Black and white

[355858]

Hi guys,

Is there anything I should be doing to make my black and white photos work, when I convert them they seem flat and lifeless they don't seem to have the same wow factor as everyone else.

Any help appreciated

Thanks ben

 

[jon ryan]

What software and conversion technique are you using?

 

[355858]

Hi Jon,


I'm simply using the converter on the D90. Can you tell me what program's to use?

 

[jon ryan]

Anything but auto conversion! Any of Photoshop, Elements, Lightroom, Picasa, Gimp, etc, will do a better job. You need control over the shades to get the contrast you're after. Like any auto control, the chances of getting a decent result are very hit and miss if you just hit a 'make it grey' button.

Plenty of tutorials if you Google.

 

[chunkey20012001]

Silvr effx pro plug in for photoshop is epic!!!!!!

 

[symmetricalOCD]

I find from my experience you have to push black and white images much further in the processing to make them interesting, by boosting highlights in the tonecurve and also using lightroom decreasing blacks to make them less 'grey' and flat.

I can highly recommend lightroom because of the dedicated black and white mode and individual colour adjustments which is just easier to get use compared to photoshop and you can get instant results.

 

[swanseamale47]

If you really are stuck with the built in conversion try and see if you can turn up the incamera contrast a bit, it might help.
I'd personally go for silver effx plugin in photoshop.