b/w workflow in CS 5

[luxikon]

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Does anybody in this forum use Photoshop CS 5 for b/w photography? I would like to learn about the channel mixing method. Would you please be so kind and explain the exact workflow to me? Are there (better) alternatives?

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[250swb]

I tend to think the Channel Mixer method has been taken over by the Black and White option, which gives even more control. Both 'Channel Mixer' and 'Black and White' are found by following Image>Adjustments>Black and White/Channel Mixer.

 

With Channel Mixer check the 'Monochrome' box and use the sliders to mimic the colour sensitivity of monochrome film and or the use of filters on a lens, like a red filter, or green filter. But these things are in the Black and White menu with some presets for all the colour filters, and additionally in that menu you can tint the image.

 

One of the nicest ways to convert to B&W in my opinion is to convert the image to Lab Colour, Image>Mode>Lab Colour. You will see that you have a Lightness Channel, and an A and a B channel. Delete both the A and B channels and convert the result to Greyscale, Image>Mode>Greyscale. This approach gives a very open range of tones, ideal for portraits for instance. If you want to tint the image you can now convert it to RGB.

 

So I would use 'Black and White' or 'Lab Colour' in CS5. But I use a Photoshop plugin called Silver Efex Pro and this gives even more control but with an easy to try out alternative choices. It is expensive though.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Steve

[luxikon]

Thanks for the info Steve. I think it will help.

Last week I ordered Silver Efex Pro and I wonder how it will work. Does it come with a manual? Where can I learn about SEP?

I'm an absolute beginner. The M9 is my first digital camera.

But I run my own darkroom for my b&w M6 negatives for many years.

[250swb]

Nik software have a series of informative instruction video's for Silver Efex on their web site. Those should explain everything, and the rest is easy.

 

Steve