Trying Black & White 2

[jinky]

I note you shoot with Nikon. If you need a Christmas gift idea I find nothing compares with NX2 for B&W conversions ands so simple and quick. I think I prefer the first version but a little dark in areas and lacks a crispness for me.

[pburness]

Originally Posted by jinky

I note you shoot with Nikon. If you need a Christmas gift idea I find nothing compares with NX2 for B&W conversions ands so simple and quick. I think I prefer the first version but a little dark in areas and lacks a crispness for me.

Have just downloaded a trial version - I'll have a play with it over the next few weeks - thanks for the advice.

Phil

[chris-p]

Originally Posted by pburness

Hi Chris,
I like the texture on the fruit of the second image better, but I find the horizontal line between table and wall distracting.

The second image was done in Photoshop.
I imported the original and added an exposure layer with -1 stop exposure compensation and saved it.
I then opened the original image again and added an exposure layer with +1 stop exposure compensation and saved it.
I then merged all three images using merge as HDR and then flattened the image.
Finally I added a levels adjustment and brought the blacks and midtones up slightly to increase the contrast a touch.

Phil

Sorry Phil, I mean how are you actually converting to back and white which is what you were talking about in the original post. Was it a black and white layer, desaturation, convert to monochrome, via LAB mode... that sort of thing.

Or... did you shoot in directly in black and white.

[pburness]

Ahh, I understand the question now....
If I use Lightroom (most cases) then I use the Black & White button in the develop module. I can then use the swatch to change the tone of individual portions of the image.

If I use photoshop (occassionaly) then I use the black and white adjustment layer with similar swatch as in lightroom, and with curves and levels.

Unfortunately I'm lazy (impatient), so I tend to use the most convenient method at hand

Phil