Black and White Advice

[Laxdad80]

I am looking for a book/DVD/Video/Article on B/W photography (for a beginner) with my Nikon D7000. Any recommendations? I was also wondering about a good post processing program. Is it necessary to have one to shoot good B/W? If so which one do you recommend?

 

[DiskoJoe]

Get photoshop or at least lightroom. I like to convert mine to a gray scale using the raw converter with photoshop. This way you can adjust the individual colors.

 

[snoobies]

Another good and popular way is to go through Channel Mixer (Image > Adjustments > Channel Mixer) and check Monochrome at the bottom, then you can adjust each of the colors that way too.

 

[TCampbell]

Probably the gold standard for B&W processing is Nik Silver Efex Pro. But it's a plug-in... so it requires Photoshop, Lightroom, or Aperture. They have a good video on their website that takes through a sample editing of a B&W to show what it can do.

 

[gsgary]

Shoot b+w film and do it properly

 

[Buckster]

Probably the gold standard for B&W processing is Nik Silver Efex Pro. But it's a plug-in... so it requires Photoshop, Lightroom, or Aperture. They have a good video on their website that takes through a sample editing of a B&W to show what it can do.

^This.

 

[ann]

Find a copy of either John Paul Caponigro's Black and white mastery, or Vincent Versaca's Welcome to Oz or his most recent upgrade From Oz to Kansas. You will have more information than you can image.

 

[KmH]

+1 ↑↑↑↑↑↑

Don't use the Monochrome setting in the D7000's Picture Controls.

In Lightroom use the HSL/Grayscale panel, and in Photoshop use a B&W adjustment layer or the Channel Mixer.
With those you can adjust the contrast/density of multiple colors with in the photo as gray tones.

 

[Laxdad80]

What is Lightroom? What is the easiest post processing program for a guy who has a day job?

 

[Laxdad80]

Where can I get channel mixer? Is it free?

 

[MTVision]

Where can I get channel mixer? Is it free?

Part of photoshop

 

[ann]

Channel mixer can be found in a variety of software, check the software that came with your camera.

 

[jackmolotov]

kodak tri-x 400,

then an assortment of yellow, orange and red filters depending on conditions and how much contrast you consider "too tacky".