Smart Photography 201707

7. B&W Adjustment Layer
   This is my favourite method
   because it is not only very easy, it
   also allows me great control over
   my B&W conversions.

a) Open the colour image in
Photoshop and make a duplicate
image (Image > Duplicate). This
duplicate image is only for our
reference, because once the image
is converted to B&W, it is difficult
to know which shade of the black
and white corresponds to which
colour. So now we’ll have on our
computer screen, two entirely
similar colour images.

b) You can work on either of
the two since they are the same.
Create an adjustment layer for
Black & White (click on the half-
black, half-white circle at the
bottom of the Layers panel and
from the drop-down menu, select
Black & White). The image will
turn to grayscale (will become
B&W) and you’ll also see a new
drop-down menu with six sliders
(Reds, Yellows, Greens, Cyans,
Blues and Magentas). You will
also notice that the sliders are
appropriately coloured and that they
are darker at the left and lighter at the
right.

c) Now look at the colour image and
decide which ‘colour’ you would like
to further lighten or darken on the
B&W image. (The word ‘colour’ is in
single inverted commas because it is no
longer a colour, but a shade of B&W on
the grayscale image). If you move any
slider to the left, you can darken that
tone; moving it to the right will lighten
that tone. Play around till you get the
shade/contrast you desire.

Note: For Black & White conversion
using a specialised software – Silver
Efex Pro – please go to page 102.

A question still remains. Which method
should you use to convert your colour
images to Black & White. There is no
clear answer. Use whichever method
you are comfortable with, whichever
method suits the purpose for which
you are converting your colour image
to grayscale. But do consider the level

of control that any particular method

offers.

During the film era, photographers

working in grayscale (black and white)

controlled the image contrast/shades

using several methods:

• Selecting the film, based on its contrast
  characteristics.


• Further controlling the contrast by use
  of different types of film developers.


• Contrast was also controlled by the
  amount of agitation during the film
  developement and by controlling the
  temperature of the developer.


• B&W printing papers were available
  with different contrast characteristics
  and photographers selected the printing
  paper depending on the contrast they
  required.

In the digital era, we have immense

control over image tonality (for B&W

as well as colour) by using various

software and different methods of

control. While it is not practical to own

or use all the editing programs available,

practicing with whatever software

programs we have access to, can indeed

reach us to the next higher level. |SP

PS for B&W adjustment layer method

B&W Adjustment Layer

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Smart PhotographyJuly 2017