when shooting in black and white

[Radical]

Does a person have to change the way they shoot in color vs black and white?

 

[ceeboy14]

Not necessarily but one should have an idea as to how colors relate in B&W. For instance, red goes quite dark in most instances, so it may be necessary to tweek the red in either your curves dialogue or in your HSB dialogue. In either adjustment, you can also select specific filters to compensate for color shifts. Another way to handle B&W is using a program like Silver Efex Pro 2. Best suggestion I can give is to shoot a good calibration color chart in color then convert by using the desaturate feature to give you at least a basic relationship.

 

[cynicaster]

I think it partly depends on your vision. Are you shooting with the mindset “this shall be a black and white photo” or are you shooting with the mindset “I’m going to take a bunch of photos today, and maybe I’ll turn some of them to black and white if I think it’ll work better”?

If the former, then you’ll get the most striking results if you look for scenes with strong texture and contrast. Scenes that lack these things look like complete ass in black and white, IMO.

 

[Ballistics]

You can adjust the saturation of colors once converted into black and white, so the color is irrelevant.

All you need is photoshop or lightroom. Plugins are a waste of money in my opinion. I have silver efex pro 2, and once I learned how to adjust B&W in photoshop I never used silver again.

I do a lot of black and white photography, but I never imagine what the image will look like in black and white. Some people claim they can do that, but I can't so I let the image dictate the type of black and white post processing.

Some of my images are heavy in contrast, others lack both contrast and texture. But a black and white image does not have to be one or the other to look good.

 

[ceeboy14]

I don't know if I buy that completely and I do a lot of B&W myself. I know when I see an image I know is going to work best as a B&W, I tweek my exposure to get the black I want, much like shooting in the old style zone system. So far, it has worked better for me than all the slider action required to end up where I can start and then tweek. Each to his own, eh..

 

[Ballistics]

If you shoot darker for the purpose of B&W that's fine. The end result is identical and takes the same amount of time whether it's done in camera or in PS. If you know what you are doing, there isn't "all this slider action" to worry about when converting. You can get insanely specific, but the same goes for anything else in photography. If you are looking for a one and done conversion, you don't have to visualize it when you shoot it. Maybe 15 years ago with film.

 

[Rick58]

I always think in shades of gray when making a B&W. Anyone can make any photo B&W, just desaturate, but a good B&W shouldn't be an after thought. A good B&W is planned. What shadow detail is important. Where will that exposure place your hightlights. How do the different colors reproduced in shades of gray and how will it affect the final print.
I have to say that I know long before pressing the shutter if I'm shooting for B&W or color, not thinking I may convert it later.

 

[runnah]

I rise before dawn, put on my beret and scarf.

 

[Ballistics]

Anyone can make any photo B&W, just desaturate, but a good B&W shouldn't be an after thought. A good B&W is planned.

I didn't plan the B&W that's in this months photo of the month poll, or the one from last February. With that said, that's an opinion that I strongly disagree with.

 

[Rick58]

Anyone can make any photo B&W, just desaturate, but a good B&W shouldn't be an after thought. A good B&W is planned.

I didn't plan the B&W that's in this months photo of the month poll, or the one from last February. With that said, that's an opinion that I strongly disagree with.

Fair enough. I guess everyone does things differently

 

[Radical]

Thanks for all the info.

 

[deeky]

Obviously you can come up with some good shots without planning. That's how I started. But I think it is good to learn to see the b&w image before you shoot. It certainly doesn't mean you only shoot for b&w. I just think you are going to have a higher success rate and be happier with your overall process and results if you learn to be more intentional about it.

If you choose to be intentional about it, I think there are some fundamental differences between color and b&w. There is a lot of reading out there with good illustrations, so I won't even try to spew forth here. At least take a look at it and consider your methods for yourself (do it online and at the public library). Try both ways and see what works. This is one area that there aren't neccessarily hard and fast rules like whether or not you should know how to work your camera.