trying black & white - 2 Snowdonia landscape shots

[simonkit]

Just started trying a few B&W conversions, mainly of shots that I had abandoned but to being taken in very harsh light - the B&W conversion seems to add new life to them. Let me know what you think
thanks
simon

 

[tpe]

Very nice I especially like the black lake

tim

 

[LaFoto]

I agree a lot with Tim here. That first photo with the black lake is special. The sky also shows nicely in your conversion.
The second doesn't do as much to me.

I thought think in the form of converting "bloopers" more, myself ... but that'll only work if they are not too bloopery, of course.

 

[tpe]

Hehe, now Corinna has made me think about it . Perhaps if you use the blue channel from the colour version and darken it a lot it would put some more drama in the clouds? it would help the second one a lot i think. Is that what you did for the lake? perhaps more in the sky for the first too?

tim

 

[simonkit]

Hehe, now Corinna has made me think about it . Perhaps if you use the blue channel from the colour version and darken it a lot it would put some more drama in the clouds? it would help the second one a lot i think. Is that what you did for the lake? perhaps more in the sky for the first too?

tim

The lakes are naturally quite dark, here is the original colour version for comparison - it was shot in JPG (silly me, should have shot RAW) & has had some work in CS2 but nothing major. As you say the clouds/sky are poorly defined - its the main reason I tried the B&W conversion

thanks

simon

 

[ksmattfish]

Using the blue channel would reduce contrast. I think you'd want to go with the red channel to increase contrast between the blue sky and white clouds. The ground has great contrast in the first photo. Convert the color original again, just working for the sky. Then use a layer mask to brush it into what you already have here.

On the second one I would also work on the sky and ground seperately, and combine them.

 

[tpe]

Using the blue channel would reduce contrast. I think you'd want to go with the red channel to increase contrast between the blue sky and white clouds. The ground has great contrast in the first photo. Convert the color original again, just working for the sky. Then use a layer mask to brush it into what you already have here.

On the second one I would also work on the sky and ground seperately, and combine them.

oops did i say blue, i meant red . BTW the colour version is a good pic in its self, and stands up very well with no conversion, too

tim

 

[scrutiny1]

I like the color version as the b&w one makes me feel like I'm looking at a miniature model of scenery rather than the real thing