1 The unadjusted image
2 The color cast is removed.
3 Saturation is raised high.
4 Saturation is not raised so high that it will cause clipping.
5 Before and after comparisons of a global conversion
1 – Full color
2 – Vibrance -100
3 – Saturation -100
4 – B&W Mixer with custom settings
Why is desaturating the worst color-to-black-and-white conversion method?
In short, it makes mud.
Here’s why.
When set to -100, Saturation changes different hues to similar neutral values; it loses tonal separation.
Vibrance is a worse choice; when set to -100, it retains some color.
Tools like Lightroom and Camera Raw’s B&W Mixer or Photoshop’s Black & White adjustment layer are much better because they allow you to retain tonal separation and adjust which hues become light or dark. They work very well for basic color to black-and-white conversions.
Photoshop offers even more control, first by allowing color to be adjusted before conversion and second by adding the ability to make local conversions so that the same color in different areas of an image can be converted differently.
So, when you’re making color to black-and-white conversions, stay away from Saturation and Vibrance and choose Lightroom/Camera Raw for basic global conversions, or when you need more, use Photoshop for the ultimate preview of possibilities and the most control.
Wings Of Desire, Beauty And The Beast, Embrace Of The Serpent, Dead Man, Seven Samurai, The Seventh Seal, The Passion Of Joan Of Arc …
We’ve all got our favorite black-and-white films. Any top 10 or 25 list will surely leave some of our favorites out and start a debate – that’s well worth having. Doing the hard work of picking our tops and supporting our choices helps us be clearer about what we most appreciate, inspiring ideas for how we might incorporate those qualities in our own images and be better able to celebrate it with others. Preparing for this task is a pure pleasure. Consider immersing yourself in the wonderful world of black and white with classic movies.
Here are 5 lists of the most beautiful black-and-white movies. Enjoy!
Taste Of Cinema – The 25 Most Visually Stunning Black-and-White Movies of All Time
List Challenges – The 25 Most Visually Stunning Black-And-White Movies of All Time
IMDB – Most Beautiful Black And White Films (Post 1965)
Listal – The Most Beautiful Black And White Films
New York Film Academy – The Best Black & White Films In Cinematography
What are your favorite black-and-white movies?
Leave your recommendations in the comments.
Find more Color Theory inspiration from the movies here.
Explore my Black & White resources here.
Learn more in my digital photography and digital printing workshops.
The fully saturated image
light on dark pieces of paper - a combination that can only be made by localizing different conversions
dark on light pieces of paper - a combination that can only be made by localizing different conversions
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To find the best color to black-and-white solution an image contains, it’s important to explore all of your options. One technique will quickly show you more options than any other – Photoshop’s dual adjustment layers (a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer below a Channel Mixer adjustment layer).
To preview all possibilities dynamically, move the Hue slider all the way to the left and all the way to the right.
But wait, there’s more.
As you’re previewing the many options available to you, remember you can localize the effects with masks. You can go beyond what you see in one mix by combining any of the tones you see in all of the mixes.
Few people can remember all of the possible combinations. So, save multiple copies with different settings and compare them. There’s nothing like seeing many options, side-by-side, to confirm you’re committing to the best solution.
You can read about this technique in more detail here.
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The two solutions above can only be achieved by converting separate areas of the image differently using masks.
The solutions below show the different global conversions which can be combined.
Note no dodging and burning was used to create these solutions. Dodging and burning can’t produce these extreme effects, but it can be used to further enhance them.
Also, note this technique is not useful for semi-neutral images; an image has to have significant saturation in at least one color to benefit from this technique.
Explore the wonderful world of black-and-white, a special form of color.
Seeing In B&W
What’s unique about black-and-white, and how to best adjust and print it.
What’s Unique About B&W
Black-and-white is special in so many ways.
Expanding The Definition Of B&W
The term “black & white” is not as simple as you might think.
How Gray Is Gray ?
Both context and personal preference make this a surprisingly challenging question.
Why You Need To Understand Color To Get The Best B&W Images
Color affects the exposure, processing, and printing of black-and-white images.
An Overview Of Color To B&W Conversions
My preferred workflow for color to black and white conversions.
Optimizing Files Before B&W Conversions
Prepare your color images before conversion to black-and-white to gain maximum control.
Why Desaturating Is The Worst Color To Black & White Conversion Method
Simply desaturating reduces tonal separation.
A Dozen Ways To Convert Color To B&W – And Why You Only Need Two (Coming Soon)
Simplify your workflow.
Lightroom / Camera Raw – B&W Conversions (Coming Soon)
When global conversions are enough.
Photoshop – B&W Conversions
When you want to localize conversions.
How To Create The Best Color To B&W Conversion Previews
Exploring your options before you commit to a final solution is time well spent.
Simulating Infrared | .99
Create the look of infrared with Adobe Photoshop (all versions)
Enhancing Local Contrast In B&W Images
The best ways to dodge and burn detailed.
5 Strategies For Adding Color Back Into B&W
Why and how to add color back into black-and-white photographs.
Top 5 Ways To Add Color To Black & White
By adding color to your black-and-white photos, you can enhance their expressive qualities.
Hand-Coloring B&W Photographs (Coming Soon)
How to achieve complex and convincing effects with this compelling palette.
Black & White Signature Styles
Like so many other artists, you, too, can learn to craft a unique black-and-white look.
5 Photographers With Signature B&W Styles
Study the masters to find new possibilities in black-and-white photography.
Why B&W And Color Don’t Mix
They’re two different realities; unless you use them as a code for that, present them separately.
Epson Driver – Advanced B&W Photo
Use the Epson driver to make the best black-and-white prints.
Watch The Essence Of B&W Mastery
Marc Silber (Advancing Your Photography) explores Edward Weston’s world through both historic film and new video. “Get a rare glimpse of an artist at work and how he visualized his photographs, loved nature, didn’t follow the rules, and how he used cameras to create his unique images.”
View more about the Westons here.
View more photographers videos here.
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In this video my father and I share insights into our creative lives and our passion for printing.
Why do you need to understand color to get the best black-and-white images?
Let me count the reasons.
1 Understand How Flexible The Luminosity Of Saturated Colors During Exposure And Conversion
Understanding how light and/or dark you can make saturated colors will help you pre-visualize the tonal possibilities within an image before exposure. When post-processing, while you’re converting color images to black-and-white, I recommend you make all of these ideas visible realities, making many different black and white versions and comparing them side-by-side. At the same time, you need to understand how neutral and near neutral colors do not offer the same flexibility, which will improve both your vision and your efficiency.
