How to get good B&W shots

DayDreamer

DayDreamer

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John
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I've always shot in colour thinking that if I wanted a B&W version I could do it after in PP but now wondering if I am better taking it with the B&W option in the camera. Or is there an art to B&W in PP that is not another bit of software costing yet more money.

Is there any generalisation of what shots look better in B&W or is it that any can look good?

I guess I am asking the cheapest way of getting some punchy B&W shots :help:
 
Much more control in post. Depending on software, you can mix the different R, G and B channels differently to give different effects. For example, I tend to turn the blue channel down a bit if I want a moody sky shot as this darkens the look of the sky without (normally) affecting other balances.

What software do you have?
 
Beav said:
Ive seen a B&W filter but it was £50 which goes straight on to the camera lens. Not sure if these are worth getting?
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I don't use a DSLR but my X10 will take a filter but not something I want to get into even though I have bought the lens hood/filter holder. Too much of a faff for the type of shots I take.
 
DayDreamer said:
CS4 but tend to use PE version 10 most of the time.
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Google cs4 (or elements 10) black white. Loads of results. Just play around with what suits you, but you should be able to see how doing it in post radically affects the look and feel of the picture.
 
arad85 said:
Google cs4 (or elements 10) black white. Loads of results. Just play around with what suits you, but you should be able to see how doing it in post radically affects the look and feel of the picture.
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Yes Googling can have the answer but you can go through a load of cr*p to get there. I wonder if any TP members may give some links or advice to save the laborious Googling thing.
 
Always shoot in colour and convert after as you have more control over your results if you have the colour data to work with. If you're shooting in RAW but have the camera in B&W mode, the result on the LCD will be in B&W but from the colour data. In comparison this does not happen if you shoot JPeg and your camera in B&W mode.

TL;DR Shoot in RAW and Colour - convert after.
 
symmetricalOCD said:
I found a free app for google chrome called pixlr-o-matic that I've been using recently and it's pretty amazing, it can even do layering, worth a try
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Yes it sure looks interesting - just been having a play with it - thanks for sharing :thumbs:
 
Have a look at Nik software for PShop it is the best I have used for B&W and it gives you control points to adjust anywhere you need to, fantastic bit of kit.
 
Toxic said:
Have a look at Nik software for PShop it is the best I have used for B&W and it gives you control points to adjust anywhere you need to, fantastic bit of kit.
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Good suggestion as they offer a 15 day trial. I will wait until I get my new laptop which I am looking into but I am such a ditherer it ain't gonna be tomorrow :clap:
 
DayDreamer said:
Good suggestion as they offer a 15 day trial. I will wait until I get my new laptop which I am looking into but I am such a ditherer it ain't gonna be tomorrow :clap:
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Have to agree, I use LR and silver efex 2 great results
 
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