Great Black and White info site

Check out this great site, loads of info on B&W conversions including the Gorman-Holbert method

http://www.blackandwhitedigital.com/index.html

Photos from the Artisan Mercado in Mula

Taken on Sunday 14th Dec 2008

Mula honey

Phonograph

Pentax K100D

Lens Pentax A 80-200mm F4.7-5.6 manual focus

Windows (Ventana)

cells above the cloisters

High contrast using Lightroom preset

Tonemapped image

Bullas in HDR

Childrens playground Mula  
3 exposures  -2, 0, +2 EV

Old and New Mula
3 exposures  -2, 0, +2 EV

Car in Mula
3 exposures  -2, 0, +2 EV

Murcia railway station

Some recent HDR images

Mula Market

Psuedo HDR effect

The basics starting point of this effect:
Recovery – plus 100%
Fill Light – plus 100%
Contrast – plus 100%
Vibrance – plus 100%
Clarity – plus 100%
Saturation – minus 95%
Black – darken slightly
Exposure – adjust until it looks right
Vignetting – darken the corners

Converting an image to Black& White

Converting an image to black and white can be a very simple process.
However, when the visual impact of an image fails to transfer with those
simple processes, the need for more complex conversion options increases.

If the conversion method is not done most effectively, contrast and delicate
grey tones can wash out, leaving an image looking muddy or lacking in
adequate tonal range. Black and white conversion methods must honour the
spectral relationships between colours, or the conversion can haphazardly
dilute the overall aesthetic impact of an image.

The history of black and white conversion methods in the digital environment
has continuously inspired great technical controversy. Every guru in the industry
has an opinion supporting a particular conversion method. Unfortunately
for the non-gurus (the rest of us), there are a substantial number of different
conversion methods, and an even greater number of gurus to champion each
method for any number of disparately convincing reasons. So how is a non guru
supposed to evaluate which guru’s method to adopt? And further, why
can’t there be one best conversion method everyone can agree upon?

The answer to both questions is complicated. Although having just one
“best conversion” method would greatly simplify the learning process, all
images are not created alike, and, therefore, all conversion methods cannot
apply unilaterally with the same impact. The reality is that most all conversion
methods can effectively render reasonably pleasing results; the difference
to the user in choosing the “best” conversion method depends on a number
of factors including image content, exposure, contrast, tonality, luminance
as well as time to invest in the conversion process, workflow and one’s level
of familiarity with the tools and software. If one needed to make quick
conversions for an editor or newspaper for example, the “best” method may
be the quickest and simplest one. If one had more time and the intention of
creating a fine art portfolio print, the choice may be a more complex method.

Just as each type of black and white film carried unique and distinguishing
aesthetics, any number of variable factors can affect why one might choose
any particular conversion method. Remember, just as what is good for the
goose is not always good for the gander, your own “best” conversion will be
best for your own unique set of reasons.

A SIMPLE WAY TO CONVERT TO B&W

TUTORIAL

BLACK & WHITE CONVERSION USING PHOTOSHOP HUE AND SATURATION ADJUSTMENTS

A SIMPLE WAY TO CONVERT

This method was originally described by Dr Russell Brown of Adobe Labs and will work in all versions of Photoshop, so even if you have a pre CS version you will still be able to produce superb B&W conversions from colour images..
This tutorial will also introduce those of you who are unfamiliar or confused with the use of layers in photo-editing.
Layers are just transparent sheets laid on top of the original image and enable the author to make adjustments without changing the original image.

So lets get started:
Select your image that you wish to convert to B&W
Open the image in Photoshop
Go to the top Toolbar and under IMAGE, select Duplicate, this will mean that there is NO way that you can change the original image.
A Copy of the original image will be displayed (If you wish, you can close the Original image by clicking the X on the top right hand side MAKE SURE YOU SELECT THE ORIGINAL IMAGE)
On the Photoshop Toolbar move along to Window and from the drop down list, click on Layer — you can also press F7 on the keyboard to produce the same effect
This will open the Layers palette
Now with the image (COPY) displayed, hold down the CONTROL key on the keyboard and at the same time press key J — this will produce your first layer
If you double click in the layers Palette the default name (Layer 1) you will be able to type an alternative name for this layer, for e.g. Dupe layer

We are now going to add two more layers which are both Hue/Saturation adjustments
Again, go to the Photoshop Toolbar and under Layers from the drop down list, choose :
New Adjustment Layer, an further drop down box appears and from that, select
Hue/ Saturation.. Click this to Select
A New Layer Dialog box will appear, just change the Name to FILER and where it says Mode, click the down arrow and select COLOUR´ — Now click OK
A box appears which will enable you to make adjustments, DO NOT alter anything in this box , just click OK and it will close
If you look in the layers palette, you will see a new layer has been created call FILTER

Again return to the Layer on the Photoshop Toolbar and again select New Adjustment Layer, from the second drop down again select Hue/Saturation
Again a Dialog box appears, in name call this FILM, do not change the Mode (Should say NORMAL) — click OK
On the Adjustment box which has appeared , move the slider under Saturation to -100, click OK
Now you will see in the layers palette a second layer has appeared called FILM

What we have done is to remove the saturation in the image and as a result we should now see a greyscale image on the screen

Now comes the creative bit

With your mouse, just click in the layers Palette, the layer called FILTER, this should be one down from the top, beneath the Film layer, this will select this layer and it will be highlighted.
Now Double – click this highlighted layer and the Hue/Saturation adjustment box will appear — if you now move the HUE and SATURATION sliders as well as the Lightness slider around you will see variations in the grey tones of the image

THERE YOU GO CREATIVITY IN BLACK AND WHITE

There is even more you can do if you so desire
Say for example you wish to adjust just the blue tones
In the Box marked EDIT, just click the down arrow and select Blue,
Adjustments now will be confined to only the blue tones in the original image

When you are satisfied with the results, just click OK

Now return to Layer on the Photoshop Toolbar and select from the drop down — Flatten Layer

Now save the image, you will have to change the Save as to JPG if you wish to use it on the Web or for printing

I think you will find this a SIMPLE method of B&W conversion and certainly much better than just desaturating or selecting Greyscale

Give it a try, I will be only too pleased to offer assistance to anyone who requires it

John

Spanish Bricks

Ketboard Shortcuts Photoshop

In many cases, when there are multiple options for a toolbar button, such as the dodge/burn/sponge tool button, the keyboard shortcut will activate the tool current tool, so ‘O’ will convert your pointer to whichever is the active tool.

Rectangular Marquee Tool M
Elliptical Marquee Tool M
Move Tool V
Lasso Tool L
Polygonal Lasso Tool L
Magnetic Lasso Tool L
Magic Wand Tool W
Crop Tool C
Slice Tool K
Slice Select Tool K
Spot Healing Brush Tool J
Healing Brush Tool J
Patch Tool J Red Eye Tool J
Brush Tool B
Pencil Tool B
Color Replacement Tool B
Clone Stamp Tool S
Pattern Stamp Tool S
History Brush Tool Y
Art History Brush Y
Eraser Tool E
Background Eraser Tool E
Magic Eraser Tool E
Gradient Tool G
Paint Bucket Tool G
Blur Tool R
Sharpen Tool R
Smudge Tool R
Dodge Tool O
Burn Tool O
Sponge Tool O
Path Selection Tool A
Direct Selection Tool A
Horizontal Type Tool T
Vertical Type Tool T
Horizontal Type Mask Tool T
Vertical Type Mask Tool T
Pen Tool P
Freeform Pen Tool P
Rectangle Tool U
Rounded Rectangle Tool U
Ellipse Tool U
Polygon Tool U
Line Tool U
Custom Shape Tool U
Notes Tool N
Audio Annotation Tool N
Eyedropper Tool I
Color Sampler Tool I
Measure Tool I
Hand Tool H
Zoom Tool Z
Default Foreground / Background Colors D
Switch Foreground / Background Colors X
Toggle Standard / Quick Mask Modes Q
Toggle Screen Modes F
Toggle Preserve Transparency / Decrease Brush Size [
Increase Brush Size ]
Decrease Brush Hardness {
Increase Brush Hardness }
Previous Brush ,
Next Brush .
First Brush <
Last Brush >

File Menu:New Cmd+N
Open Cmd+O
Browse Opt+Cmd+O Shift+Cmd+O
Edit in ImageReady Shift+Cmd+M
Close Cmd+W
Close All Opt+Cmd+W
Close and Go To Bridge Shift+Cmd+W
Save Cmd+S
Save As Shift+Cmd+S Opt+Cmd+S
Save for Web Opt+Shift+Cmd+S
Revert F12

Selections:
Select All Cmd+A
Deselect Cmd+D
Reselect Shift+Cmd+D
Inverse Shift+Cmd+I or Shift+F7
All Layers Opt+Cmd+A
Feather Opt+Cmd+D or Shift+F6

Adjustments:
Levels Cmd+L
Auto Levels Shift+Cmd+L
Auto Contrast Opt+Shift+Cmd+L
Auto Color Shift+Cmd+B
Curves Cmd+M
Color Balance Cmd+B
Hue/Saturation Cmd+U
Invert Cmd+I
Desaturate Shift+Cmd+U
Invert Cmd+I

Edit menu:
Edit Undo / Redo Cmd+Z F1
Step Forward Shift+Cmd+Z
Step Backward Opt+Cmd+Z
Fade Shift+Cmd+F
Cut Cmd+X F2
Copy Cmd+C F3
Copy Merged Shift+Cmd+C
Paste Cmd+V F4
Paste Into Shift+Cmd+V Clear
Fill Shift+F5

History Pallette:
Step Forward Shift+Cmd+Z
Step Backward Opt+Cmd+Z

Image Size:Zoom In Cmd++ Cmd+=
Zoom Out Cmd+-
Fit on Screen Cmd+0
Actual Pixels Opt+Cmd+0

Layers:
Layer via Copy Cmd+J
Layer via Cut Shift+Cmd+J
Create / Release Clipping Mask Opt+Cmd+G
Group Layers Cmd+G
Ungroup Layers Shift+Cmd+G

Arrange Layers: Bring to Front Shift+Cmd+]
Bring Forward Cmd+]
Send Backward Cmd+[
Send to Back Shift+Cmd+[
Merge Layers Cmd+E
Merge Visible Shift+Cmd+E

Image size:
Image Size Opt+Cmd+I
Canvas Size Opt+Cmd+C

Printing and File info:
File Info Opt+Shift+Cmd+I
Page Setup Shift+Cmd+P
Print with Preview Opt+Cmd+P
Print Cmd+P
Print One Copy Opt+Shift+Cmd+P

Miscellaneous:
Hide Photoshop Control+Cmd+H
Hide Others Opt+Cmd+H
Quit Photoshop Cmd+Q