Your Black & White Processing Needs this Intel
A few months ago, I did a video that made a BOLD claim that I would take composition over color any day as the biggest contributor to viewer response. It was the topic of a lot of discussion on the f.64 Academy Education Facebook page and my YouTube channel. All good discussion, of course, but many people brought up a GREAT question.
“Okay, Blake, so you’d take color over composition, but where does a Black and White image fit in here?”
I am so glad you asked! My stance on Black and White is that it is a finishing effect that is best completed after your tones and colors look good. I also strongly feel it should incorporate your colors to create the best tonal values. So, Color still plays a vital role in producing good quality Black and White photos.
I have a 4 step process I developed to help you make your Black and White work much better by using your colors.
Step 1 – Shift your colors for desired tonal values.
Step 2 – Refine your colors to explore the tones further.
Step 3 – Balance your colors to define the tones.
Step 4 – Treat your tonal values with a Gradient Map.
Simple right? Well, there is a lot more to it that you need to know before diving into it. In this video, I will share all my tips and tricks with you on how I make impactful Black and White images. I even made an action for you to make it all so much easier 😉
Click here to get the Actions – The reason I as for your email is to know who downloaded this item. If I ever need to modify the action, it makes it a whole lot easier to deliver. This will not put you on my email list twice if you use the same email you have registered before.
For Blake, it's all about the art and process synergy. He dives deep into complex topics and makes them easy to understand through his outside-the-box thinking so that you can use these tricks in your workflow today!
Thank you. I have been using your method since I took the 30 days of PS. I missed or misunderstood a few things, and I think you have added some features. I had built my own actions, but, of course, yours are better.
I just developed this yesterday so it’s fresher. I am always on the move and making new ways to do things.
An absolutely genius approach to BW development.
Very cool Blake. Love it. Thanks
Hello Harold. It’s been a few years since Yale. I see we are both fans of Blake. Email me at nkoss@ephotofx.com
Seems like more control that the B&W methods under your Palette Effects3
I JUST discovered this method yesterday when I built the tutorial… so yes… Not necessarily better, but different.
Hi Blake, I have been following you for quite a while. Love your approche
Thank you for this great method – I have already applied it manually.
It seems the action doesn’t allow to see the individual steps…
Happy New Year from France
Wow. Definitely going to try this. Thanks Blake, as always.
Vinny
Loved your B&W images!!
Is this action different than the conversions provided in your panels?
Very interesting. For years now I’ve used Jim Welninski’s 3-Step Method, Gradient Map over Black & White adjustment layer over HSL layer, but as you say, the B&W adjustment layer touches only luminance. Looking forward to reprocessing some images (especially difficult ones) to see what difference it makes.
Thanks Blake for this tutorial. I have used the gradient for converting to BW and then curves to dodge and burn. I think I’ll be trying your method.
I noticed the importance of color for monochrome once I started doing more IR images. I rarely use my 850nm filter anymore. I thankfully have various BW film LUTS that allow me to have a beginning base to start changing the HSL since the color information was kept. On rare occasions, there is another technique that I will use where I convert a luminosity mask into the image. Did not realize how powerful the color selection could be though. Thank you for sharing this Blake. 🙂
Thank you. Can’t wait to try tis.
This is an unbelievable way to create B/W images
really enjoyed the tutorial had a quick try this evening, this method is brilliant for true B/W photography
Richard
After watching you’re recent Linear Light Blend Mode videos, I’ve been using the Linear Light Blend Mode like crazy. Now I can’t wait to try this method for processing Black & White. Blake, you’re exhausting me. 🙂 I absolutely love and look forward to all your videos. Thanks
Excellent, Blake!
You have so many great actions and I keep track of them with MyPanel 2.
Thank you Blake for the excellent video and for running through the 4 process steps!
I’m older so I’m a little slow on the uptake but I’ll be revisiting the video a few more times until I get it down because I love B&W images and am always looking for ways to improve them.
Your process and now the Photoshop actions make it much more smarter, much more doable and offer to produce much better results!
Thanks so very much for providing them for free!
That is extremely generous and very cool of you to do so!
And going back to your site gave me the opportunity to remember that I never re-added the fantastic RAW GPS Tools I lost when my computer crashed and had to rebuild and reinstall many great downloads to PS & LR!
You freakin’ Rock my Friend!
Appreciate your passion, knowledge, love for the craft and your generosity in what you share regularly.
Happy New Year to you and family and may God bless all that you place your hand to!
How to get the link to download the B/W actions? Thanks. I think what you show here is great.
Hello Blake, what a great Video, thank you. I live in the middle of Europe and a lot of my Photography involves winter scenes and snow. A lot of which I turn into BW. With the info you have provided here I have a lot of reprocessing to do. Thanks a lot for the Actions you provide and the Panel where it is so easy to keep track.
Many thanks, Blake for this.
Just one question: if your processing order is: HSL, Selective Color, and then Color Balance, why the order of the layers from down to top is not the same?
i found this very interesting and going to try it, but i going have to look at this tutorial a couple of times first. thanks
Blake, you have no idea how timely this is for me, as I am about to do a B&W conversion of one of my photos. Needless, to say, thank you for this valuable insight! You never cease to amaze me!
Excellent; much more fine control than any other method to date
Great process and explanation, than you!
Just a clarification, why do you need to start the process with the best colour balanced image if with the following steps 1, 2 and 3 you shift, refine and balance again them?
Great process and explanation, thank you!
Just a clarification, why do you need to start the process with the best colour balanced image if with the following steps 1, 2 and 3 you shift, refine and balance again them?
I have just been experimenting with this – amazing control with all the options! Really love the results. Thank you for the action, makes it even simpler to get started.
Blake, you are a magician! Thanks for this. Can’t wait to try it.
Excelente as usual, Blake.
In my humble opinion I think you should leave ‘composition’ alone. You made it perfectly clear the importance of colour for the conversion to B&W.
It is important to keep in mind dynamic and static compositions in the history of art to ascertain their value.
Hey Blake,
Sometimes your techniques and tutorials are solid base hits. This one however is a home run. This B&W conversion method is amazingly powerful and flexible. I’ve experimented with several images and can’t wait to explore it more.
Thanks!
Bases loaded?
I have always had a problem with getting my B&W’s. They never really look quite right. This process is super awesome! Of course, I had to try it a few times WITHOUT the action. This has really helped me with seeing my B&W’s a lot better. You’re truly the best Blake. Thank you! Love the action too, thank you for that as well!
Thanks for another stellar Tut.
I always thought about converting to B&W to process your color images. Creating selective color with different luminosity levels to draw the eye where you want it to view. Sort of a template to process for a finished color image.
Brilliant, informative and admirably clearly explained as usual. You’ve done it again! Thanks Blake.
Life changing stuff, love it :-). I’m using this process for a set of conversions of landscapes with quite a lot of even blue sky. The conversions are going really well, but I’m having a problem with banding in the sky that I just don’t seem to resolve satisfactorily. It might just get by for the screen, but I fear when printed it’ll look awful. Can you give me any advice on how to avoid it and/or eliminate it? Many thanks.
I have always used Topaz Silver Fox Pro to convert a color image to B&W. You opened my eyes to an entire new method that makes a lot of sense.
Thank you!