The Russian: This is my second of two new images done in a soft Mid_tone B&W style. Adding contrast to a photo has always been easy for me. Creating a mid tone based contrasty image is...

PalePictures Loc: Traveling

This is my second of two new images done in a soft Mid_tone B&W style. Adding contrast to a photo has always been easy for me. Creating a mid tone based contrasty image is more difficult and is truly art. I seem to be drawn more toward softer B&W image tones lately.

All comments welcome.

Please do not edit my image.

The Russian

gym Loc: Athens, Georgia

Excellent portrait, Russ. I'm always amazed at your ability to convert to B&W in a way that enhances what you already have.
Outstanding.

PalePictures Loc: Traveling

gym wrote:

Excellent portrait, Russ. I'm always amazed at your ability to convert to B&W in a way that enhances what you already have.
Outstanding.

Thanks gym,
For this type of image Post Processing is critical. It does change the original image substantially.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

I am always just blown away by the detail in your images. I can count the hairs in his chin and see every pore in his face. And the tonality, is that the word I want, is perfect. There isn't anything that is too dark or too light and it all works together. I wish I was able to articulate better what I mean.

PalePictures Loc: Traveling

Country's Mama wrote:

I am always just blown away by the detail in your images. I can count the hairs in his chin and see every pore in his face. And the tonality, is that the word I want, is perfect. There isn't anything that is too dark or too light and it all works together. I wish I was able to articulate better what I mean.

You got it CM. It's really important to keep tonal balance in your photo. It prevents the light from looking contrived. The falloff has to be near perfect or it looks relit. Although my images have contrast they are sharpened very little. Many people who process B&W tend to sharpen images to bring out the detail. The problem with that method is it's a give away of the processing. You can always tell a sharpened image.
What's cool to me is to add contrast without sharpening. This image was actually softened and still has the detail.

Regards Russ

P.S.
This image does have a flaw by the way. I caught it after posting here. There are three hairs in the mustache just below the nostril to camera left that are two bright(White). If you download it you will see. I'm going to fix it now.

JC56 Loc: Lake St.Louis mo.

Russ,
nice image but common......wish you would use the camera more than the computer......you are a very good photographer...you don't need to pp every mustache hair....jmho...I could be wrong.

JC

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

PalePictures wrote:

You got it CM. It's really important to keep tonal... (show quote)

And that is why you are the master. The attention to details. I didn't even notice and I did download it to look at it. I am trying to train myself to see this kind of thing, but it is slow going.

PalePictures Loc: Traveling

JC56 wrote:

Russ,
nice image but common......wish you would use the camera more than the computer......you are a very good photographer...you don't need to pp every mustache hair....jmho...I could be wrong.

JC

I use both the camera and PP. Your wish will never come true. I do need to pp overly bright mustache hairs. I always make edits that improve the photo as long as the subject would not know.
It's ok that you don't do these things. The world needs all types of people. That's what makes it interesting.

PalePictures Loc: Traveling

Country's Mama wrote:

And that is why you are the master. The attention to details. I didn't even notice and I did download it to look at it. I am trying to train myself to see this kind of thing, but it is slow going.

The mustache hairs just kinda stick out there. What's more difficult is to see minute detail transitions of light(and color if it's a color image) and modify that. The better you get at that the better your images will look. Where I'm at now is trying to match tone with expression to form mood. I have had this image for over a year and didn't have the skill to make it look like what I wanted. I just went back and revisited two of my images and created this style to help match expression. It was really a cool process.

Tjon Loc: Wash DC

PalePictures wrote:

This is my second of two new images done in a soft Mid_tone B&W style. Adding contrast to a photo has always been easy for me. Creating a mid tone based contrasty image is more difficult and is truly art. I seem to be drawn more toward softer B&W image tones lately.

All comments welcome.

Please do not edit my image.

I must say that your sense of detail, tone, balance and contrast is what I also strive for in my B/W's. I look forward to seeing more of your examples for me....Keep up the good work Russ!!! :thumbup: :thumbup:

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

PalePictures wrote:

The mustache hairs just kinda stick out there. Wha... (show quote)

You are using this portraiture. Could this process not be used on other types of photography as well.

PalePictures Loc: Traveling

Tjon wrote:

I must say that your sense of detail, tone, balance and contrast is what I also strive for in my B/W's. I look forward to seeing more of your examples for me....Keep up the good work Russ!!! :thumbup: :thumbup:

I always say "don't fight the light in a photograph". What you can do is keep the same light but adjust the contrast. My photos are never completely relit. It really starts with a good(Sharp where you want it) photograph with good light.

Study a lot of images. That's what I do.

PalePictures Loc: Traveling

Country's Mama wrote:

You are using this portraiture. Could this process not be used on other types of photography as well.

One of the things I've learned over the past couple of years is that B&W processing in many cases translates in many aspects to color. I would recommend that anyone who really wanted to get good at processing their images begin with B&W. It takes a little longer but what you learn along the way is worth it.
I guess I'm like most people...Do it my way.. I do often find that people do things different than me and it still works!!!!! My ego is not so big that I know what is good for everyone.. Just for me.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

PalePictures wrote:

I always say "don't fight the light in a photograph". What you can do is keep the same light but adjust the contrast. My photos are never completely relit. It really starts with a good(Sharp where you want it) photograph with good light.

Study a lot of images. That's what I do.

Thank you. I will keep working and studying.

Tjon Loc: Wash DC

[quote=PalePictures]I always say "don't fight the light in a photograph". What you can do is keep the same light but adjust the contrast. My photos are never completely relit. It really starts with a good(Sharp where you want it) photograph with good light.

Study a lot of images. That's what I do.[/quote
Thx Russ, Good advice.. I usually pay more detail to contrast and saturation in my B/W!!!! :thumbup: :thumbup: