Creating B/W photos
Jan 1, 2020 09:17:13 #
MW wrote:
I think for most people they will get better results by taking the photo in color and converting later. However, starting with the camera set to b&w, although tougher to get good results, may teach you to “see in b&w” better.
Yes, immediate results as opposed as finding out how you did after you arrived home.
Jan 1, 2020 09:24:56 #
RWR
Loc: La Mesa, CA
tfgone wrote:
When making a Black and White photo, is it better to set Camera to B/W or shoot in color and convert in pp
When you tried it both ways, which did you prefer?
Jan 1, 2020 10:35:55 #
tfgone wrote:
When making a Black and White photo, is it better to set Camera to B/W or shoot in color and convert in pp
Shoot in Raw and you will have both automatically in PP
Jan 1, 2020 10:37:11 #
Blair Shaw Jr wrote:
Shoot in Raw and you will have both automatically in PP
IF your camera supports RAW.....
One of mine does not.
Jan 1, 2020 10:41:38 #
fetzler
Loc: North West PA
Mostly I shoot in color and then convert. When I use my Olympus I sometimes use one of the B&W modes. In this instance the viewfinder is B&W. This can be useful. I shoot RAW and jpg in B&W. The Raw file contains all color information so a color
Jan 1, 2020 11:12:31 #
tfgone wrote:
When making a Black and White photo, is it better to set Camera to B/W or shoot in color and convert in pp
For digital it's not even close; shoot in color and then convert.
Jan 1, 2020 11:12:45 #
Jan 1, 2020 11:19:34 #
larryepage
Loc: North Texas area
tfgone wrote:
When making a Black and White photo, is it better to set Camera to B/W or shoot in color and convert in pp
Because of how I learned "serious" photography using film about 30 years ago, I never intentionally shoot thinking that I'll make the B&W/color decision later. It is always a deliberate process with the intended final product in mind.
Except for a couple of experiments and demonstrations, we never created monochrome prints from color negatives. There were a couple of reasons for this. The first was that color negatives, even when exposed and processed properly, did not have enough dynamic range to make prints with good impact. The second was that our process was set up around "variable contrast," or VC paper, which depended on the use of filters which ranged from pink or magenta to orange to control the contrast of the final image. As a result of this non-linear color response, tonal values and contrast would be uncontrollably altered in our finished prints if we used a color negative.
I believe that what makes a good black and white photograph is radically different from what makes a good color photograph somewhere around 98% of the time. Exposure visualization is completely different between the two media. I've found that it is very difficult to produce a great b&w print from an exposure that was set up and exposed for color. The converse is also true, at least for me. Because of that, I always try to work intentionally and use camera setup options to reinforce my intentions. (That does not mean that I've never desaturated a color image to produce a black and white one, but it's not my normal approach.)
Unfortunately, I also think that today's display media (video displays and most modern printers) are really not that well optimized for reproducing really good monochrome images, so unless one has visited a really good gallery or museum recently, most folks today have not seen an outstanding b&w image in recent memory. As a result, we really don't know what we are missing when we view most digitally produced monochrome prints. As good as they are, most of today's cameras and software really treat b&w as an afterthought. It's one area where digital photography still does not match silver based photography, especially at the highest levels.
You will note from my frequent and intentional use of personal pronouns in this post that it represents my own education, experience, and preferences. It is certainly true that others may believe differently or have a different experience base. That's fine too.
Jan 1, 2020 11:24:09 #
User ID wrote:
Good advice so far. I'll point out
that basically the common theme
in most replies is this: When you
press the shutter release, you're
better off to record as much data,
at that moment, as is possible.
A camera set up for monochrome
capture clearly collects less data ;-)
that basically the common theme
in most replies is this: When you
press the shutter release, you're
better off to record as much data,
at that moment, as is possible.
A camera set up for monochrome
capture clearly collects less data ;-)
Only the JPEG is monochrome. The raw file collects the same amount of data.
But if your goal is B&W, seeing a B&W preview on your LCD gives you a heads-up. It lets you know if the B&W conversion has a chance of success.
Jan 1, 2020 11:27:50 #
tfgone wrote:
When making a Black and White photo, is it better to set Camera to B/W or shoot in color and convert in pp
Yes.
Jan 1, 2020 11:35:25 #
mcmama wrote:
I shoot in color because I never know if a photograph speaks to me in B&W until I’ve studied it.
Me as well. Not only that but if you shoot color you can change it in post. If you shoot B&W you are stuck with it Example--Shot color changed in post..Take your pick
Jan 1, 2020 11:39:13 #
BillFeffer wrote:
Best you shoot raw so you have all of the data
IF your camera supports RAW.....
One of mine does not.
Jan 1, 2020 11:41:37 #
larryepage wrote:
Because of how I learned "serious" photo... (show quote)
I think that most of us who shot b/w in film and are now using digital cameras know whether the final image will be b/w or color before the shutter is pushed.
Jan 1, 2020 11:59:40 #
Longshadow wrote:
IF your camera supports RAW.....
One of mine does not.
One of mine does not.
OH GOOD POINT.....sorry and hope Santa was kind to you.Happy New Year !
Jan 1, 2020 12:36:30 #
Setting your camera to black and white produces a black and white jpg image. At least that is the case with Nikon. Setting the camera to capture a RAW image provides a lot more data from which to work.
--Bob
--Bob
tfgone wrote:
When making a Black and White photo, is it better to set Camera to B/W or shoot in color and convert in pp
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