B & W Conversion

[gw2424]

I am having quite a bit of trouble creating a successful black and white conversion.

--Are there any tips and tricks?
--I am editing in Picasa.

Thanks,
Gabe

 

[480sparky]

We first need to know what is failing.

 

[gw2424]

I am interested in getting images with greater contrast. (Such as this one: _MG_5040 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!)

This is an image I would like to improve: IMG_9643 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[480sparky]

Let's start off by taking a look at what you're working with. Post what you have now.

 

[nycphotography]

First... use Photoshop (or GIMP because it's Free)

Second, don't "Desaturate", rather "Channel Mix to Monochrome".

This is the digital post processing equivalent of applying filters (say RED #24 or YELLOW #4) to the b&w film.

 

[gw2424]

I like the image in color a bit more but I would like to see its black and white potential

 

[gw2424]

I am on Gimp and X11

 

[nycphotography]

Download gimp v2.8.2

Gimp -> colors -> components -> channel mixer

[x] monochrome
plus red (152.6), minus green (-7.4) minus blue (-25.2)

Export as JPG.

 

[nycphotography]

I didn't do any sharpening or other processing... I figure once you get into gimp, you can start learning all that that too ;-)

 

[gw2424]

I didn't do any sharpening or other processing... I figure once you get into gimp, you can start learning all that that too ;-)

Sharpening is pretty much self-explanatory :greenpbl:. Those highlights are really harsh!

Thank You

 

[nycphotography]

I didn't do any sharpening or other processing... I figure once you get into gimp, you can start learning all that that too ;-)

Sharpening is pretty much self-explanatory :greenpbl:. Those highlights are really harsh!

Thank You

You said you wanted more contrast... I got you more contrast w/o even touching the contrast sliders ;-)

You can always work in layers... desaturate the bottom layer, and channel mix the top layer... then transparency erase blown out areas of the top layer (with a ~25% feathered eraser brush) to restore detail in "blown out" areas. Then flatten down into a single layer.

(I don't know how to do this in gimp... but that's what I would do in CS3. I'm assuming you can do this in Gimp in the year 2012.)

 

[gw2424]

I didn't do any sharpening or other processing... I figure once you get into gimp, you can start learning all that that too ;-)

Sharpening is pretty much self-explanatory :greenpbl:. Those highlights are really harsh!

Thank You

You said you wanted more contrast... I got you more contrast w/o even touching the contrast sliders ;-)

You can always work in layers... desaturate the bottom layer, and channel mix the top layer... then transparency erase blown out areas of the top layer (with a ~25% feathered eraser brush) to restore detail in "blown out" areas. Then flatten down into a single layer.

(I don't know how to do this in gimp... but that's what I would do in CS3. I'm assuming you can do this in Gimp in the year 2012.)

Thanks for the help! Much appreciated.

 

[Ysarex]

I am having quite a bit of trouble creating a successful black and white conversion.

--Are there any tips and tricks?
--I am editing in Picasa.

Thanks,
Gabe

Don't edit in Picasa. Don't edit anything in Picasa ever.

You mention GIMP further down the thread. GIMP will do the job. When translating color to B&W you want to pay attention to how colors convert to B&W tones. Not only is GIMP's channel mixer a good tool, but you can take the channel mixer far beyond simply a single overall conversion for the entire photo. It's possible to use different channel mixer values for different parts of the photo. Another trick is to actually alter the colors of the original before conversion to then alter the resulting tones. I did that with this example.

Joe

 

[gw2424]

I am having quite a bit of trouble creating a successful black and white conversion.

--Are there any tips and tricks?
--I am editing in Picasa.

Thanks,
Gabe

Don't edit in Picasa. Don't edit anything in Picasa ever.

You mention GIMP further down the thread. GIMP will do the job. When translating color to B&W you want to pay attention to how colors convert to B&W tones. Not only is GIMP's channel mixer a good tool, but you can take the channel mixer far beyond simply a single overall conversion for the entire photo. It's possible to use different channel mixer values for different parts of the photo. Another trick is to actually alter the colors of the original before conversion to then alter the resulting tones. I did that with this example.

Joe

View attachment 29975

I really like that conversion! Was that through Gimp?

 

[480sparky]

To increase contrast, I wouldn't even touch the contrast sliders. Use the Curves instead.... much more control.