How to get that unique BW look?

[HaseebM]

I am trying to work out this image in black & white, similar to one's I see posted here. I am not sure if this image is the right candidate but it was taken in low light using HDR method. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[lukaswerth]

Haseeb,

I'll give it a try, even though I am not certain which pictures you have in mind when you say you want to get a result similar to them.

Remember that BW is all about tonality. You want details in the highlights as well as in the shadows (some advocate a black spot as an optical anchor; this is a matter of style), and you want a rich scale of midtones.

Please allow me to be honest: the image you converted has neither of these points: blown-out highlights, black shadows, a harsh scale of midtones. I don't know how well HDR pictures work in general when converted into BW, but also I don't recognize any HDR-quality in you picture (which would be details throughout the tonal scale, whatever overblown and metallic colours are produced).

So my advice is: look at the histogram of the picture you want to convert, watch out for both ends, and where in the tonal range the most important parts of the picture are placed, and then convert. Before you do so, try to imagine the picture you want in your mind, see where your result falls short from his, try again, tinker. Good luck!

Lukas

[Geoff F]

If you are going to try that scene as a B&W, I think you also need to consider cropping a little closer to the main subject in order to lose some of the over dark areas.

[tao2]

My take (and ah don't normally use a lot of PP).

Closed down half a stop
darkened highlights
one shift contrast
2 shift clarity
wee adjust - white balance
greyscale/desaturation
cropped

Ah quite like what ah've done but don't think it's near "unique" B+W. There's so much latitude in film re. dynamic range that minute attention tae detail isn't necessary...

[IMG][/IMG]

[HaseebM]

Lukas, the histogram was very difficult to adjust or rather could not be adjusted to the image I wanted. As mentioned, I was doubtful if this image was the right candidate. I will try again. I used Oloneo and then LR5 and probably blew out a lot of details like you mentioned.

Geoff, I cropped the image initially, maybe I ought to crop some more, however I want some idea on conversion to BW, i.e., done in post processing or is there a set scenario?

Tao, thank you, this one looks good and your words are encouraging.

[lukaswerth]

Haseeb, why not try to expose a new picture (this one seems to be from your garden so the motive is repeatable)? If you want to get familiar with BW, you do well to pay attention to tonality from the beginning, look at your histograms from that perspective, and get used to look at motives imagining them in grayscales. Ansel Adams sometimes held some sort of filter in front of his eye which cut out most colour. Personally I think this is overblown, particularly because you have a range of possibilities of what to emphasize with BW, but if Ansel found it useful...

Lukas

[HaseebM]

I intend to do that Lukas. Is there any mantra for obtaining a balanced histogram whilst shooting BW? Should I look for an even histogram between the black and white or is there some peak towards a certain point? I am confused as the light behind the Can will end up boosting the highlights.

[Manfred M]

I intend to do that Lukas. Is there any mantra for obtaining a balanced histogram whilst shooting BW? Should I look for an even histogram between the black and white or is there some peak towards a certain point? I am confused as the light behind the Can will end up boosting the highlights.

I'm not sure where you are coming from here. A histogram is simply a graph that shows the actual light distibution in a scene. I use it to judge exposure and use it in post-production when looking at where my white point or black point are, but frankly find it meaningless when used in the way you seem to be thinking.

Your shot appears to have clipped highlights and loss of shadow detail, but why is this important?

[Mike Buckley]

The basic best-practice workflow of making black-and-white images:

1. Capture and post-process the image in color as you would if you were not planning a monochrome image.
2. Convert to black-and-white using the ideal color filter. Alternatively but only in very specific situations, desaturate the image. (Desaturating loses two-thirds of the image data.)
3. If needed, return to the color version and selectively change colors so the corresponding tones in the monochrome version are suitable.
4. Adjust the tone curve of the monochrome version to achieve the desired overall brightness and contrast.
5. Dodge and burn as needed.

For more details about all of that I highly recommend reading in the following order:

The Complete Guide to Black & White Digital Photography by Michael Freeman
From Oz to Kansas -- Almost every black and white conversion technique known to Man by Vincent Versace

[HaseebM]

I'm not sure where you are coming from here. A histogram is simply a graph that shows the actual light distibution in a scene. I use it to judge exposure and use it in post-production when looking at where my white point or black point are, but frankly find it meaningless when used in the way you seem to be thinking.

Your shot appears to have clipped highlights and loss of shadow detail, but why is this important?

I know what a histogram is. Perhaps I did not phrase the question properly. After processing a decent BW image, should the histogram take on some particular shape? The clipped highlights are due to merging of three images with AEB and then processing and is not important in terms of how I wanted my image to look finally in colour.

[HaseebM]

Thanks Mike, I will definitely read up on that.

[Manfred M]

I know what a histogram is. Perhaps I did not phrase the question properly. After processing a decent BW image, should the histogram take on some particular shape? The clipped highlights are due to merging of three images with AEB and then processing and is not important in terms of how I wanted my image to look finally in colour.

I don't think you have phrased things incorrectly at all. I am just suggesting that you should worry about the image rather than the histogram. Just like a colour image, the histogram is what it is and I have taken great B&W conversions with images that are "bell curve" shaped as well as images that have concentrations of light at both ends of the spectrum (lots of dark tones and lots of light tones), with little in the middle range.

[Mike Buckley]

To add to Manfred's comments...

After processing a decent BW image, should the histogram take on some particular shape?

No, it should not. That's because there is no particular shape for color or black-and-white images. As an example, if you take "properly" exposed pictures of a black wall, a white wall and a landscape scene that includes the dark, middle and bright tones, all of the histograms will be dramatically different whether you post-process them in color or black-and-white.

[HaseebM]

Ah, thanks Manfred and Mike. That cleared up whatever doubts I had in mind.