Converting Color Photographs to Black and White
Dennis Fritsche
September 4, 2012
B&W Conversion- Dennis Fritsche
Converting to Black and White
• What is different about Black and White (B&W) photography in the digital age?
• What are good candidates for conversion to B&W?• What makes a good B&W image?• What are the options for converting to B&W
– Lightroom– Photoshop– Nik Software Silver Effects Pro 2
• After Conversion• Resources9/4/2012
B&W Conversion- Dennis Fritsche
Resources
Mastering black and white digital photography by Michael Freeman
9/4/2012
B&W Conversion- Dennis Fritsche
Digital B&W Photography
• With film, conversion was done at the time of capture– Film choice for contrast, grain, tonal qualities– Exposure to maintain shadow detail– Filtration to set tones, especially the sky
• In the darkroom, developing and printing rounded out the vision of the photographer
• In the digital world– We expose to maintain the highlights– Many other decisions are then made at the time of
conversion on the computer9/4/2012
B&W Conversion- Dennis Fritsche
Good Candidates for B&W
• I often know in advance which images will be B&W but sometimes I decide later.
• Generally I look for images– Where color does not add to the image and may even
distract– Where shape, texture, and geometry are significant
elements– Where the subject can be better isolated
9/4/2012
B&W Conversion- Dennis Fritsche
A Good B&W Photograph
• Well, it all depends on the subject, the lighting, the tonal range available, and mostly the intent.
• Before you start conversion, consider what you want the image to convey and then decide– What are the tools to emphasize your subject– The key you want – high, low, full range– How contrasty– How much detail
• Learn to dodge and burn to really exploit tones.• My processing has moved from mid-tones, low contrast to
higher contrast and lower tones.9/4/2012
B&W Conversion- Dennis Fritsche
Adjusting Color Relationships
• Two basic approaches• Adjust a color up or down while leaving the others
alone. (Remember the primaries are mixed all over.)• Use a filter to let a certain color through while
blocking the other colors. The film approach. • I tend to use the filter approach.• Some very successful B&W photographers simply
desaturate all the colors and don’t adjust the color relationships.
9/4/2012
B&W Conversion- Dennis Fritsche
Lightroom Conversion• Develop Module
• B&W
• Try Auto
• Double click B&W Mix to Reset
• Move individual sliders to change tonalaity for that color
• Or Adjust area on the image and LR chooses what colors are in that area.
• Repeat until tonalities arrange themselves in a pleasing manner.
9/4/2012
B&W Conversion- Dennis Fritsche
Photoshop Conversion
9/4/2012
• Create B&W Adjustment Layer
• Try Auto
• Double click B&W to Reset
• Move individual sliders to change tonalaity for that color
• Or Adjust area on the image and LR chooses what colors are in that area.
• Repeat until tonalities arrange themselves in a pleasing manner.
B&W Conversion- Dennis Fritsche
Nik Software Silver Efex Pro 2• I use the color filter
method to set the tonal relations
• In this case an orange filter has the effect of brightening yellow and red and darkening blue.
• Try all the filter colors with the slider.
9/4/2012
B&W Conversion- Dennis Fritsche
After Conversion
• The real work starts after the conversion to make global and local adjustments to brightness and contrast.
• Important Tools– Curves and masks– Dodge and burn– Nik Software Silver Efex Pro 2
9/4/2012
B&W Conversion- Dennis Fritsche
Soft Light Dodge and Burn• In Photoshop• Layer/New Layer• Name it• Mode “Soft Light”• Check “Fill with Soft-Light
Neutral (50% Gray)”• “OK”• Select the Paint Brush• To darken use black brush and
start about 20-25 % opacity• To Lighten use white brush 10-12
Opacity• Paint directly on the image.• Make it an Action because you
will use it all the time!9/4/2012
B&W Conversion- Dennis Fritsche
Nik Software Silver Efex Pro 2 Tuning• The real strength is the
control over global adjustments in tonal ranges of brightness, contrast, and structure
• Proprietary and very smart dynamic brightness and soft contrast
• Local adjustments with U-point technology (smart masking) of all the parameters.
9/4/2012
And Then There is Printing
well, Maybe Another Time
That’s All for Tonight
Thanks