Retouch for B/W pictures

[Vasquez]

Hello!
I've got some pictures of my friend. She's pregnant on the photos and I would like to do some of the in Black and White.
Does anyone know how to retouch beautiful B/W pictures?


Would be grateful for answers

[CJ Swartz]

Welcome to RetouchPro, Vasquez!

Tell us a bit more of what you want to do, and I'm sure that some folks here will have some helpful info.

You have some b/w pictures -- are they prints or on CD or on your computer already? If they are prints, do you have a scanner or access to one to digitize them for editing? Why do they need to be retouched -- if you can upload a sample photo, it gives folks more info to work with when figuring out how to help you.

Do you already know how to do some photo editing? Do you have an editing program? Do you know how to use it? (Photoshop Elements, PSP, Photoshop, GIMP, etc.) Do you want to just get some tips to do it yourself, or start at the beginning to learn retouching and then learn to do them, or do you want to hire a retoucher based on this website to do them for you?

There are lots of b/w images on this website that have been retouched or restored (returned to original after damage from age, accident, etc.). B/W is probably easier to retouch in some ways because you don't have the extra worry of "getting the color right".

[Vasquez]

Originally Posted by CJ Swartz

Welcome to RetouchPro, Vasquez!

Tell us a bit more of what you want to do, and I'm sure that some folks here will have some helpful info.

You have some b/w pictures -- are they prints or on CD or on your computer already? If they are prints, do you have a scanner or access to one to digitize them for editing? Why do they need to be retouched -- if you can upload a sample photo, it gives folks more info to work with when figuring out how to help you.

Do you already know how to do some photo editing? Do you have an editing program? Do you know how to use it? (Photoshop Elements, PSP, Photoshop, GIMP, etc.) Do you want to just get some tips to do it yourself, or start at the beginning to learn retouching and then learn to do them, or do you want to hire a retoucher based on this website to do them for you?

There are lots of b/w images on this website that have been retouched or restored (returned to original after damage from age, accident, etc.). B/W is probably easier to retouch in some ways because you don't have the extra worry of "getting the color right".

Hi, thanks for the quick answer.
Yes I have a Intel Mac Pro and work with Photoshop CS2.
I got the pictures on Ftp which I've downloaded. It's only four pictures.
I know how to use elements for color retouch, but I'm not that familiar with B/W retouch.
So I would like to do it for my self.
Do you guys use the channel mixer for B/W pictures?

[CJ Swartz]

Well, if the images were scanned in RGB mode rather than grayscale (some folks just automatically use grayscale for B/W which reduces the amount of information possible to work with in post processing), then you might still take advantage of the channel mixer for a variety of looks.

What needs retouching? Are you looking at just making some contrast adjustments, noise reduction, skin blemish removal, or more serious actions like fixing under/over-exposure, removing unwanted objects/people, etc?

What do you find different about these photos than the others that you have retouched -- what is worrying you about where to start?