Favorite batch B+W conversion.

[philipotto]

I need to process 972 photos pronto. 621 M8 DNGs, and 351 Digilux 2 Raws.

Software I have to work with:

Capture 1 LE + JFI Labs B&W Films
Adobe LightRoom
Apple Aperture
Adobe CS3

The JFI profiles look rather flat, perhaps there is something else else needed to make them sing?

What process would you use?

[stunsworth]

Try Alien Skin Exposure - Alien Skin Software, LLC - there's a fully functional 30 day try available. That should give you enough time to decide if it's for you.

Exposure also simulates film gain, but there are presets that does not add grain if that's not what you want.

[thomasl.se]

Originally Posted by stunsworth

Try Alien Skin Exposure - Alien Skin Software, LLC - there's a fully functional 30 day try available. That should give you enough time to decide if it's for you.

Exposure also simulates film gain, but there are presets that does not add grain if that's not what you want.

Second that. The Polapan preset is always ready to "sing" and it's got a way with skin tones. Grain control applies to all presets; and since you mention flat: playing with the Push Process slider will bend them no mercy.

[Baxter]

I too rate 'Exposure' very highly. Having tried LR and more orthodox B+W conversions, using Exposure during the trial period impressed me sufficiently to buy the plug-in (as Steve predicted in a thread around Xmas time!). Having recently bought Aperture, I haven't investigated the capabilities of this - mostly because the Alien Skin product works so damn well!

Would be interested to find out how to incorporate using Exposure into an automated batch process. Currently I do all files individually using either their presets, or my modified customised variants. I seek an easy life, and with the best part of 1000 images Philip would also benefit from getting the computer to do this automatically.

[thomasl.se]

To record an ASE filter into a PS action, untick "create output in new layer above current" under ASE's color tab.

[Rolo]

Depends on the use.

I shot 913 images at a wedding yesterday.

I'll very quickly review every image for focus and duplication, do a quick colour balance in Lightroom, make a collection of the originals, then create a virtual copy and convert to B&W in Lightroom.

When the B&G have selected their 90 album images I'll then take the images into Photoshop and treat each file individually.

For me, it's a heavy burden to post process all images including those that are not going to album or framed prints, so I don't.

In Photoshop, I use Actions and Layer masks to give me the look I want. Lightroom Presets are good for a quick review and occasionally give me a surprise end product. i find, however, that presets can have a substantially different impact on the individual images in a batch.

Rolo

[richam]

Seems to me that Lightroom is closer to what you want with the volume of images you have. Select one photo, and get it the way you want it. There are LR B&W presets that might work, and other free presets you can download. You apply the preset and then fine tune the way you want. Or just roll-your-own adjustments. Optionally, save as a user preset for future use. Once you get one image the way you want, select all and press the "sync" button.

[thomasl.se]

Re: Lightroom,

Indeed, handy for batch. Should you later on have the time and wish to dig into crafting your own B&W's with LR, you may find this tutorial on conversion methods worthwhile.
http://photoshopnews.com/stories/dow...scale_STD2.mov

Thomas

[ChrisC]

Originally Posted by philipotto

, perhaps there is something else else needed to make them sing? What process would you use?

Philip - None of the above.

Are you doing post-processing or sending them out-of-the-can [so to speak]? I would keep them in a 'de-saturated' Colour Space and use the colour tools of Photoshop [particularly Selective Colour] on an apparently B&W image. Go to Joseph Holmes [an unsung hero] and purchase the appropriate Master Space [i.e. Colour Space] and a set of Chroma Variants.

http://www.josephholmes.com/profiles.html

ASSIGN a minus 99 variant to your image and you will have a B&W to work with colour palette tools while it is still a de-coloured colour image. CONVERT to a B&W Space when tweaked. You can set up two Actions; one for the Assignation to-99, and another for the Conversion to a B&W Space.

It's a doddle; just sounds fussy because of my description.

If you want an out-of-the-can conversion with no post-processing ignore the above. Be aware that Conversion will dump the file's colour information which is very usable for post-processing the image, for example you might want to deepen a blue sky by adding e.g. black and cyan to the Blue [in Selective Colour] - you would observe the effect of the colour tweaking immediately in effectively B&W.

I've given this advice before and it's always ignored; But that's OK. Hope you get a workable solution, good luck.

.................. Chris

Have a look at Joe Holmes site regardless of whether you go the route I suggest.

[sean_reid]

JFI for me.

Cheers,

Sean

[chris_tribble]

Originally Posted by richam

Seems to me that Lightroom is closer to what you want with the volume of images you have. Select one photo, and get it the way you want it. There are LR B&W presets that might work, and other free presets you can download. You apply the preset and then fine tune the way you want. Or just roll-your-own adjustments. Optionally, save as a user preset for future use. Once you get one image the way you want, select all and press the "sync" button.

My experience is that LR works really well for this kind of processing.

My 2 penn'orth.