Monochrom B&W Post Processing Tools

[Bart D]

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However, silver efex doesn't need to provide 'heavy postprocessing'. I can be used quite subtlety. 

[panoramer]

B&W to Color image:

 

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Original image

Leica M10M image colorized with Photoshop Elements

[Stevejack]

On 3/30/2020 at 12:35 AM, John Miranda said:

Hello everyone,

I have spent more time working on color images in Photoshop, and on occasion also leverage an add-on, Topaz Studio for processing.  With a new M10M, I have learning to do on processing these image files.  I'm applying simple curves, setting black and white point, and am familiar with local dodging and burning.  Beyond that however, what kinds of tools, or workflows have you had success with to refine your b&w images?

Best,

John

 

 

I stick almost entirely to Lightroom, for most of my images 90% of my editing time is spent in Lightroom. Often when I bring the file into Photoshop I'll just do any necessary spot healing, then re-size and save the file. 

I do use the Tony Kuyper's TK8 panel in photoshop though if I need to do any luminance masking, fine dodging and burning, and to add a vignette. It's a brilliant little tool that makes life quicker and easier and worth a look, though it does have a slight learning curve (there are videos to help). Luminance masking is incredibly powerful and I would encourage anyone to do a deep-dive into some videos on youtube if you haven't used them before.  

 

[japo]

Hi all

I installed SEP2, still free, in 2020 via their official website ("old version") and it works fine.

When upgrading mac's IOS, you do have to manually copy/move the plugins to the bib/google plug in bib.
This works fine with my canon 5d (colour to BW)
With my m10m, I use only Lroom 95% and more of the time.
For the fraction of added value SEP gives me, I have to add the huge file enlargement, 
m10m dng file: 42mb
after corrections in LRoom gives 70mb
some final touches in SEP2 gives 700mb! psd file (need a battery of disks!)
or I'm doing something wrong????

 

[250swb]

21 hours ago, japo said:

 

some final touches in SEP2 gives 700mb! psd file (need a battery of disks!)
or I'm doing something wrong????

 

700mb is saving all your layers and adjustments, decide when to quit adjusting your image, flatten the Layers, and save as a .TIFF

.psd files are for ongoing work, it’s good discipline to decide when to stop.

[japo]

2 hours ago, 250swb said:

700mb is saving all your layers and adjustments, decide when to quit adjusting your image, flatten the Layers, and save as a .TIFF

.psd files are for ongoing work, it’s good discipline to decide when to stop.

Hi Steve
first of all thanks for your input
i tested some files, opened .dng with nik SEP2, took a preset adjustment, merged the layers and saved in .tif
This gives me another file of 200mb
do you think that's normal?

[250swb]

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11 hours ago, japo said:

Hi Steve
first of all thanks for your input
i tested some files, opened .dng with nik SEP2, took a preset adjustment, merged the layers and saved in .tif
This gives me another file of 200mb
do you think that's normal?

When the image comes out of ACR click 'Save As' and save as a .TIFF at that stage. This is now your starting image. Adjust it in Nik and when you've finished adjusting the image and you are happy with it Flatten the Layers and save as a .TIFF, your image should now be the same size as you started with even though during processing it grows. 

So Flatten the image at the end and don't Merge it. You can always Flatten Layers and save as a sequence of .TIFF files as you go along to see where you've come from and avoid bloat, then when you are finished after a few days introspection you can keep the work in progress files or delete them.