Learning black and white...

[deepspring]

This is not my first foray into black and white, I've been playing with black and white for a while now. Since yesterday, I've started studying up on how to do it better using this book as a guide: "Digital Photography Expert: Black and White", Michael Freeman, ISBN 1-904705-57-X.

Here is my first attempt using the techniques recommended in this interesting book, I thought I would get some constructive criticism from DPS readers...

Original Image:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/deepspr...42909/sizes/l/

Black and White Version:


Exif Data:
Camera: Nikon D5000
Exposure: 0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture: f/11.0
Focal Length: 34 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: No Flash

I used a combination of Nikon Capture NX2 2.2.4 for processing the RAW file, and Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 for the actual black and white conversion. I did a bit of dodging and burning to make the clouds more intense, and the rocks a little lighter. I also did three lots of curves adjustments to make the image clearer and to add more contrast.

Anyway, tell me what you think.

Thanks for viewing...

[barabe]

I think your BW technique works good but i am not in any way a pro in BW conversion so i will not comment any further on the matter.

Your shot, i would try a different crop to make it stronger. I think there is too much grass in the front that is disturming to my eye and keeping from the very nice scenery in the back. It would make the fishermen a bit bigger also and may get the guy in white out of the shot and to me would make a better picture.

[EasternSierra]

I think your shot is generally underexposed. The trees on the left are too dark, with no detail, and there isn't a single bright spot. In B&W, everything comes down to tones, dynamic range, contrast and clarity. However, none of those things mean anything if you have shadows with no details.

The first thing you want to focus on when shooting for a B&W final image is your dynamic range. You want deep, rich blacks that maintain detail, and bright, luminous whites that maintain detail.

In your image, the shadows on the left are "clipped". The details were too dark for your sensor to pick up. A beter exposure would have offered bright highlitghts in the clouds and rocks, ad still maintained detail in the deepest shadows.

The easiest way to prevent this in the future is to capture in monotone so you can check your exposure, tones, and dynamicas on scene, and make adjustments, rather than hoping you can recover exposure errors from the RAW file. A better exposure will invariably produce a better final image, regardless of how you get from a visual scene to a final image.

Good Luck and keep shooting!

[kencaleno]

To get detail in the shadows using photoshop,just apply shadow/highlight at default settings-Ken

[deepspring]

Originally Posted by barabe

I think your BW technique works good but i am not in any way a pro in BW conversion so i will not comment any further on the matter.

Your shot, i would try a different crop to make it stronger. I think there is too much grass in the front that is disturming to my eye and keeping from the very nice scenery in the back. It would make the fishermen a bit bigger also and may get the guy in white out of the shot and to me would make a better picture.

Thank you for the reply. I will definitely try that.

I'm not overly concerned about cropping the guy in white out of the shot, I don't believe he adds anything to the picture.

I will have another go at the RAW file and post the results.

Originally Posted by EasternSierra

I think your shot is generally underexposed. The trees on the left are too dark, with no detail, and there isn't a single bright spot. In B&W, everything comes down to tones, dynamic range, contrast and clarity. However, none of those things mean anything if you have shadows with no details.

The first thing you want to focus on when shooting for a B&W final image is your dynamic range. You want deep, rich blacks that maintain detail, and bright, luminous whites that maintain detail.

In your image, the shadows on the left are "clipped". The details were too dark for your sensor to pick up. A beter exposure would have offered bright highlitghts in the clouds and rocks, ad still maintained detail in the deepest shadows.

The easiest way to prevent this in the future is to capture in monotone so you can check your exposure, tones, and dynamicas on scene, and make adjustments, rather than hoping you can recover exposure errors from the RAW file. A better exposure will invariably produce a better final image, regardless of how you get from a visual scene to a final image.

Good Luck and keep shooting!

Thank you for the reply.

I was aiming for a dark and moody feel to the shot, mainly because of the stormy weather we experienced on the day. I do agree though, it is too dark, even on my calibrated screen.

I think the black tree's are in actual fact Australian Ironbarks, which has a very dark, almost black colored bark. It's very hard to capture the texture of the bark on these trees in such varied lighting conditions. I should also point out that I left my Circular Polarizer on the lens which didn't help with the exposure being dark. :/

I will have another go at the RAW file and try to bring back some detail and post the results...

Originally Posted by kencaleno

To get detail in the shadows using photoshop,just apply shadow/highlight at default settings-Ken

Thank you for the example, I will try and get more detail out of the raw file and post the results.

[deepspring]

Here is attempt #2...



Most of the post processing was done in Capture NX2, with only a bit of dodging done in Photoshop Elements.

[EasternSierra]

Originally Posted by deepspring

Here is attempt #2...



Most of the post processing was done in Capture NX2, with only a bit of dodging done in Photoshop Elements.

I think this is a much, MUCH better image. Great contrast, good deatil in the darkest shadows, and better composition.

I do think you could do some additional burning in the sky to get more depth and drama, and maybe dodge the boat to get a little extra pop. But it works as-is, too.

Nicely done!

[deepspring]

Originally Posted by EasternSierra

I think this is a much, MUCH better image. Great contrast, good deatil in the darkest shadows, and better composition.

I do think you could do some additional burning in the sky to get more depth and drama, and maybe dodge the boat to get a little extra pop. But it works as-is, too.

Nicely done!

Thank you for your help.

[daddyoproductions]

Originally Posted by easternsierra

i think this is a much, much better image. Great contrast, good deatil in the darkest shadows, and better composition.

Nicely done!

+1

~c

[barabe]

That is exatly the kind of crop i was talking about and i think it came out prety good.