Black & White Conversion in PS - Best Way?

[bethany138]

I have used both the desaturate method and the lab color method.

What do you think is the best way to convert color to B&W?
And which will print nicer?

 

['Daniel']

I desaturate then work with curves, sometimes I curve so it looks good then desaturate and then do extra work with contrast etc. However it could just be my mind but I think that it's best to take the photos in black and white originally if possible in digital.

 

[pursuer]

The channel mixer, hands down.

 

[woodsac]

I'm a plug-in junkie Digital Film Tools or NIK

But for converting without them, channel mixer!!! I still do all the normal adjustments I would do to a color photo before I convert. Then there's always some little tweeking to do after the conversion.

 

[DocFrankenstein]

Alsways shoot color raw

Then put it in photoshop and
1) Use Channel mixer
or

2) Go to Image -> Adjustments -> Photofilter and then select the one you like

 

[danalec99]

What do you think is the best way to convert color to B&W?

There is no 'best way'. Some are happy with desaturation, some with Channel Mixer and yet others are comfy with the Gradient Map. A bunch of others with the plugins. You have to figure out your comfort zone.

I)
- I shoot in RAW, and Desaturate the image in the Adobe RAW Developer
- Then I play with the Contrast and Brightness in the RAW Developer itself

In PS, before I save as .tiff, I might play with Shadow/Highlights, Curves and/or Brightness & Contrast (if needed) and the USM.

II)
If the image is .jpeg, I use the Channel Mixer
- Monochrome/60-40-0
- Play with Shadow/Highlights, Curves and/or Brightness & Contrast (if needed) and the USM.

 

[Digital Matt]

The channel mixer, hands down.

Agreed. I think there is indeed a best way, and that is it. Gives you the most control over the final look.

 

[bethany138]

I don't know how to do channel mixer. :blushing:

Explanation?? :mrgreen:

 

[Meysha]

For the Channel Mixer:

Click, Layer -> New Adjustment Layer -> Channel Mixer

Then tick the 'monochrome' box. Change levels to suit your photo.
Hit OK.
Done! :mrgreen:

 

[Digital Matt]

For the Channel Mixer:

Click, Layer -> New Adjustment Layer -> Channel Mixer

Then tick the 'monochrome' box. Change levels to suit your photo.
Hit OK.
Done! :mrgreen:

1 thing to note is, you want the percentages to equal 100%, however you do it. Like 60% Red, 40% Blue, or 80 red, 10 green, 10 blue, for instance.

Another thing you can do then is, after you've set up the channel mixer how you want it, duplicate it, set the new layers blend mode to soft light, and then adjust the opacity as desired for more contrast.

 

[bethany138]

Good tips!

I tried the channel mixer but it didn't seem to work right...so this time I will use 100%.

Good Stuff... :hug::


Anybody else got a favorite b&w conversion????
Maybe a specific action (please share if you do)!? :mrgreen:

 

[bethany138]

Are there any more techniques anyone would like to share with us??

:hug::

 

[JohnMF]

Like most people here i think, i prefare to use the channel mixer as explained above (channel mixer allows you to recreate the effects that using a coloured filters would do in traditional photog). However i dont always think it is the best choice all of the time. I usually try afew different techniques, and then see which one i prefare.

 

[luisps]

Have you tried the Film & Filter technique from guru Russell Brown? Here you have the link:

http://www.russellbrown.com/tips_tech.html

Near the end of the web page look for Seeing in Black & White. There
you have a Quicktime Tutorial explaining the technique.

Hope you like. Regards.

Luis (from Spain)

 

[e_]

**CREDIT: Russell Brown

Hello Bethany

...another cool B&W conversion tip using Photoshop which i've written up into 8 easy steps (note - this will also work in Adobe Elements):

1. Open original document and duplicate for conversion (never mess with your original)

2. On the duplicate image, go - Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation > click OK > click OK > set Layer control to "color"

3. Repeat step [2.] as follows, go - Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation > click OK > slide "Saturation" slider to "-100%" > click OK

4. In the Layer control panel - double click on the "Hue/Saturation #1" box and your fun begins: play with the "Hue" slider to achieve the desired affect

5. Fine tune your image using the Curves or Levels tool

6. Save, either -

(a) To keep a copy of the image file with all layers intact - "Save As" in the Photoshop format/PSD* and check the "Layers" box in the "Save Options" window. You can then return at any time to make further adjustments for printing if required

(b) To save normally there are two steps. First, go - "Layer" > "Flatten Image" and then "Save As" in the format of choice (TIFF, JPEG, etc)

7. Done!

8. Have fun ...



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