradise]

Craig is right. I've tried several actions/plugin for color to b&w conversion and no longer use them.

 

Here's a start in Photoshop and if your image is in 16bits, all the better

 

In Photoshop go to Image -- Adjustement -- Channel Mixer. Check Monochrome and enter these numbers: 70, 20, 10. Now go to Levels and adjust the end points. Then middle slider if needed. (Go lightly). Next, go to Curves and apply a light S-shaped curve.

 

When you're done, go back to Levels and check the histogram for any vertical white lines, indicating missing data.

 

Next time, play with the numbers and see how they affect your image.

Again, if you can acquire your image in 16 bits, all the better.

[andrew_rodney1]

Well I'm biased <g>. But I'd try PhotoKit for conversions and a lot more. You can download

a fully functional demo to see how you like the B&W conversions as well as all the other

photographic effects.

 

http://www.pixelgenius.com/photokit/index.html

[paul beiser]

I am biased as well, and love what I can do with Photokit <g>. Also, Fred Miranda has just released a new B&W plug-in, and I have found it both powerful and easy to use.. I even think it may be more flexible than the B&W conversion routines in Photokit.

 

http://www.fredmiranda.com/

[michael_bradtke]

I like the Photokit B&W conversion and I like some plugins made by Silver Oxide...I was not thrilled with the FM plugin. I think the silver oxide (www.silveroxide.com) is very good for the $$$. I think the Photokit is probably the most flexible. Try there demo and I think you will like it.

Mike

[Craig_Cooper11664875449]

Gregg,

 

I just looked at the link to "Shootsmarter" you provided. I am amazed at the images

presented within that article, presumably as something to aspire to. As far as B&W and its

charateristics go all these images are extremely poor examples of what the media should

and/or could be. Tonally flat, blocked up shadows, blown highlights...

 

Also from what I have seen to date, almost every conversion techniques available will (if

used appropriately, actions aside) allow you to more or less achieve the same thing. The

main difference being the interface and how variables are controlled.

 

I also notice everywhere on this topic people promoting somewhere in the workflow some

form of "apply some S-curve adjustment..." Basically, this is about increasing contrast to a

degree, and as much as it *is* often required it is also potentially a dangerous tool. In the

majoriy of conversions I have seen, global application to an image of S-curve adjustments

has forced some shadow areas - albeit often small - to block up and lose detail. It is for

reasons as this that I stated above that *good* B&W conversions are not possible throught

the application of 'automated methods'. In addition, I would also tend to say that global

application of conversion adjustments to an image will not usually deliver the best quality

results - this last comment is more of an observation and consideration rather than being

the rule but still important in the process.

 

regards

Craig / Beijing

[jack paradise]

To not blow the highlights using Curves Adjustements, start with a 10x10 grid in Curves. Anchor the middle point. Start your S-shape curves at the lower left then raise the middle anchor point a notch (up a line). From there, make it a straight to the upper right corner using anchor points along the line. That will give you extra contrast while holding the highlights.

[john_bright]

Rod

 

I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'automate conversion' but you might try this site:

 

http://www.theimagingfactory.com/

 

There's a 'color to B&W' plugin 30-day demo, that I found very useful. Give it a try.

 

All the best

[thomas_sullivan]

You really can't, or at least shouldn't, "Automate" color to black and white.

 

<a href="http://www.russellbrown.com/body.html">Russell Brown</a> is Adobe's (photoshop) "middle man" between the artist and the programmer. He get's to take what an artist needs and wants, and explains to the programmer what it is that is needed. On the sceond page of the above link is a tutorial named Seeing in Black & White. He starts off with PS automatic ways of doing it, and then shows you a method that gives you more control than you could ever want. The guy is a bit flamboyant(?) with the way he narrates the steps.......but he knows what he's talking about.

[andrew_rodney1]

-->I just looked at the link to "Shootsmarter" you provided. I am amazed at the images

presented within that article, presumably as something to aspire to. As far as B&W and its

charateristics go all these images are extremely poor examples of what the media should

and/or could be. Tonally flat, blocked up shadows, blown highlights...

 

I'm with you on that one! Plus some of the text is bogus (like the comments about raw

covnerting with Photoshop), I took all the rest with a grain of salt. The old "convert to Lab

and toss the a/b channel is so old. I thought these guys only gave bad CMS advice...

 

I like Russel Brown's technique using two Hue/Sat adjustment layers. You have a LOT of

control over that. Here's one I'll share from Greg Gorman and his retoucher Rob Carr which

is pretty astounding:

 

1. Open a color Image in Photoshop in either 8 or preferably 16 bit (Photoshop CS).

 

2. Under the Image menu, choose Mode>Lab.

 

3. Click (Highlight) the Lightness Channel.

 

4. Under Image menu, choose Mode>Grayscale (Discard Color Information).

 

5. Command/Control Click on the Gray Channel (to load the selection).

 

6. Under the Select Menu, choose Image>Inverse.

 

7. Under Image menu, choose Mode>RGB Color.

 

8. In the Adjustment Layers Palette choose Solid Color.

 

9. Select a color from the Color Picker or from the Swatches Palette (which I

prefer). In this example I've picked a warm brown tone.

 

10. Your choice of color should be based on the tonal range you wish to see

in your final B&W.

 

11. Go to your Layers Palette and change your Blending Mode to Multiply.

 

12. Because your Color Fill is on a Layer you may adjust the opacity to dial

back the color to your desire.

 

13. In addition (IMPORTANT), you may add a Curves or Levels Adjustment to

achieve the desired contrast.

 

14. Should you wish to change the color of your B&W "Duotone" simply Double

Click the Color Fill and reselect.

 

Now Mr. Gorman is truly IS a sharp shooter:

[daneev]

Folks, I swear up and down by the imagingfactory.com's convert to black and white pro. it emulates tri-x, t-max, several ilford films, agfa pan... allows you to apply any color filter with any degree of intensity (0-100%), adjust the contrast by grade, adjust the negative exposure, even convert to sepia in variable tones. i'm hardcore black and white person to the end, and i almost cant tell the difference with this. compared to photoshop fiddling, i find it far superior, particularly for someone adept in a darkroom.

 

cheers,

danee