Post your fav Black and White x100 images

[koven]

I hated the black and white preview images I that I saw when the camera first came out but after a few months Ive come to be amazed the black and white pictures this cam can produce. Post your fav black and white Images.

Click and press L to see in high res


Save Money by MrEllis, on Flickr


25 by MrEllis, on Flickr


3am by MrEllis, on Flickr


Bubba, Occupy Toronto by MrEllis, on Flickr


michelle by MrEllis, on Flickr


ny2 by MrEllis, on Flickr


protest by MrEllis, on Flickr


29 by MrEllis, on Flickr


I whip my hair back and forth by MrEllis, on Flickr

 

[bgb]

nice images dude well done

 

[paulfish4570]

 

[koven]

Can you just post all your pics in one post? Dont hijack the first page lol.

Great pictures though

 

[paulfish4570]

koven, your slash and burn weegee street oeuvre continues to amaze.

 

[David_Manning]

My daughter in the backyard. X100, SilverEfex pro:

 

[andersju]

I've shown the pictures below before but I haven't had time to do anything worthwhile since, nor have I had time to do proper versions (still the ones hastily edited on a crappy laptop), sorry. I shoot in b/w mode (to see the b/w preview in the finder - actually quite useful) but then convert the raw file and use channel mixer & curves.

 

[gavinlg]

Andersju - would you be so kind as to explain your b/w conversion process? Your photos above are gorgeous.

 

[paulfish4570]

koven, sorry about spreading 'em out. i was clicking, dragging and posting one at a time to keep from running two 'net pages. they be of a single post now.

by the way, no way to hijack this thread from your sterling shots ...

 

[Rob-F]

My daughter in the backyard. X100, SilverEfex pro:

This shot has a definite 3D "pop" to it. Nice, David.

Everyone: I must admit this is some high-quality stuff, both artistically, and from the viewpoint of being quality black and white work. I'm impressed. Thanks for posting!

 

[andersju]

Andersju - would you be so kind as to explain your b/w conversion process? Your photos above are gorgeous.

Thanks! I do nothing special with the raw conversion most of the time - just straight through Lightroom or Camera Raw or RawTherapee (Linux) depending on what environment I'm in.

For the actual b/w conversion: Many years ago I found this short article by Markus Hartel (great photographer btw) and I've used the method described as a starting point ever since:

http://www.markushartel.com/blog/learn-from-markus/color-to-bw-conversion (I'd never add film grain though)

(Also check out this page where he lists channel mixer values for different looks/films.)

So I just add a channel mixer adjustment layer (25-35-40 or similar) and then a curve for contrast. Perhaps fiddle a bit with the curve. Often add a bit of vignetting since I'm still a sucker for that. From this article I picked up a couple of other things, like using selective color to get slightly richer blacks. As you can tell, I'm no Photoshop ninja I just found some stuff that works giving results that I like. The whole process might take a minute or two for quick edits like the ones above.

I did a small exhibition with some of these. Same process except I also spent considerable time doing various layers for dodging/burning... but the prints look MUCH better

[crappy mobile phone pic not doing them justice]

 

[hteasley]

Photoshop has had, since CS3, I think, maybe CS4, a Black & White adjustment panel that gives finer control than the channel mixer panel will give you. I can't recall which version it was that introduced it: it's in Image > Adjustments > Black & White. Faster and better control with that than any other PS tool.

 

[andersju]

Photoshop has had, since CS3, I think, maybe CS4, a Black & White adjustment panel that gives finer control than the channel mixer panel will give you. I can't recall which version it was that introduced it: it's in Image > Adjustments > Black & White. Faster and better control with that than any other PS tool.

Ah, these new-fangled things... I like consistency within a series, so I just set the channel mixer values once and didn't change them for any individual image. Otherwise it'd kind of feel like using different films. Then again, with b/w film you might use colored filters, so I dunno. Whatever works

 

[Oldskewl808]

 

[back alley]

 

[Photosynthetech]

I hadn't taken or processed any BW photos with my X100 when i was reading this thread earlier. Then I got a text about a photo assignment for Valentine's Day midnight kisses in front of this landmark on our campus. So here's my first BW with the X100, processed with RPP 64.

 

[gavinlg]

Thanks! I do nothing special with the raw conversion most of the time - just straight through Lightroom or Camera Raw or RawTherapee (Linux) depending on what environment I'm in.

For the actual b/w conversion: Many years ago I found this short article by Markus Hartel (great photographer btw) and I've used the method described as a starting point ever since:

http://www.markushartel.com/blog/learn-from-markus/color-to-bw-conversion (I'd never add film grain though)

(Also check out this page where he lists channel mixer values for different looks/films.)

So I just add a channel mixer adjustment layer (25-35-40 or similar) and then a curve for contrast. Perhaps fiddle a bit with the curve. Often add a bit of vignetting since I'm still a sucker for that. From this article I picked up a couple of other things, like using selective color to get slightly richer blacks. As you can tell, I'm no Photoshop ninja I just found some stuff that works giving results that I like. The whole process might take a minute or two for quick edits like the ones above.

I did a small exhibition with some of these. Same process except I also spent considerable time doing various layers for dodging/burning... but the prints look MUCH better

[crappy mobile phone pic not doing them justice]

Those prints look brilliant. Thanks for that info, it looks like you have the process absolutely downpat.

 

[andy_v]

Snowstorm in Vilnius

 

[greyelm]

 

[hteasley]

Ah, these new-fangled things... I like consistency within a series, so I just set the channel mixer values once and didn't change them for any individual image. Otherwise it'd kind of feel like using different films. Then again, with b/w film you might use colored filters, so I dunno. Whatever works

Well, not to gainsay a process that works for you, but the Black & White panel supports that workflow, too.

You can save and load presets, and because it was designed with just greyscale output in mind, I find the sliders and interface to be much easier to use and interpret than the channel mixer. Obviously, the channel mixer is more generically powerful, because it can generate more than just greyscale output, but when dealing with greyscale, the Black & White panel is, I think, more effective.

I've used the channel mixer for years, and understand its virtues, so again, use what works for you. I'm just suggesting to give the B&W panel a try, you may like it even more.