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"REALISTIC, FILM-LIKE B&W IN PHOTOSHOP"
<c> by DigiDaan
(last updated 04/07/2001)
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| Editor: We recently published a review
about B&W printing. So this article by DigiDaan is just what we
needed. |
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Converting your color images to black & white can be easily done by selecting
the grayscale mode in Photoshop. But the results just don't look as if
they were shot on real black & white film... So here is where the DigiDaan
Channel Mixtures for Adobe Photoshop come in.
There are three mixtures to choose from:
- DigiDaanNC.cha is the normal contrast basic conversion, suitable for
most pictures.
- DigiDaanHC.cha is the high contrast mixer, to spice up those soft-lighted
pics.
- DigiDaanOF.cha is the orange filter mixer, as if the pictures were
taken with an orange filter. Very nice for blue skies and gives skin
tones that semi-infrared look!
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Original
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Photoshop Grayscale
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DigiDaanNC
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DigiDaanHC
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| As you can see, the standard Photoshop grayscale
conversion gives a somewhat, dull, unsatisfying result. The DigiDaan normal
contrast gives a better, 'crispier' image, but for this picture the DigiDaan
high contrast -because of skin tones does transform the colors into a more
pleasing luminosity/contrast-impression. |
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| The DigiDaan orange filter shows its true power
in the next example: |
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Original
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Photoshop Grayscale
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DigiDaanOF
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| COLOR SPECTRUM ANALYSIS |
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Color
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Photoshop Grayscale
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DigiDaanNC
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DigiDaanHC
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DigiDaanOF
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| The standard Photoshop grayscale conversion
washes out the yellows and bright greens. But black & white film is quite
insensitive for yellows and greens, that's why the DigiDaan Channel Mixtures
also have a notch in that tonal range. To give that film-like impression.
Well, you can try it out for yourself! |
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| HOW IT WORKS |
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| 1. Download the DigiDaan
Channel Mixtures, store them on your hard drive |
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| 2. Open the to be converted document in Photoshop. |
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| 3. Create a Channel Mixer-adjustment layer. |
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| 4. Load one of the above mentioned channel
mixer files |
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| 5. OPTIONAL: drag the RGB-sliders for fine-tuning |
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| 6. Keep in mind that the document stays RGB!
Flatten the layers before choosing 'mode' > 'grayscale' finally! |
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