Very high contrast images - black blacks

[futureal33]

A look which I personally love, is very high contrast images where the blacks are true black and whites seem pure white - hard to explain in words, but hopefully these examples below might give an idea.

I am wondering, could anyone give an idea of what would be involved in processing a photo to have this type of "look". I appreciate you need to get it right in camera too, but provided the exposure is right, the rest can be created in Photoshop.

Here are a couple of samples of the look I am referring to

http://500px.com/photo/30651659

http://500px.com/photo/25962369

http://500px.com/photo/30996751

Could anyone give any pointers or advice?

Thank you

 

[Jayst84]

Haven't time to reply properly at the moment, but they are all examples of fairly low contrast, and the blacks are pushed up. Nowhere near 100% black.

You have to get the quality and ratios of light right as well. Just getting the exposure right and then messing in post won't get you a great result.

 

[symmetricalOCD]

ziess and lecia lenses have the kind of contrast that you like, you can then enhance that further with processing but it's actually the lens that creates the look from my experience, it never comes cheap. Also monitor calibration is key to being able to see it more accurately and therefore know that the image isn't clipping in the whites and blacks, if you can't see accurately then post processing is a bit hit and miss.

 

[david357]

The most important thing in all those images is the great light that the photographer has used, everything else is secondary.

 

[nex7photo]

Especially love image 659. Hope I don't get shouted at here but people care too much on the histogram and clipping, it's what the final image looks like that counts and if you have 0 or 255 blacks and whites so be it. There is a lot to be said about good negative space if done right.