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