Preferred way

[jswift]

So many great b/w photos here, I am wondering if there is a preferred way of making a b/w. There was a great issue of Digital Photographer (issue 7) with a lot on b/w methods. It sounded as though using the lab mode was marginally the preferred method. But I wondered what methods people here use.

[Tom V]

I usually find the L channel from L*A*B mode works the best.

I convert the RGB Mode image to LAB Mode, then deactivate the A and B channels, leaving just the L channel active (Command - 1) and then convert to GRAYSCALE Mode.

[sandman]

I've only elements 2 so i'm without the benefit of the L.A.B. channel
However there are 3 main ways .
1.. To quickly judge if a photo is suitable, just ''remove colour''
if you adjust using levels before changing to B&W, change from RGB to the red channel only and increase it slightly, this i find gives the whites a purer feel.
2.. Go into ''colours'' and de-saturate, this gives you not only finer control but also the chance to colourise your image to any hue afterwards.
3.. My prefered method is to make a gradient map using an adjustment layer, click on the pure B&W square in the default menu , you can then adjust the black and white point , or change the opicity of the gradient , to any value that you prefer .
You can go into the adjustments menu and pick the gradient map from there , but this does not give you a separate layer so you lose the option of changes later on .
I'm not sure if any of these methods is feisable in PS7 or CS. but it may help some of you using elements only.

Brian

Or you could just take the picture in black and white in the first place..:) :)

[Swampy]

In CS, there's Image>Convert>B&W

From there, it pops up a menu and you have about 27 different ways of converting to B&W. Pick one and a new adjustment window pops up for the method of conversion you chose. You can hit enter/click on OK and be done, or adjust the properties as you see fit.

I Bet Brian is on the web ordering CS now.

Everything I just said is a joke and doesn't really exist in CS, but, I thought it's been a while since I've given Brian a really hard time. :P

[sandman]

Does'nt seem that long ago.:)
But i am seriously thinking about CS . it's only the $1000 price tag in the UK and the fact that i won't need all the web elements thats making me think twice , be honest if your company had'nt bought it , would you have ,without thinking about it long and hard .

Brian

[Andre]

I like to use Gradient Map layers. You can choose a B&W one, but then you can edit it to achieve the black (and white) levels you want, and even toss in a hint of color.

I find that this gives a lot of flexibility to the overall tone of the image, including the shadows.

[Swampy]

Brian - I was pissed that my company was taking so long to get it. I mean, 5 or 6 days after the release? I actually stood up out of my chair a few times on day 2 and 3 ready to drive out to get a copy with my own money. If the company wouldn't have been getting it, I surely would have bought it immediately. So THERE! :P

[sandman]

Well that puts me in my place AGAIN.
In the meantime it's still lashing down over here so i'm searching my hard drive for shots to convert.

Brian

[Linda G]

Swampy,

Your made up version for conversion had ME on the edge of my seat with the 'buy' button poised. I have a friend who has the Nik filters with that included. I really like it but the price is prohibitive for me, plus the image is reduced and you can't tell that well until you convert.

My company has not bought CS, it's the busy season and we really don't have time to take to familiarize ourselves with it right now. I've been told we'll get it after the first of the year, but our company is going to be undergoing many changes about that time, not sure they'll really get it then.

I just keep saying (truthfully), "What message does that say to our customers when we don't have the top of the line programs?"

[Swampy]

There's really nothing for you to familiarize yourself with. It comes up almost exactly the same. Different splash screen, and a getting started window shows up at the start - which you can turn off from that pop up window. All the old features are still there, with the additional's. The browser looks about the same, but has some different views available from 7 I think, plus, it was nice to see a directory with JPG's, TIF's, RAF's and DCR's all show up with thumbnails.

I'd think, if there's enough "free time" to install it, it'd be dumb not to get it. You can work the same way, then, in "free time" play around with the new features. Think I may post some before's and after's of the new features now. Stay tuned.

[Linda G]

I'm stayong tuned, but the free time is the problem. This time of year there IS none, and if there were something fun to try, we'd find some nonfree time to do it! It'll wait. Then, too, we'll have all those customer's payments from the busy season to pay for new stuff!

[mjn]

Originally posted by jswift
So many great b/w photos here, I am wondering if there is a preferred way of making a b/w. There was a great issue of Digital Photographer (issue 7) with a lot on b/w methods. It sounded as though using the lab mode was marginally the preferred method. But I wondered what methods people here use.

I shoot B/W directly in the S2 - Gives the best result in my opinion.


Br
Morten

[coughlin47]

:D Swampy - You Had Me! I read your first paragraph, then off to CS I went, looking for the Image/Convert/BW - alas, it wasn't an option - of course it must be an option elsewhere...so I looked, and looked..then decided to go back and read your post...Guess I learned a lesson - read the entire post first!
Regards,
Bill

[S_Leeper]

First: I too was taken with swampy's joke, not being familiar with CS I figured it was like PhotoImpact which does (I assume) a simplistic conversion.

Re Linda G's comment:
"... I just keep saying (truthfully), "What message does that say to our customers when we don't have the top of the line programs?'"

Working for a fortune 100 I used to think the same, we only recently (about 6-12 months ago) started having our laptops configured with XP instead of Windows 95 (though during the transition you could get 98 if you asked nice.)

Now I follow the same advise I used when I was young regarding cars--paraphrased... "If it still works, don't touch it."

Of course, after the busy season time to upgrade, assuming the new product helps your workflow &/or quality, since that is all your customers really care about.
(Which is why I am not concerned that we are still using Office 97, the latter versions have nothing I/we need--not that it is my decision anyway.)

[RoyA]

i'm using photoshop 7.

i've found that using Channel Mixer (monochrome) gives great results. i end up tweaking r / g / b channels to my liking (usually 50 50 0, or 50 0 50).

[Linda G]

I'm not sure what structure your company was, but ours is very small, just a few over 20 employed there on a good day.

Our customers call in for advice on everything from a broken camera/light set up to photoshop help. I won't be able, obviously, to give them advice, they will know they have invested more than we have on technology (in that field)

Linda