Your best B&W Conversion

[Andy]

OK Gang - let's have your best B&W conversion method.

Here's the image, courtesy of a SmugMug pro who wants to learn how to do better B&W with Photoshop CS2.



Let's have your best conversion. Do you fancy Petteri's Methods? Or, do you prefer Greg Gorman's Methods? Or, do you have your own you'd like to share

Remember, lay our your steps. This guy really wants to learn!

[edgework]

Originally Posted by Andy

OK Gang - let's have your best B&W conversion method.

Here's the image, courtesy of a SmugMug pro who wants to learn how to do better B&W with Photoshop CS2.



Let's have your best conversion. Do you fancy Petteri's Methods? Or, do you prefer Greg Gorman's Methods? Or, do you have your own you'd like to share

Remember, lay our your steps. This guy really wants to learn!

Is this the original, or is there a color version? Much of the technique of enhancing a B&W conversion is to modify the relative strength of channel information to take advantage of contrast differences from one channel to another. Starting with a neutral image eliminates that possibility. If it is the original, the lightest area is reading 35%. Why so flat? Are we talking about conversion, or simply image enhancement?

[Andy]

Originally Posted by edgework

Is this the original, or is there a color version? Much of the technique of enhancing a B&W conversion is to modify the relative strength of channel information to take advantage of contrast differences from one channel to another. Starting with a neutral image eliminates that possibility. If it is the original, the lightest area is reading 35%. Why so flat? Are we talking about conversion, or simply image enhancement?

OK - let's call it image enhancement - this is the only file that's available. Thanks!

[4labs]

I highly recommend image factory conversion software. http://www.theimagingfactory.com/dat.../info/cbwp.htm

Upped the contrast with the multigrade slider.

[edgework]

I have to go do holiday type things with the family; I'll put up my steps later. This is the kind of image where you "Try A, try B, try C, and if that doesn't work, Try X, Y and Z." I think I tried them all.

[DavidTO]

Here's mine:



I did that almost entirely with curves. I knew I wanted to deepen the blacks and increase the range of contrast in the image. I also made a second layer and added a touch of HIRALOAM...Rutt explains it better elsewhere in this forum, so do a quick search on it...

[david_h]

And mine.

I thought this couple would go well with a "gritty" old film look.
Use Kevin Kubota's BW enhance/warm action, added some grain, used curve adjustment to add a bit of contrast. Added vinguette.

[4labs]

one more try using same software and a toning layer.

[burke]

I did a curves bump, a channel mixer adjustment, and lastly a 'defog' (USM)

[DoctorIt]

I'm always interested in b/w conversion too... remember, Andy said "lay out the steps." I'm seeing lots of attempts at a better conversion here, but not a lot of tutorial.