Magic of Black White II

8/2/2019 Magic of Black White II

1/27

The Magic of Black & White

Part II - Craft

andrew S. gibSon


2/27

The Magic of Black & White

Part II - Craft

a S. gs

ct&Vs

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et & Puls, dv ucmPut et & M, c

cpy et, Sus rl

ds & Lyut, Just Kt

Notice of Rights

all ts sv. n pt ts my pu tsmtt

m y y ms tut t p pmss t puls.

Laguna Hedionda in Bolivia.f16 @ 1/160, ISO 100, 55mm


3/27

Chascomuf3.5 @ 1/320, ISO 40

k t ly y t mk yu lk t pts s tt tm km, i t tk

s yy t m ust tt lk t

t s t t t m.

s lt t l. fst yu t tly xps vlphe black and white lm (not always

stt tsk). T yu l ls, tys, vlp mls,

lt, km t put t ll.

My rstand onlydarkroom was

ult my pts tt. i t uyp pls, i so the beams to make a oor, and

sult s, i l t tv ms pt lk. iut p kt ut t put myl , lt kt

ktp tys.

tk ks t ul. T i t

l t pt. Tt tk ys, iv ully t t t utl i mtsm s sm pttl my k s m tt qulty lk t

print. In terms of time (and the moneyspent on lm, paper, chemicals, and

ul km), l t ptlk t s lty xpsv pss.

S y i t? bus i lv tl tv pss mk pts l ut t pps ts. i lk l t tk pt tu t t smt l

tt i ul l my . it s u , t s vl

tt t mt t y t t t utu.

T l m tl ptpy, ptps uymputs, ss, tlms. T l ys suly t s lnew skill seta new craftto learn.

The crafTof blaCk and whIte


4/27

lk t ptps vv t s . n, st pt km, i st t my mput t up , lst t my vut mus

l i t my pts. its mutt.

he biggest advantage (for me) of

tl ptpy s t -stt

k. Psss tt tk tm t km tk just ss Ptsp. i im

pt ll lk tm tst, i just t t uvsl. i i tk t ku su , i mk slt just t lvls lss t mut.

as t, i t muts, st t lus t i lk st.

u v t ts t km. st vlv mk tstrint, developing and xing it, then

lys t t s yu vt yu t. i yu t t tst xpsu, u, yu t k t l mk t pt.

Once you were satised, the print

eeded washing (which could take

f1.8 @ 1/1000, ISO 4

advantages of dIgItal

over an hour if you used bre based

pp). i yu t t tpt, yu t t mx up mls t t pt st ll v . it tk l tm.a yu ul ly mk pt t tm. i yu t ps, yu

t t sm t ll v .

w yu t t tm t tks

to build a darkroom (it took meu ys t m t

try black and white to nally building

km), ts l tt tl smu quk. Ty, yu ls online and nd technique articles and

sptl pts muts.it ms t l l pss smu quk. its ls mu p.Yu uy ty-lvlmput py Ptspelmts lss t i spt myrst enlarger.

is t y tt t smy tlt, yu ptpsut t? a y l itv ptp myst stt t mk m sl t t yu 15. T vt tlptpy, t itt, st ts pptuts.

i yu stll us mlkm, sul yu st ttl? Yu sul tly tkut t, ll t ss v.but t ll lys ppl p t ml km.

Ts t t tll. Ptpy mst p y ts up t us t t u y. i mk yupts s yu pss, t st yt.


5/27

My tttu ts lk ttpy t tl kmm y my xps

ml km. im tt y l t tks k pt. i jy t

ss , v l t tks,s still much quicker (and a farm plst xp) ts ttl km.

Mst t psss i pply Ptsp, su s justtst, tss, u , , t i us t tkm. but t tl, i t m ps, t

lts .

v txtu t pt ttl km,s just mu s t mput.

v v ttt tigh dynamic range (HDR) or

t tqus tt uqut tl. f m, ts pt pst-pss stps ut tv vs ms ut t vin Photoshopand thats not the

pt t pss.

i k my pts vully Ptsp. i t us pmslk Ltm aptu tt pss. i p t slt myst pts vs t lk t t k tmvully, v tm t ttt qu t ut tst tm.

i k ts up y ty t mmst um pts i tk teld. If I look through the viewnder

t lk t i s i t tkt pt. i p t tu t lt s tt lk ttsujt, t t tk pts ttt xt m.

My PhIlosoPhy

f8 @ 1/160, ISO 2


6/27

tsp s t susttut tv vs. Pst-pss sully ut tst yu pts; t sul vpl vs. Ts sm ttu yu t Ptsp utu sul v us t t ty

mk up t ts yu t yu tk t pt trst place.

w s tv vs mm? it stts y ptpmt tt yu psstut t mst utul ltssl; mps t pt t

mst xt y pssl. Tts smpl vs. Ts m t t tt, s y vy tt svl bks ut

tv vs ct & Vs, y s my ks v

tt ut t v t ys.

but t ll st ts t ptpsmt tt yu psstut. My bk, T M blk& wt: Pt i Vs, ssstv vs m tl.

Readers of my rst eBook may

y i put vs t. bt mptt, utt tut vs s just xs pus utts, ll t stps pst Ptsp tutls tutstpp t s t pt

t tqus t xpss yu vs uqu y.

ct tut vs s mpty psslss. Just ut yy l t t lk t

photo in Photoshop. Whats difcults mk t utul tst.Tts vs ms .

CreatIve vIsIon

San Antonio de Areco, Argentinaf2.8 @ 1/320, ISO 400, 150mm


7/27

v m svl ssumpts writing this eBook. The rst is that

u ly k t t xposure and process a RAW le to

reate a high quality, 16-bit TIFF le. If

u t, t plty ks sts t lp yu t ts.

lys stt t lu m vt t t lk t us tlk wt Ly ajustmtl Ptsp cS. i yu t ustsp, yu v Ptsp cSor earlier (which doesnt have this

l), t t lk tvs tqus yu us. st sp t s tm ;

y tp utu bk.

ts bk, i pst t xmpls

t y i k. i tu tmtp y stp xpl stp s l. i yu t us Ptsp, l ppls t sm,

yu ll l t pply tm justut y pt t pm.

i xpl vyt t tl, uti t xpt yu t ll t xt

sm stps. evy pt s t, yu t yuslt ttmts yu t t pply tyus. My m s t v yu stt t tut psss myk.

i sm ts tqus sm lttl uusul, ts us ivvlp tm mysl, t tl tm m ks ptmzs. T s lys m t y, usully svl ys, smt Ptsp. Mymts k m; l t

ts tly yu l mmtl t t tqus.wt mtts s t sult, tt mt yu us t v t.

Avebury, Wiltshf8 @ 1/100, ISO

assuMPtIons


8/27

he RAW le, like the negative, should

s t stt pt u lk t vs. my ys t vt tolour le to black and white. Your

mt ps yutv vs t lk yu y t v.

One colour photo (above right) and

ve interpretations: black and white

onversion (1), blue tone (2), sepia

one (3), split blue/cream tone (4),

mitation lith print effect (5), with

dded texture overlay (6).

1

2

3

4

5

6

f1.8 @ 1/250, ISO 200, 50mm

nterPretIngthe IMage


9/27

With lm, the black and white

vs sstlly pp t tm yu tk t pt. Yu

ul ly t tu tvs y pl luter on the lens (a red lter, for

st, mks lu sks k).

n, y stt t lu pt vt t t lk t Ptsp, yu v mplttl v t vs pss.

dk lu sky s sy, u k , yu xtly k yu t t t .

Mst tl SLrs v lk t m. T m s mk

vs yu, tsults usully p. av ts

m, us t tqus tsbk st.

Black & whiTeConversIons

Ptsp Ptspelmts t stutv -stutv lk

t vs tqus.dstutv mts s ttt -just ts.o yuv m t vs,

t ly y t t s tu t vs st t.

n-stutv mts usjustmt lys. T s ttyu mk t yu pt st t lys, t l ptms u ut.

When youre done, you atten the

m t s m

pmt. Yu t tvs t y tm attening the image by clicking on

t justmt ly s.

Cementerio de Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentinaf8 @ 1/160, ISO 400, 55mm


10/27

Available in Photoshop CS 3 onwards,

blk wt justmtyer is a powerful and exible tool.

u k lt tss st lu sls tt ajustmt tl. Ts ltsu stk ts yu pt t

mk tm lt k.

stuts PtspCS 4. Other versions of Photoshop

my sltly t.

g t Layer> Newdjustment Layer> Blacknd White lkOK.

o, lk t Create a NewBlack and White Adjustment

ayericon (not available in

hotoshop CS 3).

. T Black and Whitedjustments pps.

Mv t sx lu sls t

lt t t k tsptv ts t pt. Yu ls s m t psts p- mu t t tp.

o, lk t Click and Drag.Mv t us v t pt; ypp pps. hl lt mus utt. T us

s, t tt t Ttajustmt tl s tvt. wt tmus utt l , mv t

mus t t t t lt t tsu t us, t t ltt k tm.

(In Photoshop CS 4 there is a Tint option,

yu us t t t pt. itvs sults, ut i p t mtoutlined on pages 24 and 25.)

Above right: Original colour photo. Above: The default conversion.Above left: My conversion. I used the sliders to darken the girls clothes and lighten their face

Above: The Create a New Blackand White Adjustment Layer iconin Photoshop CS 4.

Right: The default black and whiteadjustment layer settings:

Far right: The settings I used forthe conversion.

f8 @ 1/400, ISO 200, 83mmTarabuco, Bolivia

PhotoshoP Cs 3, 4 & 5: blaCk and whIteadjustMent layer Method


11/27

s mt s m s vs Ptsps lk tjustmt ly.

vs ppl tt t t m t ly.

pply t t ly, us t st -stutv trocess, rst right-click (or Ctrl-click

M) t bku ly slt Duplicate Layertt s ly.

tsp elmts:

. Enhance > Convert to Blackand White

. Stt y slt tpsts t lt mu.Then use the sliders to ne tune

t vs y lt k ts t pt. clkOK yu .

PhotoshoP eleMents 6:Convert to blaCk and

whIte tool

Above: The Convert to Black and White window in Photoshop Elements 6.


12/27

nms t lk ttpy my mss t:lu. T s s tt tssy t lu t lk

t ms. Ptps v t s, t km tlly, tss s ll t.

s t psss l lu. cmm xmpls epia (which can be anything from

ll t p ) lu.M mplx t psss lus, xmpl lu pp sp l. o lu t t ss tt t t lts. Ts s llplt t. it tks m tm ut

sult s lss mssl t sl-lu t.

s mtl vlu. Sps m smt

nostalgic, and are very attering

ptts ppl s ll st sujts lk lsps u stus. blu ts v l,

slt l t t pt l sujts su s tlsps t vy t lss mtss t vmt.

T st t pts t st s. Smtms t st

ttmt s sutl .

i t km, t s tm-sum smtms usttpss. T my ts

that inuence the results, including

t pp mls us y tptp.

dtl t, y tst, s vyquk sy. bst ll, tptp s mplt tlv t us ts lus.

f1.8 @ 1/250, ISO 1

Black & whiTetonIng


13/27

k t gt Mp splt tqu us t lts m us lts lu mts. i t y sutl splt sp t y t k ts my pts plt t lts t m. o i m k lus t lt lts. Tsslts lss.

gt Mp s vll ttsp cS Ptsp elmts.

Stt y stt t lus. clkt Set Foreground Colorst t t ttm ttlx.

i t cl Pk, st t lusto Red 100, Green 70, Blue 30 and

lkOK.

Click the Set Background

Colorst. i t cl Pk,st t lus t r 255, g245, Blue 215 and clickOK.

Go to Layer> NewAdjustment Layer> GradientMap lkOK.

sPlIt tonIng usInggradIent MaP

5. Yull s smtly lt t t lus yuvslt t gt Mplu x. clkOK.

6. T pt lks s ut . Tt ts, t lm t Color.

7. St t opty sl t u

50% m sutl t.

Yu ls xpmt t tovly, St Lt, h Ltl ms t ts.all ts ll s t mstst. T cl l mts t tst t l pt.

Above: The foregroundand background col-ours are depicted atthe bottom of thetoolbox.Right: Change theblending mode andOpacity here.

Laura, Hunstanton, Englandf13 @ 1/250, ISO 100, 17mm

Above: Chocolate brown and cream (foreground red 100, green 70, blue 30;background red 255, green 245, blue 215)

(1) Sepia with neutral highlights(foreground red 70, green 60,blue 45; background red 255,green 255, blue 255)

(2) Cream and blue(foreground red 75, green 95,blue 110; background red 230,green 210, blue 170)

(3) Blue tone (foregroundred 40, green 70, blue 105background red 170, green200, blue 200)

1 2 3


14/27

a lk t vstts t lu pt.

gt t mpst ts t t vs ll sy.

s pt s xmpl. Tmpst s vy smpl: ltrea in the middle (the building)

urrounded by darker areas (the deep

u sky t ss p t t ttm).

s pt ks us t t t tm tt i st t. it s

k t v, s t su stt. T lt s m t t t ul v tk t pt t my. T

ss ul t v pstt my t.

I also used a polariser lter to darken

t sky s tst. Tsult s pt tt ks ll lu, tt i kul lk lk tus t tl tst tttu.

i tk t pt raw converted it to a 16-bit TIFF le using

Adobe Camera RAW (ACR). This is

t typ pt yu ll llyt t t t 8-t 16-t: 8-t m tlu sky ll k up mu m.

Venice, Itf7.1 @ 1/125, ISO 100, 17m

example 1a sIMPle ConversIonConvertIng to blaCk & whIte and sPlIt tonIngPhotoshoP Cs)


15/27

. fst, t lk tvs us t blk wtjustmt ly Ptsp cS.t t k t sky tt t ul ut y tu, i lt s lttl t t.

mv t blus sl t t lt tk t sky, t rs slt t k t ul. Mv gs sl lt ls kupl t lus t mul. ts i lt s ty .

Top: My conversion

Right: Default conversionBottom: I created thisconversion by adjusting theeds, greens and blues sliders.

2. Next, I decided on a blue/creamsplt t. Ts s mt ttu. i v ts ystt t u lu t dusky blue (Red 75, Green 95, Blue

110) t ku lu tcream (Red 230, Green 210, Blue170); t t gt Mply t lm t cl. T t s lttl st s i pp t pty t ly t 80%.

T cl l m tt ts t pt. Yu uls us t ovly, St Lth Lt l ms. T ll tv, ut ty

s tst, s yu my llt tl. T mst tps yu sujt tt yu ty t v. d t xpmt.

Left: The foreground and background colours I used for the conversion.Above: I set the blending mode to color and the opacity to 80 per cent.


16/27

. The photo was looking goody, ut i t t m. xt t s t k

s. dk t s pt s tqu us ykm pts t u t ys t t t pt yu t s t pt.

s s vy sy t tsp. i ts s i t k t s t pt,xlu t tp lt- s t sky s k u ty. i us t ellptl Mqu

l t ss llpssu t uts t m,

mk suAdd to Selections slt t optsm s tt sltwould be added to the whole (thist stp s ut tku ly).

T i t t Select > RefneEdge st ft t u200 pxls t smt t t slt. Ts su smt tst t t s

t slt.

dk t slt tt Lvls justmt ly. g tLayer> New

Adjustment Layer> levels,lkOK mv t slut tstm t t t t k.

i p t slt mt sltv lt k

t us Ptsps u tls. T vt s tt tlls m t slt vy ps vs mu smtt. its ls -stutv: i u t just t t y tm.

4. Finally, I adde

cuvs justmly s i lt tphoto was a litt

a slt justmlt t m


17/27

v lk t ptts. i l pt s mystus my, ts spts y vt t pt t lk

t.

s ptt s k ul-koron the basis that there are no

ules, only guidelinesa guideline-

k). T l st mk ytt t t m. but i stllk t. Ts lt txtu lu ku, ll stu tt

ks lk t.

he depth of eld is very narrow as

st t t ls ptu

p t 1.8. T ku sly ut us t mks tpt lk lttl mt. Tsvs t t tvt t stll pt.

My vut t ptts sa split sepia/cream tone. It creates

utully , my lus. itks ll pts tt v kkus s t tus tm p .

Tk t lu y m

ptt yu lt ttxtu, t, sp, m. itms tmlss vtv.

Cindy, Rousham, Oxfordshiref1.8 @ 1/250, ISO 400, 50mm

example 2PortraItsConvertIng to blaCk & whIteand sPlIt tonIng (PhotoshoP Cs)


18/27

. cvt ptts t lk t lttl tky, usu v t py ttt t t

vs ts t sk ts. is t blk wt justmt

y Ptsp cS t vt tstt t lk t. but i ut us t rs Ylls sls t sk ts t mu, s it tm t t ult stts.

Yu ty ts yusl tptts. Ply u t t sls s s t t sk ts.

i mv t blus sl lt, k t s, t sm t

t Mts sl t k t lps. its s, us i t us t rs Ylls sls; my vs s llyly tk t ult stts.

Above: My adjustment (left) wasnt very differentfrom the default settings (right).

2. T s stp m slys t. Ts s t mkm pt, t s

t lst stp t pss.

i p t t t ts st

Ptsp us t mks tsy t s t ts tt tsusqut stps v t tm. i i t lst, i my lz ttiv m pt t m t k t lt, i v t k pt sm stps.

i us gt Mp justmly t t t pt, slt lt s tforeground (Red 100, Green 7

Blue 30) and light cream for th

background (Red 255, Green 2

blu 215). i st t ly lm t St Lt, t cl,us t st t ts i lk t t.

Above: The foregroand background coused for the conve

Left: I set the blenmode to Soft Light


19/27

3. Next, I wanted to darken the

ku. i us t sm tqus t pvus xmpl, sltt pts t ku ly tti t t k t t

Select > Refne Edge t tt slt y u 200 pxls. ik t slt t Lvlsjustmt ly.

Ts tm i pt t pss tttm t- us tst k u.


20/27

4. Finally, I felt that the image was a little dark

tt smt lt, s i t lt t . i m t slt t ku ly, t t slt yaround 120 pixels (less feathering this time because

t slt v lss ) us Lvlsjustmt ly t lt t slt.

a ppi

fully expresses

one feels,i p , i ipp.

- Anel Adam


21/27

a txtus t pts s mm tqu. i v t mtm sltly mvlt ut t. o

i s lts utults t t ts tqu; t t t sms vus. Mypp s t us t sply, hotos that could really benet

m t.

ky s t us txtus t ts tt ly , t t stms lyaken photo. Portraits often benet

m txtus t lt yu ptpss txtus t xllt sultsLara Jade at www.ickr.com/photos/

rajade/ is one that comes to mind). tqu ks st yus t txtu m t pss, s tt t s lly.

example 3addIng texture

Laura, Kings Lynn, Englandf10 @ 1/125, ISO 100, 50mmaddIng texture to a

PortraIt(PhotoshoP Cs)


22/27

The rst step

s t lk t vs. it t k t

ku, s tt ls tt ss ul up st tss. T tstt t lt k ts s sstl t pt.

ts y t blk wt justmt ly us t gs t mtlly k t ss. T ls sk s lttl t lt, s ik t sltly t t Ylls sl t t sks txtu.

2. T xt stp s tt pt. i st t u ku lus t

k lt ltm sptvly, us tgt Mp splt t mt.T lu s t st,s i u t pty tgt Mp ly t 55%. i tus sp splt t pttsbecause its warm and attering.

3. Then I added the texture layer.

T t ys t t txtu:the rst is to make it yourself and

t s s t t t m sm s ly m mt pully vll.

i lk t txtus flk usSkeletal Mess (www.ickr.com/

photos/skeletalmess). They are free

y t l us ms flk stm. T t m s tt t s stt

us. i yu us sm lsstxtus pts tt yu pl tuse commercially (like in this eBook)

yu t mk su t tms t ls u yu

l t txtu ll ti ut, ml t t t

texture for clarication.

fst, i t sz t txts tt t mt t ms t pt. Ts s sly y t Image > ImageSize, l t ConstrainProportions kx t sz, pxls, t m

the photo (3888x2592 pixels).

T i p t txtu st t s ly vku, ut ut t t vs gMp lys.


23/27

When you copy and paste like

s, t ly l m sutmtlly st t ml txtu sus t ku. xt stp s t t ly m s tt t txtuy ls t t ku.

st sults mlly m m ts u ly l

ms: ovly, St Lt, ht, Vv Lt. T st ps t mt t txtu yu us, tv t yu ty t

v. expmt t ttxtus t ly lms t s t ks st yu. Yu ls u t pty t txtu ly t t s

t st.

T txtu iv us ts pt s my vuts. i lk t k s; ty t tst -vus y. T

txtu s ls lt t tt t t s. Ts tullyks t s t pt,u t y ts t t.

5. nxt, i t t s t pt ttxtu ly tt vs t ls . i

ts t t es tl, slt l stt t hss t 0% st

Ts s stutv tqu, m tly y yu t ts t t U mm, s ts mptt t t mv t t xt


24/27

. i lt t ku s stll tt. i pss t S t+alt+cm+eys tt t m ll tys t tp ly tt i ul

work on. (This was on a Mac. Use

t+ctl+alt+e Pc.)

i m slt us tlptl Mqu tl. w i

s, i slt tAdd to Selectionx t opts s tt i v slt m up my

vul slts. Ts y i build the selection so that it lls the

sp i t t t.

at mk t slt, i t tSelect > Refne Edge... stft t 250 pxls t st tedges (experiment with this setting,

250 pxls my t mu smstuts). T i t Lvlsjustmt ly mv t sl

t t t t k t slt.7. i lt t u s s tll t lt, s i pt t stp y mkt slt t Lvls justmt ly.


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9. flly, i t cuvs justmt ly t lt t vll tst t pt.

8. T s s ut t l s ytt i t lk, s i us t hl bus tlt smt ut t sk. i st t hss tus t 0% st .

t no rules pp,

only goodphotographs.

- Anel Adam


26/27

ConClusIont i i qi cmp' c, pi pmc. - Anel Adam

s qut s y asl ams,ams st-k lsp

tp. a mst lk t pt, t sm t mst ms t

am lsp t 20ttuy.

y mst ptps tu tvs, pts

m lkly t m m kjtt t km. but tpl stll ls tu.

he negative, or RAW le, is a

tt pt. it ts ll t vsulmt tt t mst pt,

Ptsp us, qus. its tp t us t tk tt tmt utul.

lk t ptpy s tm, ut ts ls t. T t t. atst vs t sklls

vlp . o mylp t t l,

but most photographers will ndtt s t tv vs vlps,ty v t k t tsklls t kp p, v vs.

nt vyy ts t lk t pts ut i ut. clu s pul mtv, t lk t ptslt yu jy t t uty lk t t p lu.

hppy st.

a S gsoxs, el, 2010aSgs.m

Jodie, Rollright Stones, Oxfordf4 @ 1/100, ISO 200, 50


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Magic of Black White II

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