Critique In laws

[NickTB]

Hello All.

After some more critique please?

I think I may have spoiled this by making it B&W in LR. Taken using one studio head through umbrella camera right, one soft box camera left. In the original the background isn't blown (It's a magnolia colour) in this edit, it looks completely burned out. Plus since uploading it, it looks really soft where as in the original it's sharp (For the most part) How can I get good B&W shots using Lightroom? any tutorials or plug ins that I can be pointed at would be great.

Thanks,
Nick

 

[juggler]

I really don't think there's anything wrong majorly wrong with the processing - it looks quite natural. Maybe it could do with a smidge more contrast (use the tone curves panel - click the little square icon so you can drag it round as much as you like.)

Silver Efex Pro is commonly recommended for B&W conversions but it's incredibly easy to overcook things with it.

But - the first thing which struck me about this pic was that everyone is leaning backwards. I expect it was just the sofa they were on but it looks as though they're all recoiling slightly from the camera. It tends to emphasise double chins and make folk look heavier, too.

 

[NickTB]

Yes, it's the sofa.. I have an old Chesterfield that sits near the window, and I tend to make use of that as theirs room and light. Good point though, I'll make sure they are sitting on something less comfortable next time!

Thanks for the tip re Silver Efex. Stand by for some overcooked pictures!

Nick

 

[juggler]

Yes, it's the sofa.. I have an old Chesterfield that sits near the window, and I tend to make use of that as theirs room and light. Good point though, I'll make sure they are sitting on something less comfortable next time!

Thanks for the tip re Silver Efex. Stand by for some overcooked pictures!

Nick

Top tips for silver efex - be really wary of the structure, soft contrast and dynamic brightness sliders and watch for halos.

 

[ancient_mariner]

Top tips for silver efex - be really wary of the structure, soft contrast and dynamic brightness sliders and watch for halos.

Absolutely. It can deliver very film-like images, but it's all too easy to end up not noticing the halos from the sheer enthusiasm of manipulating the picture to reveal other things. On1 perfect effects (free) also has a very good B&W module that gives quite different results from Silver efex, with much more control over image development as a whole.