BW conversion

[admin]

What's your technique for converting colour to Black & White? Or do you use in-camera BW conversion?

[gjtoth]

What's your technique for converting colour to Black & White? Or do you use in-camera BW conversion?

I do both but mainly through an editor (Gimp, Picasa, etc.)

[tom67]

I always use Photoshop for B+W, I find with converting from colour shot you have more options open to you.

[admin]

Perhaps I should be more specific. We know that just straight conversion colour to BW does not produce the best results. Same goes for in-camera BW. They leave the photo dull and un-interesting. Different methods are being used with different results. In Photoshop, you can use the CS3's new Black & White conversion tool (not available in previous versions), you can play with the Channel Mixer to increase/decrease strength of single channels or Levels, Contrast etc.

What's your most effective method? Could you show us some of your BW?

[gjtoth]

To be honest, I'm not all that adept at all the channel stuff and the reeaaaall technical stuff in Photoshop, Gimp or pretty much any of 'em. I do know what I like in the end result. And, since I'm doing photography for pleasure and not even remotely trying to make a living from it (because that takes the joy out of it), I'm pleased with results like this. This conversion was obtained with (believe it or not) Picasa.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2150/1924552085_93d7db1b70.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2061/1924547933_950fbaf9f6.jpg