Show me your M9 black and white conversions.
- Thread starter Keith
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Duane Pandorf
Well-known
Boarding
Boarding
I posted this one today on my blog that I captured yesterday on my way home.
Boarding
I posted this one today on my blog that I captured yesterday on my way home.
Boarding | Leica M-E, Leica Summilux-M 35mm
kbg32
neo-romanticist
Girl With Bubbles by keithbgoldstein, on Flickr
Haze by keithbgoldstein, on Flickr
From The GWB 6902 by keithbgoldstein, on Flickr
L1011526 by keithbgoldstein, on Flickr
downstairs
downstairs
M9 - Summicron 50
soultheworld
Established
from today.
M9P , Lux 75
M9P , Lux 75
ChrisN
Striving
It's wonderful to see the variety and range in the character of the conversions that people are making from the M9 files. Some are very film-like, others are distinctly not-film - sharp and clean. I tend to make not-film-like conversions, although it depends on the subject of course. Here's a few of mine.
Misty morning by Another Chris, on Flickr
My needs are few by Another Chris, on Flickr
West side by Another Chris, on Flickr
Misty morning by Another Chris, on Flickr
My needs are few by Another Chris, on Flickr
West side by Another Chris, on Flickr
Vince Lupo
Whatever
hlockwood
Well-known
All well and good folks, but how did you manage to get such high quality results. Everything in LR?
Since I print and shoot B&W only, easy with film, how do I get some of the superb results shown in this thread?
HFL
Since I print and shoot B&W only, easy with film, how do I get some of the superb results shown in this thread?
HFL
hlockwood
Well-known
Absolutely fantastic shot. White envy here.
HFL
Richard G
Veteran
I'd be interested to know what others are doing myself. I use LR almost exclusively, no presets, just tweaking contrast, shadows and blacks and highlights mostly and a little extra sharpening, on an individual basis. I've played with Silver Efex Pro and I've explored it more with Monochrom files. I like to try to get the look I want in LR on my own, but I think there are short cuts in SEP2 that one might as well use if they fit the bill. I only pursue a more filmic look in blurrier grungier shots which I then want to grunge up more. I've tried emulating some of the M9 black and white jpegs I've shot simultaneously with raw and I can't do it. I really like them - my first two on page one aren't conversions but M9 jpegs.
Vince Lupo
Whatever
When I had my M9 (I now have the Monochrom), I used only PhotoShop. No LR, no SEP. seemed to get fine results that way, and the resulting prints looked pretty much as they did on screen. Sometimes makes me wonder why I bothered 'upgrading' to the Monochrom.
The ones posted here are DNG files converted.
The ones posted here are DNG files converted.
Vince Lupo
Whatever
Many thanks -- the scene was just 'there', so of course I had to shoot it!
For some reason my wife doesn't like this shot -- maybe it's more a photo for 'guys'?
jordan.dickinson
Jordan Dickinson
I don't really use LR. As I learned Photoshop way before LR and Aperture, I just stick with that. My main workflow is to use dodge and burn layers, gradient maps, and SilverEFX in my workflow, not only for black and white conversions, but also to add grain and vignettes if the image calls for it. It all kinda depends on the image, and I am often reinventing my workflow to get different looks. I am also a real lover of BW film and scan most of my 35mm with a Nikon Coolscan V ED. A lot of the time, I'm more or less attempting to emulate film with my digital files, and to not have a super crisp grain free image as an M9 can produce. It's a little odd as the M9 produces great files, but I like the look of grain and a less sterile digital image.
hlockwood
Well-known
No, the scene was not just there; you were there and recognized the potential. I recently showed my wife a shot that I blew up to ~10inx15in that I thought was fantastic. My wife's reaction: Hmmm.
No guy thing involved, just a different perspective.
HFL
Vince Lupo
Whatever
Yes, you're probably right Harry. I think it is a 'recognition' of all the elements and putting them together.
As I recall it was shot in Lyon, looking out the window of a museum. And it's when I look at an 11"x16" print of this that I wonder why I sold the M9 and bought the Monochrom.
As I recall it was shot in Lyon, looking out the window of a museum. And it's when I look at an 11"x16" print of this that I wonder why I sold the M9 and bought the Monochrom.
Duane Pandorf
Well-known
Shadows in the Alley
Shadows in the Alley
Shadows in the Alley | Leica M-E, Leica Summilux-M 35mm
Shadows in the Alley
Shadows in the Alley | Leica M-E, Leica Summilux-M 35mm
Vince Lupo
Whatever
cz23
Well-known
Vince, your last one with the truck is pretty much ideal processing to me. That full range of rich grays is what I aspire to in a BW photograph and conversion. I no longer have an M9, but I believe I did my best work with it.
One more from my catalog.
John
One more from my catalog.
John
albertospa
Established
Vince Lupo
Whatever
Thanks -- I too wonder if I made a mistake getting rid of my M9 in favour of the Monochrom. Not that the Monochrom is a bad camera - quite the contrary - but I do wonder if all the additional expense was equal to a measurable difference in final image quality.
As far as the whole idea of 'processing' and printing digital black and white, I'm finding it to be every bit as involved as traditional darkroom printing (I've just taken the plunge into Piezography inks, so we'll see where that takes us!). I do shake my head at times when some people say that 'all you digital guys to is click your mouse and out pops a print'. If only they knew.....
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