Best Black & White Conversion Method

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eachpeach

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Hi all,

Can you please recommend your best black and white conversion method? There are quite a few out there, with varying results, so I am wanting to get your feedback!

I am using LR3 and Photoshop CS3.

Thanks,
Virginia.
 
Another vote for SE2, topaz black and white isn't too bad either and was a very good price last time I looked.
I tend to use SE but have got a film emulation action I made a while back based loosly on the film emulations in SE2 with a few of my own mixes thrown in that I use sometimes.
 
Lots of different techniques out there and as usual it very much depends on your image as to which one will work best.

As mentioned you can use a seperate plugin to give you numerous options or if you prefer you can have a go and use the tools with in photoshop.

I have recently been using a technique called contrast grading http://www.ianbarberphotography.co.uk/convert-to-black-and-white/ which I am finding very useful as it gives you total control over the all the elements that make up your image.
Another good one is Guy Gowan's colour to mono. http://www.guygowan.com/shop/dvd/mono/

I have just tried thie technique below today and so far I think the results are good defenatley one to remember for the future.

The Gorman-Holbert Method
This black and white conversion method is named for Greg Gorman and Mac Holbert.
It is a luminosity based method especially good for portraits and delicate subjects

1. Convert to LAB colour (image/mode)
2. Select Lightness channel (in the channel palette)
3. Set Image mode to Greyscale (image/mode) when asked discard other channels
4. While holding the CTRL key click on the Grey channel to Select Shadows
5. Invert selection (select/invert)
6. Convert image back to RGB (image/mode)
7. Go to the layers palette
8. Create new fill layer and fill with colour or grey whatever you like (sepia R225:G141:B31 is a good place to start) (Grey R150:G150:B150) you can always change the colour later if required)
9. Change blending mode of the fill layer to multiply
10. Create new merged layer above this by clicking on the fill layer then pressing CTRL,ALT,SHIFT, E
11. Change the blending mode of this new layer to Overlay and adjust the opacity to 20%
12. Run High Pass sharpen on this layer set at 50 pixels (filter/other/high pass)
 
Bare in mind converting to LAB and back is destructive due to rounding errors, it's not non distructive as some will claim.
 
A simple mono conversion that often works is:
Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map
 
Another vote for Silver Fx pro 2.
great program and really easy to use
 
I use Topaz and for the money its excellent, very simple to use, they have tutorials on their site to start you off as well. No complaints.

Andy
 
Silver Efex Pro seemed very good (I gave the trial a go) but as you've said you also use Lightroom it is worth searching for B&W presets. There are some really good ones about, some of which are freebies, some are paid for (but relatively cheap in comparison to Silver Efex Pro).
 
I find that using a simple Gradient Map in Photoshop often gives a very good and contrasty result with pleasant tonalities.
 
Black and white tool and curves in photoshop, you can achieve anything if you use these two tools. IMO the whole argument is invalid, all you need to be able to do is change the luminance of different colours within the black and white, and selectively add and take away contrast.. there is no need for stringing it out in to an overly scientific method! there is no "best technique"... don't make your life harder than you have to :)
 
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