# Best Black and White Conversion



## d70girl (Aug 9, 2006)

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I really want my black and whites to "pop" and normally mine just look flat.  Does anyone have any advice for the best way to convert them in Photoshop?  

I'm still having a little trouble knowing how to use the Curves function.  Normally I just desaturate and play with the Brightness and Contrast until it looks okay.  

Advice wanted!!!


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## Peanuts (Aug 9, 2006)

Well, technically there is no 'correct' way in all cases. Some image appeal better with a very contrasty black and white which to achieve this look I apply gradient map in addition to channel mixers (monochrome checked) and play around with the sliders to approximately come out with a total among the three of 100.   

Depending on the values, it may look like this:






Meanwhile a softer black and white might be achieved by making a duplicate layer, changing the blending mode to soft light, channel mixers, and then using the hue/saturation to make it a black and white.
That method was used for this:





Essentially it is just play around and see how they come out.  Have you tried using Levels before? I find it somewhat easier to use then curves (I often 'over use' curves and end up with a picture that is just entirely wrong)

Sorry I wasn't much help


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## Atlas (Aug 10, 2006)

Hi,

You may want to check out this site : http://dgrin.smugmug.com/How-To/143180

It has quite a few good tutorials...



Atlas


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## Big Mike (Aug 10, 2006)

Here is a quick & simple method.



> 1. Add a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer (Layer->New Adjustment Layer->Hue/Saturation); click 'OK' and set its Blending Mode in the Layers palette from 'Normal' to 'Color'.
> 2. Add another Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer; set the Saturation at -100 and click 'OK'. Keep its Blending Mode at 'Normal'. Now you have two Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layers (using Adjustment Layers causes the least amount of damage to the image's pixels).
> 3. Double-click on the layer thumbnail of the bottom Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer.
> 4. The 'Hue' slider is what makes it all happen-move it around to see how the conversion reacts. You can also boost the saturation to make the effect more drastic.
> 5. Adjust it to your liking, and you're done! Tweaking the 'Hue' slider results in as if the picture was taken with different color filters.


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## fotogenik (Aug 13, 2006)

Atlas said:
			
		

> Hi,
> 
> You may want to check out this site : http://dgrin.smugmug.com/How-To/143180
> 
> ...



THose are really nice, thanks for the linkage.

Cheers,


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## markc (Aug 13, 2006)

I think the lighting in those two images is having too big of an impact to make a good comparison, but thanks for the info. That second one wasn't a way I was aware of.

Setting a good black point and white point after the conversion will have a big impact on the contrast of the image, and curves will help a lot with relative or local contrast. Lacking contrast is usually the main reason a b&w image lacks pop. Peanut's second image has softer diffuse light than the first one, but they both "pop", because they both have good image contrast.


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## markc (Aug 13, 2006)

BTW, using brightness and contrast is considered destructive editing, meaning the pixels can lose their distinction from each other. I would look up tutorials on how to use levels/curves with adjustment layers. And instead of dodge/burn, which is also destructive, you can mask those layers.


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## inneist (Aug 13, 2006)

Thanks a lot, really, for everyone's informative tidbits.



			
				Big Mike said:
			
		

> Here is a quick & simple method.



I spent the last several hours trying to find the parallel way in GIMP, but stumbled at the very first step. In the GIMP Hue Saturation Box, there's a selection of several primary colors to modify, but which one for the purpose of black-and-white conversion? I recall having read somewhere that green is the most important, is it true? And for the 'Hue' slider you talked about I was unable to find the right button.

My second question is, since there's a simple operation: right-click on the image goes to layer goes to color goes to desaturate, how do you compare this one and the process you recommended?

Thirdly, when doing B&W conversion, what important considerations are there in weighing a choice between the Grayslide route and the Desaturation route?

Again, warm gratitude for what I've learnt from this thread.


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## Remi M. (Aug 18, 2006)

Here is what I do.

1. I try the 3 different channels in the channels pallet.  To quickly see what each one looks like in black and white.

2. Than I create a channel mixer layer: click on monochrome and play around with the channels sliders till i get what I want.

3.  I create a levels layer.  Than I click and hold the brightness slider (triangle) while holding ALT.  I slide it to the left until I see the beginnings of pure whites than I back of a tad.  Than I click and hold the shadows slider while holding ALT until I see pure black and I back of a tad.  All this gives me a greater dynamic range.  But it makes the image looks hazy...

4.  I create a curves layer.  Than I give it the classic contrast S curve.  By moving a point a 1/4 of the way from the top of the line up a little.  Than by moving a point on the line a 1/4 of the way up from the bottom, down a little.


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## David (Aug 23, 2006)

My favourite method is similar to that quoted by Big Mike:

1. Create a 'Selective Colour' adjustment layer above your image and just click ok for now.
2. Create a 'Hue/Saturation' adjustment layer above the last one, and set the desaturation to 100% and click ok.
3. Now double click the icon of the 'Selective Color' layer and let the fun begin.

Using this method you have complete control over the C, M, Y & K values for the Reds, Yellows, Greens, Cyans, Blues, Whites, Neutrals and Blacks. This allows you to separately affect each individual colour as well as the highlights, midtones and shadows. It's great for getting punchy skies on Black and White images, especially if you forgot your ND gradient filters!

There's so many ways to skin this cat, that you need to find the one that's right for you, so this one is added to the list to increase the choice.

David


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## JDP (Aug 23, 2006)

For me, I juse go to Layers > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map - then I choose the Black and White gradient and I have a B&W shot very close to what I like to see, then I just fiddle with curves/levels and such.


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## Soocom1 (Aug 23, 2006)

Try this for size: 
Adjustments/Hue-Sat-Color/ De-saturate the color to B&W.
Then go 
Adjustments/color balance/ then add a touch of yellow and red. 
Adjust your contrast and brightness and exposure as necessary.


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## bigfatbadger (Aug 24, 2006)

I've had some good results from the 'one click actions' actions, from here: 
http://www.1clickactions.com/about.htm


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