Comments on Black and White Photography
Jan 10, 2016 17:35:28 #
In my early days of photography I shot a lot of B&W film city type of shots as well as family event portraits. I was looking at some of them not too long ago and amazed myself as to how good some of them were. My color and slide photos were good as well.
Now with 'technology' I am noting that my eye color weaknesses (Red/Green) are hindering my post production development of my color shots. I have trained my eye to notice the subtleties so I don't mistake purple for blue, but still my wife will look at some of the Lightroom processed photos and go, 'what?"
So I have been trying to focus on B&W again. One thing I noticed is that if I capture my files by shooting in Monochrome setting I tend to 'see' my subjects much better. I still capture RAW as well, but shooting and visualizing in B&W is (in my opinion) improving my images.
What is or has been the experience of some of you out there when it comes to shooting mainly for B&W effect? Just curious.
Now with 'technology' I am noting that my eye color weaknesses (Red/Green) are hindering my post production development of my color shots. I have trained my eye to notice the subtleties so I don't mistake purple for blue, but still my wife will look at some of the Lightroom processed photos and go, 'what?"
So I have been trying to focus on B&W again. One thing I noticed is that if I capture my files by shooting in Monochrome setting I tend to 'see' my subjects much better. I still capture RAW as well, but shooting and visualizing in B&W is (in my opinion) improving my images.
What is or has been the experience of some of you out there when it comes to shooting mainly for B&W effect? Just curious.
Jan 10, 2016 17:46:54 #
If that is what works, go for it. I like to shoot and then convert to B&W in lightroom. But that is the way that I work.
Jan 10, 2016 17:56:25 #
I took a year of b&w film photography in 1990, even had my own little darkroom. But then got away from it for far too long.
Fast forward to digital: unfortunately, my Canon T3i does not have the option of seeing the composition in b&w while creating a raw file simultaneously, so I try to force my brain into a b&w mindset.
Because of lack of practice and commitment, I often fail :) I even took an online class last year to try to rekindle the skill.
Sometimes one can go through files and say, "I wonder how this would look in b&w" and it works out, but I think that is rare. Being able to see and compose for shapes, textures, light and shadow should be the goal for anyone interested in b&w photography.
Jim, it's great you are going back to your roots. Post some photos one of these days!
Fast forward to digital: unfortunately, my Canon T3i does not have the option of seeing the composition in b&w while creating a raw file simultaneously, so I try to force my brain into a b&w mindset.
Because of lack of practice and commitment, I often fail :) I even took an online class last year to try to rekindle the skill.
Sometimes one can go through files and say, "I wonder how this would look in b&w" and it works out, but I think that is rare. Being able to see and compose for shapes, textures, light and shadow should be the goal for anyone interested in b&w photography.
Jim, it's great you are going back to your roots. Post some photos one of these days!
Jan 10, 2016 18:19:08 #
Hi Linda, I will do some posting soon. Taking an online B&W artistry class currently. But I think I solved the problem, see the image, the solution to good B&W photography.
Jan 10, 2016 18:29:28 #
Bike guy wrote:
Hi Linda, I will do some posting soon. Taking an online B&W artistry class currently. But I think I solved the problem, see the image, the solution to good B&W photography.
I don't shoot Pentex, but your image makes me think--it looks very good. Well done.
Jan 10, 2016 18:41:54 #
I convert my pics to B&W with photoshop, but I am not a fan , what I enjoy is making them look like they are 100 years old,
I use warming filters to give them the tint and I change opacity etc.. so far its all experimenting as some come out looking really old and others come out looking not so good...Im still learning...
I use warming filters to give them the tint and I change opacity etc.. so far its all experimenting as some come out looking really old and others come out looking not so good...Im still learning...
Jan 10, 2016 18:43:55 #
Linda From Maine wrote:
Fast forward to digital: unfortunately, my Canon T... (show quote)
Hi Linda, perhaps I am not understanding this issue properly. Have you tried setting picturestyle to monochrome on your T3i?
I have my camera set to take both raw and JPEG, but in monochrome mode (in the picturestyle menu) live view and playback of images appear in monochrome (B&W), which is also the case when using Canon DPP to process either the JPEG or raw (.CR2) files. The raw file is easily returned to full color in DPP just by changing the picturestyle parameter in the tool palette popup window, and would transfer to Lightroom or other software as a normal raw color image unless the camera settings are also imported and applied.
Are you looking for something else?
Cheers
Jan 10, 2016 18:50:20 #
Bike guy wrote:
Hi Linda, I will do some posting soon. Taking an online B&W artistry class currently. But I think I solved the problem, see the image, the solution to good B&W photography.
:thumbup: :thumbup:
Jan 10, 2016 19:00:13 #
Peterff wrote:
Hi Linda, perhaps I am not understanding this issue properly. Have you tried setting picturestyle to monochrome on your T3i?...Cheers
Well, crikey mate! I don't know what I looked at or tried the first time this came up, but obviously I was wrong :) Am very glad to know this, Peter. Better late than never, eh? Thanks so much!
And just to clarify - and expand on Bike Guy's original comment: this feature allows us to see our composition in b&w, rather than having to mentally visualize it. Still recommend using raw and converting in pp, such as with Nik Silver Efex. Much more artistic and technical control that way (as topcat alluded to, as well).
Jan 10, 2016 19:20:06 #
Linda From Maine wrote:
Well, crikey mate! I don't know what I looked at o... (show quote)
Wow! Glad to be of help. Also, once you are in monochrome mode, you can use the <info> button to set details such as selecting different filter colors and so on for enhanced monochrome effects.
I agree with you about post processing from raw, but if you want a quick 'in the field' preview, then it is all there!
Cheers
Jan 10, 2016 19:32:59 #
Interesting concept of composing in Black & White. I never would have thought about using live view. That's better than what we had in the film days.
Bike Guy, did you have a third party look at your post color production. Maybe its your wife who isn't seeing the color correctly. :)
Don't tell her I said that.
--
Bike Guy, did you have a third party look at your post color production. Maybe its your wife who isn't seeing the color correctly. :)
Don't tell her I said that.
--
Jan 10, 2016 19:53:01 #
Bike guy wrote:
Hi Linda, I will do some posting soon. Taking an online B&W artistry class currently. But I think I solved the problem, see the image, the solution to good B&W photography.
And the image posted is color...
Jan 10, 2016 20:06:47 #
Bill_de wrote:
Interesting concept of composing in Black & White. I never would have thought about using live view. That's better than what we had in the film days.
Bike Guy, did you have a third party look at your post color production. Maybe its your wife who isn't seeing the color correctly. :)
Don't tell her I said that.
--
Bike Guy, did you have a third party look at your post color production. Maybe its your wife who isn't seeing the color correctly. :)
Don't tell her I said that.
--
Probably not
"As many as 8 percent of men and 0.5 percent of women with Northern European ancestry have the common form of red-green color blindness.
Men are much more likely to be colorblind than women because the genes responsible for the most common, inherited color blindness are on the X chromosome. Males only have one X chromosome, while females have two X chromosomes. In females, a functional gene on only one of the X chromosomes is enough to compensate for the loss on the other. This kind of inheritance pattern is called X-linked, and primarily affects males. Inherited color blindness can be present at birth, begin in childhood, or not appear until the adult years. "
https://nei.nih.gov/health/color_blindness/facts_about
I thought it was male only but its mostly men :)
Jan 10, 2016 20:25:25 #
blackest wrote:
I thought it was male only but its mostly men :)
I thought it was male only but its mostly men :)
OK, so how do we work out which of us are 'mostly men'? :lol: :lol: :mrgreen: :oops:
Jan 10, 2016 20:27:22 #
Peterff wrote:
OK, so how do we work out which of us are 'mostly men'? :lol: :lol: :mrgreen: :oops:
stubble is generally a warning sign :)
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