Request advice on best software for color -> B&W conversion
Apr 2, 2014 17:29:44 #
I have gotten some great results with Nik Silver efex. The filter sliders in PS CS5 are easy to use also.
Apr 2, 2014 17:30:44 #
Los-Angeles-Shooter
Loc: Los Angeles
SharpShooter wrote:
LA, this is just my personal opinion, but the whol... (show quote)
The above is profound advice. I haven't done all that much b&w since the days I cranked "real" film through my Nikons. But I remember that I got the best results when I thought about the photos and decided whether the subject and theme lent itself best to b&w or color. I'm reminded by the above post and will keep it in mind in future shoots, when I will decide before shooting whether it'll finish as b&w and design the shoot accordingly...
Apr 2, 2014 18:44:37 #
Los-Angeles-Shooter wrote:
Request advice on best software for color -> B&W conversion
It's a pain to do it in PS, so I'm looking for suggestions on the best software to quickly make a b&w version of a color photo. Hopefully it's easy to use and will give options like which film type to emulate, control over grain, and maybe stuff like tinting to give interesting looks like sepia.
Much obliged for suggestions.
It's a pain to do it in PS, so I'm looking for suggestions on the best software to quickly make a b&w version of a color photo. Hopefully it's easy to use and will give options like which film type to emulate, control over grain, and maybe stuff like tinting to give interesting looks like sepia.
Much obliged for suggestions.
NIK Silver Effects Pro is a very popular conversion software, but for some reason the latest version, since becoming part of Google, just does not work as well as pre-Google version. I notice that some of the presets have changed also. Has anyone else noticed this?
I don't use it any more and find a combination of ACR and Photoshop to work well. Sometimes I do use one of the NIK products to add a little "structure".
Apr 2, 2014 20:05:36 #
Mine works exactly the same as it did before Google purchased it. Could be an operating system issue. Second to Photoshop CC, it's my favorite software. I use it practically every day.
Apr 2, 2014 20:07:33 #
I din't know Google bought it...to bad. I have Silver efex pro 2 but must have got it before google. They seem to want to get there hands on everything.
Apr 2, 2014 20:14:42 #
Another way of looking at it is that Google saved the software when NIK went out of business. It's also much cheaper now than when NIK had it. (Otherwise, I agree with you about the omnivorousness of Google.)
Apr 2, 2014 20:29:07 #
loveandpeace wrote:
Mine works exactly the same as it did before Google purchased it. Could be an operating system issue. Second to Photoshop CC, it's my favorite software. I use it practically every day.
I used the "old" version in CS5, and am using the "Google" version in CS6. Do you think that could be part of the problem? When I click on a preset now, everything get darker by 1 or 2 stops, and I have to brighten everything up significantly. And many of the preset thumbnails are covered by low light masks. I have not contacted Google about it, perhaps I should.
Apr 2, 2014 20:59:28 #
jackm1943 wrote:
I used the "old" version in CS5, and am using the "Google" version in CS6. Do you think that could be part of the problem? When I click on a preset now, everything get darker by 1 or 2 stops, and I have to brighten everything up significantly. And many of the preset thumbnails are covered by low light masks. I have not contacted Google about it, perhaps I should.
I just checked to see if there are any Preferences, but since it's a plug-in, I couldn't find any. However at the bottom left, right under the presets, are two buttons that might be helpful: Settings and Help. If nothing else, Help provides a way for you to contact Google about the software.
Apr 2, 2014 21:14:58 #
Apr 2, 2014 21:33:15 #
loveandpeace wrote:
I just checked to see if there are any Preferences, but since it's a plug-in, I couldn't find any. However at the bottom left, right under the presets, are two buttons that might be helpful: Settings and Help. If nothing else, Help provides a way for you to contact Google about the software.
Thanks L&P.
JackM
Apr 2, 2014 21:33:59 #
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