Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2015/05/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]> On May 5, 2015, at 4:55 PM, Ken Carney <kcarney1 at cox.net> wrote: > > Bob, > > Yes, I think I tried a little too much. Here is one with less drama in > the darks: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/kcarney/_MG_2525BWTX2.jpg.html > > Probably I need to quit being so cheap and buy that Leica 246 and a couple > of lenses, if they haven't ruined it with that shitty new sensor :). > Somewhat seriously, though, from what little I know it does seem odd that > less information would equal a better image?*** ***I assumed that was easy to understand (even to be expected) when I saw the images of Brassai, Doisneau, HCB, Winograd, many others.... steve > > Ken > > On 5/5/2015 3:40 PM, Robert Adler wrote: >> Hi Ken, >> Good job controlling the whites! Definitely can see the improvement. >> Included in Tony's curves are videos by another photographer (forgot his >> name) on how to use Tony's curves. In one of them he shows a great way to >> bring out details in Zone2/3 blacks. I've tried it on a couple of images >> and it works very well. May be a good way for you to bring out more detail >> in your blacks: at least on screen it looks like its a very sudden drop >> off >> to black. >> Best, >> Bob >> (and congrats on finishing your last tax season!!!) >> >> On Tue, May 5, 2015 at 1:30 PM, Ken Carney <kcarney1 at cox.net> wrote: >> >>> In looking over some recent threads on critiques and b&w printing, I >>> thought it might be worth while to have some discussion on converting >>> files >>> to b&w. I'll post my approach, and maybe others can suggest improvements >>> and describe other approaches. Here are the files in color and as >>> converted to b&W: >>> >>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/kcarney/_MG_2525-Edit-Edit-Edit.jpg.html >>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/kcarney/_MG_2525BWTX.jpg.html >>> >>> I opened the file in Nik Silver Efex Pro, but could have used Photoshop >>> or >>> Lightroom b&w tools. I have Nik, Alien Skin, Topaz and DxO packages but >>> don't care for them for adjustments. For example in SEP the tones >>> affected >>> by the sliders are pretty broad. Instead, I used Photoshop masks as sold >>> by >>> Tony Kuyper (thanks again to Bob Adler). My camera has a range of about >>> six stops, somewhere between slide and negative film, or in Zone System >>> terms say Zones 2 through most of 8 as I measured it. In this image I >>> thought the brights needed some contrast so I selected a Zone 8 mask and >>> used an adjustment curve to pump up the brights a little. There is some >>> spillover, but the curve mainly only affected the brights in Zone 8. >>> Then >>> I did the same thing with masks for Zone 2 and 3 to get the blacks down >>> to >>> taste. Finally I added a little grain (TriX) with TrueGrain. This >>> software uses drum-scanned film stock for the grain, as opposed to >>> digital >>> interpretations of grain. >>> >>> So there you have it. Because of the flexibility of using Photoshop >>> targeted masks and adjustment curves, it took about five minutes. >>> >>> Ken >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >> >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information