B&W digital workflow

[kshapero]

Recently I went to shooting my RD-1 in BW.My BW workflow is first i read the card with ACDsee detector (do not browse images close down when done aquiring), then I postprocess in Epson Raw standalone in BW, then save to JPEG in a subfolder. Then I open Acdsee Pro V2 into the subfolder directly. The whole workflow allows me never to be distracted by color. BW all the way thru.

 

[usagisakana]

I prefer to shoot colour RAW, then convert to B+W in PS CS3, allowing me to selectively tone the images, by playing with the colour settings till I get what I like. That or I shoot B+W film. But whatever works for you- different strokes etc

 

[kshapero]

For me, once I see color I get pulled into it. Of course I can always go back to the original RAW file on work on color.

 

[kshapero]

Example:

 

[dazedgonebye]

I don't know the epson raw tool. Unless it gives you a great deal of flexibility in conversion to mono, I'd work the image in color in photoshop.
Channel mixer is your friend.

 

[charjohncarter]

I stopped doing B&W conversions from digital. I just like the B&W negative digitalized better, but when I was doing it this was my work-flow:

Open file (color)
Adjusted levels
A/W Conversion from www.photo-plugins.com (freeware)
I usually choose the TriX preset.
Converted
then hit UnSharp Mask 20-50-0 (to add a little snap)
then sharpened if needed
Adjust brightness
Save, done

 

[lightwriter]

Recently I went to shooting my RD-1 in BW.My BW workflow is first i read the card with ACDsee detector (do not browse images close down when done aquiring), then I postprocess in Epson Raw standalone in BW, then save to JPEG in a subfolder. Then I open Acdsee Pro V2 into the subfolder directly. The whole workflow allows me never to be distracted by color. BW all the way thru.

I also like Epson Raw converter. They really put a lot of thought into it. I find that i get distracted by color and prefer to have the entire workflow in B&W. I also really like the "analog" way of processing images by selecting from the different filters that you would normally use with film. I am actually struggling with the M8 images at the moment b/c I lack a workflow. I wish I could find something as intuitive as what Epson had for the R-D1 images.

 

[lightwriter]

I stopped doing B&W conversions from digital. I just like the B&W negative digitalized better, but when I was doing it this was my work-flow:

Open file (color)
Adjusted levels
A/W Conversion from www.photo-plugins.com (freeware)
I usually choose the TriX preset.
Converted
then hit UnSharp Mask 20-50-0 (to add a little snap)
then sharpened if needed
Adjust brightness
Save, done

Thanks, I'll have to try that....

 

[GeneW]

Channel Mixer is indeed very good. Amazing how much you can influence tonality in many subjects, which is why I shoot all my digital B&W in colour.

To get the ultimate in conversion, start with RAW if your cam supports it, and convert to 16-bit TIFF. That gives you more flexibility in Photoshop.

The key thing to remember about digital is that it's linear -- no toe or shoulder, like film. No subtle response curve either. So darker areas can go pitch black and lose detail quickly, before the mid tones feel right.

To overcome this I like to work on a duplicate layer with Curves and Levels, fine tuning my way towards really good mid tones. This often means using a layer mask and brush to brush back detail in the darker areas. It sounds complicated but once you've done it a few times it goes quickly.

Downsize and save out to JPG for web use. Save as TIFF or Adobe DNG if you want to keep a full-size image at 16-bit.

Gene

 

[kipkeston]

For digital captures I think Lightroom is ideal.

 

[2tcreative]

Get George DeWolfe's book on fine art printing workflow. Even though it deals primarily with color the use of the Adobe Raw converter and using the saturation slider to make it grayscale/desaturated, then manipulate illumination of the image (tones) is worth the price of the book alone. Much more on workflow and doesn't even get into Lightroom.