B&W image conversions

[nebulaoperator]

Hi everyone. I am looking for some tips/links/tutorials on how to do RGB image to B&W conversion. I don't just want to press B&W conversion in photoshop I rather look for some more advanced techniques. Thank for your help

[mistermonday]

There are more than a dozen ways to go from RGB to B&W, but you are correct that most of them are single command executions. For more accuracy, control, and creativity, try a B&W Adjustment layer in PS or use a HDR software with a Tone Mapping module.
Regards, Murray

[nebulaoperator]

I have tried to convert to grayscale and then do mode>duotone .Quiet new to this. But would like to hear if anyone practice this way. RGB>grayscale and then gives a play around in duotone mode or others.

[thehjj]

Here's a pretty good article on it.
http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/201...n-black-white/

[Repairman]

@neb. I like to use tritone to enhance B/W - normally black and 2 greys. You have to fiddle with the curves to get the right proportion of each and every image is different so trial and error is necessary to get it right. Many years ago, when designing brochures for Ilford, the B/W photo company, I had the priviledge of having original photographs of Bresson, Lartigue, Adams etc in my care. The quality of those B/W prints proved to me that photography was an art. In order to reproduce those images in a catalogue we printed them as duotones (black and very light grey). It really helped capture the tonal feel of the originals. IMO, those masters achieved tones in their B/W prints which most of us can only dream about.

[nebulaoperator]

repairmen I can only sit now and dream about that opportunity you had.
Talking about curves when using lets say tritones or quadtones it seems to me curves works different from normal ones. Maybe it is just me but cant find how to disable the black dot on the curve I nearly got crossed but realise later have to learn that too.

Anyway did you learned it from a particular site or forum? Thank you.

[nebulaoperator]

thehjj thank you.My bookmarks are getting fatThough it is basic technique in my opinion I know I will come back your link again and again.

[Boneappetit]

I agree with Murray, B & W layer, or an HDR program are the most powerful to deal with B and W, they both have a lot of alternatives to adjust to your like.... On the other hand Silver Effects Pro is also a good plug in for this kind of works.

[andrewrodney]

Here’s a good one too:
http://photoshopnews.com/2009/03/19/...te-conversion/

[Boneappetit]

Hey Andrew: That's a pretty cool video, thanx for posting the link...

[nebulaoperator]

bonneapetit one think I am a bit confused is HDR processing on a single image. I thought for HDR processing you need multiply images . Correct me please. Thank you

[nebulaoperator]

Thank you andrewrodney, very interesting link. I will definitely try this one too.

[Boneappetit]

Originally Posted by nebulaoperator

bonneapetit one think I am a bit confused is HDR processing on a single image. I thought for HDR processing you need multiply images . Correct me please. Thank you

Yes, you are right, pure HDR needs at least 3 different exposures, I've seen some works of people using as much as 9 exposures. What I do is the following: Convert original file (photo) to TIF, and create different exposures of it as TIF also, using Camera Raw. But it's not always necesary to create different exposures, because some pictures are so good they don't need extra exposures, just run them thru your HDR tonemapping program, settings, and you are good to go. This is called Faux HDR or Pseudo HDR. After that, I re-process the HDR result in Photoshop, using various features of the program. Brightness and contrast, Denoising the HDR result etc.

Hope this helps...

[holgaman]

Hi nebulaoperator,
You didn't mention what software you have, or I missed it, but if you have Capture One, try the B&W profiles from JFI Labs - http://www.jfilabs.com/. The film set for $19.95 is the one I would recommend. These are profiles are made specifically to be used in Capture One, used in place of the standard profile for your camera. You choose the film you would like to emulate and then do the adjustments to the raw file from there. Best tonal transitions I've seen. There are plugin programs that also let you choose a specific film type, but in my opinion are not nearly as good as the JFI profiles.

[nebulaoperator]

Boneappetit, thank ou this is very helpful. Was not aware I can do faux HDR. great tips. I saw some works of your HDR processing. Great work.

[nebulaoperator]

holgaman,

From what you are saying jfi is good. Just followed your link and no trial is offered. sad. thank you. Oh yes I use CS5

[Boneappetit]

Originally Posted by nebulaoperator

Boneappetit, thank ou this is very helpful. Was not aware I can do faux HDR. great tips. I saw some works of your HDR processing. Great work.

Thanx a bunch mate... Glad I can help...

[DannyRaphael]

Learn about "luminosity masks" which can be applied to BW as well as color images. Especially useful for contrast adjustments in BW.

Great website: http://goodlight.us/writing/luminosi...tymasks-1.html

The actions are worth every dime to simplify the process.

[nebulaoperator]

Hi Danny,

Thank you for luminosity suggestion. Great link. I used luminosity mask . It worked better for shadows
. Though I followed all steps in that tutorial it did not work well on midtones. Originally photo was way overexposed. I was hoping I would have greater seperation highlights, midtones, shadows. I don't know what to think at the moment.

[fraiseap]

One of my favourite methods of B&W conversion involves creating 2 Hue & Saturation layers above the background. The top Hue/Sat layer is set to color blend mode and desaturated completely. The bottom Hue/Sat layer allows you to adjust the hue to emulate any colored filter.

[andrewrodney]

Originally Posted by fraiseap

One of my favourite methods of B&W conversion involves creating 2 Hue & Saturation layers above the background. The top Hue/Sat layer is set to color blend mode and desaturated completely. The bottom Hue/Sat layer allows you to adjust the hue to emulate any colored filter.

That’s a really good one, originally from Adobe’s Russell Brown. There’s a step by step here:
http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/ph...s8colorbw.html

[nebulaoperator]

fraiseap thank you a lot. Andrew... and you followed with a great link I will take a look later and then guys I'll give you feedback. Nice one

[amica999]

Originally Posted by DannyRaphael

Learn about "luminosity masks" which can be applied to BW as well as color images. Especially useful for contrast adjustments in BW.

Great website: http://goodlight.us/writing/luminosi...tymasks-1.html

The actions are worth every dime to simplify the process.

or grab it here: http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/blo...ity-masks.html

:-)

[sehmuzb]

I am surprised no one suggested the : http://www.blackandwhitedigital.com/Convert/index.html

I use Gorman-Holbert for most of my portraits:
http://www.blackandwhitedigital.com/...ty/gorman.html

In combination with film curves for contrast & additional grain simulation. It uses LAB conversion with luminosity masks and unfortunately a destructive conversion.

-sehmuzb

[nebulaoperator]

amica thank you the great action!
sehmuzb for some time I was wondering what people to with they B&W conversions? They do Taeger Enhancement.That is enhancement! Thank you

[andrewrodney]

Originally Posted by sehmuzb

I use Gorman-Holbert for most of my portraits:
http://www.blackandwhitedigital.com/...ty/gorman.html

It is also referred to as the Carr Method after its developer Rob Carr.

Robb is Greg’s retoucher and he’s ASTOUNDING! Started decades ago retouching traditionally using dyes and such on 8x10 transparencies. Taught himself Photoshop years ago. The guy is amazing. And shameless plug, he’ll be teaching (with me) at Greg’s Mendocino workshop in October. Save your pennies!

http://www.gormanworkshops.com/Calendar.html

[sehmuzb]

Andrew,

Thanks for the link, it's a shame I can not attend the workshop with both Gorman & Holbert this May. Maybe I come to yours in October.

-sehmuz

[nebulaoperator]

Thank you everyone. Lately have little time and also spent some time looking at and studying all suggested methods and links you provided me. B&W is a real beauty to me. Here is my recent work using non destructive channel mixer method with some gradient map and couple more things.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3750244...in/photostream