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Is B&W cheating?

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noddydog

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Years ago when I took a photography course I was told that Black and White was the best medium to train in. The logic was that a bad colour photo was at least a 'snapshot' whereas a bad B&W photo was destined for the trash can.

However I often find that converting a colour photo to B&W makes it more interesting and moody.

Here are a few pics I shot in London today on the new D300 (first DSLR I've owned). I quickly turned them to B&W in Irfanview. Sadly the compression has stripped out a lot of the detail, but as yet I don't know how to use Photoshop.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/noddydog1/London9thApril08

So is B&W a quick cheat?
--
Is email Post Modern?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/noddydog/
 
One of the best ways to convert to B&W is using the channel mixer in Photoshop.

I also like the B&W in Capture NX. But I only use it for quick conversions. For the rest only the channel mixer.

--
Ahmet

---------

http://www.pbase.com/erciro
http://www.erciro.com

 
If an image is strong in texture and lighting shades and the color is not interesting or necessary its just another tool to present a photographers intension. The only quible would be that the decision is made after the image was taken. A real he-man photographer would know it was a b/w before he pressed the button but remember you still get credit for recognizing that the image would benefit from b/w. Did you use digital filters in the b/w conversion? CS3's b/w conversion is wonderful in that area...and you can also experiment with toning and split toning.
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Ken Eis
http://keneis.zenfolio.com
 
noddydog said:
So is B&W a quick cheat?
Click to expand...
Absolutely not. The image is paramount. Doesn't matter how you get there, the destination, rather than the journey is the objective. I'm convinced Ansel Adams would have been a great fan of modern digital technique.

I note you mention that your knowledge so far of Photoshop is limited. I am a firm disciple of Photoshop (CS2) but for B&W Capture NX is excellent with its slider controls for colour filter effect.

Do persevere with Photoshop. It's really excellent as a basic post processing tool for general use especially for gradients and various other part image processing.

Good luck with the D300 - it's a magic tool.

--
NLD
http://www.ndukes.net
 
for someone that doesn't know photoshop you sure do take interesting pictures :)

If I were you I'd spend some time learning - it's a magnificent tool and even in "simple" stuff like b&W conversion you can do wonders.
--
Regards,
Kris
http://hary.smugmug.com
 
noddydog said:
Years ago when I took a photography course I was told that Black and
White was the best medium to train in. The logic was that a bad
colour photo was at least a 'snapshot' whereas a bad B&W photo was
destined for the trash can.

However I often find that converting a colour photo to B&W makes it
more interesting and moody.

Here are a few pics I shot in London today on the new D300 (first
DSLR I've owned). I quickly turned them to B&W in Irfanview. Sadly
the compression has stripped out a lot of the detail, but as yet I
don't know how to use Photoshop.
Click to expand...
Here's a book that will will help you with photoshop and B&W conversions.

http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Black-White-Digital-Photography/dp/1600592104/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207794304&sr=1-1
 
You see, a good photograph is always dependent on tonal value, balance, and composition. A great B&W image could make for a terrible color image - and vice-versa. Why? Tonal values and how they balance the composition. For example, a vibrant orange sphere in a 2/3 placement can have enormous impact - dominating/and or balancing an entire scene. In Black and white it might simply blend in with other tones - just another gray! This is a simplified explanation, but hopefully you get the idea. For 30 years I shot nothing but B&W - then I switched to color. It was a difficult transition! I had to relearn the basics. Good luck! Study the masters.
--
Steve Bingham
http://www.dustylens.com
http://www.ghost-town-photography.com
 
SomeThe choice of b/w vs. color depends, i think, upon intent and subject. It may well be that decision is made before or after the making of the image.

A teacher os mine took classic images-Vermeer, Leonardo, Sargent, etc., placed them in bride and dropped the saturation to zero. They became b/w of course and you could see or imagine anyway tht the artist used b/w drawings as the basis for the images.
--
Bob M
 
KenEis said:
A real he-man photographer would
know it was a b/w before he pressed the button but remember you still
get credit for recognizing that the image would benefit from b/w.
Click to expand...
Great phrase.

I do loads of conversions, but a part of that comes from my darkroom roots. I believe that any image can be made to work in black and white, whether conceived that way or not. Admittedly, some will be rather drab.

But I think this digital thing is getting to me, colour is the cheap ticket to universal popularity (if that is your goal), yet the snob in me feels b&w more of a connoisseur's taste. I'm increasingly drawn to a half-way hybrid. Though, as a graphic designer, my taste is distinctly towards the arty.

I'll second your vote for CS3 - the channel mixer can occasionally have an advantage, but the black and white converter in CS3 is pure magic.



--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/leechypics/
 
My wife won Photoshop CS about 3 years ago at an Adobe event. I've always been meaning to learn it, but sadly never had the time. Can anyone tell me if there is an upgrade version to CS3 from CS?

Thanks for all the advice, thoughts and feedback incidentally.

To answer a question, the photo with the 4 girls and the semi-naked man is a new form of speed dating here in the UK ;-)
--
Is email Post Modern?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/noddydog/
 
Why would it be cheating? No photograph is an exact representation of what the human eye would see.

With digital - there is no true B&W and film was made up of different emulsions that produced different effects. None of Ansel Adams work was straight out of the camera - his photo techniques were marvelous but he always shot with the darkroom in mind.

Also, I don't believe B&W always means more intense or dramtatic but the ability to imagine or "see" an image in B&W is part of the training that will improve the ability to see better composition.
--
Greg Summers
http://www.coloradophotos.com
http://www.artwanted.com/gregsum
[email protected]
 
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