One of the reasons photographic purists usually refer to black and
white prints as “monochrome” is that it’s a more precise descriptive
term that also covers images produced in sepia and other tones. There is
much more to black and white photography than simply an absence of
color. Maybe we wouldn’t feel this way if the first photographs had been
made in full color but that didn’t happen. Like many photographers, I
grew up admiring the works of W. Eugene Smith and other photojournalists
who photographed people at work, play, or just being themselves, all in
glorious black and white.
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© 2003, Joe Farace, All Rights Reserved
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© 2008, Joe Farace, All Rights Reserved
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One of the advantages of working with monochromatic digital
photographs is the original image can come from many sources. Some
digital cameras have Black and White or Sepia modes for capturing images
directly in monochrome but more often than not they capture these
photographs in RGB. Yup, it’s a color file without any color! You can
also capture your images in color, then use any of the software that
I’ll introduce you to and convert that full color photograph into a
monochromatic one. As a creative medium, traditionalists may still call
it “monochrome” while digital imagers may prefer the computerese
“grayscale,” but, to paraphrase Billy Joel, “It’s still black and white
to me.”
One of my favorite ways to convert a color file into monochrome is to
use Photoshop-compatible plug-ins. You can always use the Black and
White New Adjustment Layer (Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Black &
White) in Adobe’s Photoshop and it’s a pretty good tool as far as it
goes, but this story is about monochrome conversion plug-ins.
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© 2006, Joe Farace, All Rights Reserved
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© 2006, Joe Farace, All Rights Reserved
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Monochrome Conversion
Nik Software’s (www.niksoftware.com)
Silver Efex Pro is a Photoshop- and Aperture-compatible plug-in that
offers emulations of 18 different black and white films from Agfa, Fuji,
Ilford, and Kodak, along with a grain engine that mimics the
traditional silver halide process. In the Film Types area on the
right-hand side of the stunningly designed interface, you’ll also find
controls for Sensitivity and Tonal Curve, allowing fine-tuning of the
conversion.
The plug-in uses Nik Software’s patented and insanely cool U Point
technology, borrowed from Nikon’s Capture NX software, that allows
selective control of an image’s brightness, contrast, and structure,
adding another level of control. By placing points on specific parts of
the photo you can control how much of the effect is applied to only
those areas. When making the final monochrome conversions, Silver Efex
Pro uses algorithms to protect against creating unwanted artifacts. The
plug-in costs $199.95, and works with 8- and 16-bit images, RGB, CMYK,
and LAB color spaces, and is compatible with Photoshop’s Smart Filters
feature.
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You
can work with Nik Software’s Silver Efex Pro on two levels: You can use
the one-click presets in the Style Browser (left-hand side) or you can
manually shift gears by using the controls on the right-hand side. Here
you’ll find access to control points, color filters, specific film
responses, and a stylizing menu that lets you tone and vignette. Style
Browser provides an overview of all of the available styles, with
thumbnails showing each style’s effect on the image. The interface also
has a digital loupe, to let you check out specific image details.
© 2003, Joe Farace, All Rights Reserved
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