Wratten filters & B&W in PS or ELements

paul rond · Apr 8, 2004

I was playing with PS and thought how nice it might be to take a color pic and try out different B&W effects such as using different wratten filers.

I searched the internet for PS plugins and found one filter simulator, a standalone program not a plugin, that just overlayed a colored filter on the color pic, not rendering it in B&W showint the effects of the filter. I haven't found anything that would let me visualize the filter effect in B&W.

Is there such a thing available?... links please? Or can this be done in PS or Elements?... tutorial PLEASE????

drlynn · Apr 8, 2004

What version of PS are you using? Photoshop CS has a photographic filter tool in the Image menu, I think. It has several predefined, and you can customize to some extent, also.

In older versions, you will need to change your photos to b&w, then try playing with saturation and different things to get the desired effect.

Vonnagy or Voodoocat (I think, maybe both) did a tutorial on converting to b&w in this forum somewhere. Just don't use the desaturate option, as that gives you less control over the outcome than the different ways described here.

If you don't see the thread I'm thinking of or have any other ?'s feel free to send me a message through the forum's PM system.

Digital Matt · Apr 8, 2004

Check out this page and go to the black and white section. There's a set of actions you can download that simulate color filters in B&W.

http://www.epaperpress.com/psphoto/index.html

paul rond · Apr 8, 2004

You missed what I am trying to do. :roll:

I have version 7 PS and Ver 2 Elements. I don't see anything related to Wratten Filters at all in either. There are plenty of color correction gizmos but not wratten filters. I am not looking to CONVERT to B&W with certain color corrections, that's easy enough to do with sliders, not knowing what I am doing. I need something more specific.

I want to be able to PREVIEW the effects of any particular wratten filter on a color pic to see what effect is has in the B&W as if I took that shot using that filter and developing the B&W film and printed it. What will that scene look like if I used a 23A red or a K15 yellow or my 85B orange or if I were to polarize to enhance the sky.

Digital Matt · Apr 9, 2004

Those actions use adjustment layers. While they may not be simulating the exact effect of a specific filter, they will give you an idea. You can show/hide the layer to see the effect, and try them all on one image. There's an action for a red filter, orange filter, green filter, infa red filter, and more.

If you want more specific than that, you're just gonna have to shoot with filters.

paul rond · Apr 10, 2004

I now shoot an RB 67 Pro-S and use filters all the time. I also have plenty of experiance with wratten CC filters in both color and B&W, but only for conventional film. It's a crap shoot sometimes to predict what a filter will do for you and how varied development times and papers can effect a shot. It was such a nice dream to think I could be able to previsualize shots and make all the color corrections on the computer to achieve the desired effects before actually going to the site. It's an invaluable tool to be able to determine exactly how much certain CC filters can boost your photo's feel. I thought this may have been the dawn of digital for me, a real world use for my computer, but it's still too primative in many respects. But to have that vertual darkroom where I can try different exposures and filters, then to be able to sample different films, papers and deveopers simulated at the click of the mouse. Maybe in a few more years.