I have been asked to explain how i achieve my B&W processing so i have created this post, im not saying this is how it should be done but i was asked about it.
start with your image
1 first i change the colour image to B&W using image > adjustments > black and white
2 i usually select auto on this but if i want to make the sky more dramatic adjusting the blue channel can help a lot
3 next i created a contrast/brightness adjustment layer, and pushed the contrast up as much as it needed to go, most of the time it goes nearly all the way
4 then i create an exposure adjustment layer and adjust it to where the picture is very dark, its guesswork where i put it really but it has to be very dark. it doesnt matter how dark it is as we will be inverting the mask image > adjustment >invert while the adjustment layer mask is selected, this will return the picture back to how it was
rename the layer darks
4 now create another exposure adjustment layer but this time over expose it, and then invert the layer mask and rename the layer lights
5 your layer palette's should now look like this
6 and the photo looks like this
7 select a brush and make sure your working on the layer mask of the darks (click on the white box next to darks on the layers palette) then make sure the colour palette is white or the brush will have no effect.
8 select an opacity level of about 10% but you can tailor this to suit your needs, the more % the more aggressive the effect will be
8 now heres the creative bit, gently brush in the dark areas and they will start to get darker, because the brush is at 10% it only has a slight ffect and you can build up the darkness a little with each stroke, if the effect is too much just adjust lower the brush opacity.
if you go to dark just press x and this will reverse the colour of the brush and you can erase the part thats too dark and bring it back
9 now click on the lights layer mask and repeat but this time enhancing the light areas using the same technique as above
this isn't the end of it as you do normal tweaks sharpening cropping but this is how i get most of it done, i hope this has been of some use, im not very good at this sort of thing so if it doesnt make sense just say and i will try and rectify it
One suggestion: Before converting a color image to B&W, set black point and white point on the color image. That'll give you a wider range of options for adjusting colors in the BW filter.
cannockwolf wrote:
thanks for the input, i'm always eager to learn!
One other suggestion: At step 1, instead of Image > Adjustments > Black and White, open the B&W filter as an adjustment layer. That gives you the option of returning to that filter for fine tuning after you've added other adjustment layers.
Alvit, there are many times when color actually detracts from the story told in the image. Or at high ISO, any corrections end up with funky color. B&W becomes the solution, often making a dramatic statement.
Alvit, these are two different art forms. Ansel Adams vs Elliot Porter. Both are legitimate, To create a good b&w image, you really need to think b&w from the start. It is all about shape and contrast. What makes using a color camera so great is you can apply filters during post processing, whereas when we shot film the filter you used was the filter you got stuck with.
