Black and white pictures

I love how many ways there are to control the dynamic range and subtle contrast in LightRoom. I always just make a duplicate (of the RAW file) and convert there.
 
Just found out that I can change pictures in my camera to black and white after I have taken the picture, it is on the options in play mode. From what you are all saying though it is better to convert it into black and white using software.

Yes. I assume you are shooting in JPEG (not saving a RAW file). So, in your case, I would set your camera to shoot in color and then change it to B&W later. Depending on what software you are using, you will have more flexibility in changing it from color to B&W.
 
Chalk me up as another vote to shoot in color and convert to B&W in post processing. As has been mentioned, if you shoot in RAW your file is in color anyway. If you shoot only in jpeg and you use in-camera settings to save it in monochrome I assume your color data is lost, you won't have the option to go back to color later should you chose. When I shoot with the intent of having a B&W final image, I set up my camera to save in RAW + small jpeg, and I set the picture style to display in monochrome. This way I get all the data of the RAW file to do my own conversions later, but I have the B&W which I can use while I'm shooting as a quick review (I don't shoot B&W often enough to have an intuitive feel for how different colors under different lighting translate to different tones in B&W).
 
I tried shooting in b/w but as soon as I put in LR it got switched back to color.

That's what happens if you shoot RAW. There's no real reason to shoot in B&W in camera.

I shoot RAW 24/7 and convert to B&W. I hadn't done many B&W's before because I was never satisfied with my conversions in LR. I then got Visual Supply Co.'s "Film" plugin, and it works marvelously. Here are a few examples:


Oh wow, beautiful photos. I especially love the 1st photo.

Agree, shoot in color and PP to B&W later. I use both Photoshop and Lightroom as my tools :D You will never know, you may need the colored versions later.

Tago Fabic
Photography + Blog | Tago Fabic
 

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