how's my conversion?

[calmom]

ok, i don't care too much about composition or anything here. i want to improve my b&w conversion. what i like about this is the depth of the image, like i can reach out and touch her fur. i don't care for the muddy,flat b&w look and i was trying to get away from that here. any suggestions for improving?

 

[LaFoto]

To me it feels like this photo wasn't all sharp to begin with, there was camera shake, however mildly, that has been compensated by USM. This makes your dog's fur VERY sharp and a bit hard on my eyes.
And it looks like the whites are just beyond the brink of too white.

(But that could well be my old eyes........).

 

[PNA]

You might want to try this.....

 

[calmom]

LaFoto, thanks so much for the insight. True, I think my ss was 1/30, darnit. I've got to watch that ss!

When I did the usm, i did a double take because something looked a little off and i guess this was it.

if the ss had been higher, do you think the usm would have made it look better, not worse?

acsonpg, thank you! i don't have ps yet but i think i should be able to try that in the gimp.