The Art of Seeing

There are usually a gazillion different ways to do the same thing in Photoshop and it is no different for doing a conversion of a color photograph to black and white (B&W).

Here are 3 different ways to achieve this:

1) The most obvious and the worst method

Go to Image -> Mode ->GreyScale.

2) Better

Go to Image -> Mode-> LAB color. In the layers palette, turn off all layers except for the 'L' layer.

3) Best

Go to Image -> Adjustments -> Channel Mixer. Choose 'Monochrome' check box. Adjust the sliders for 'Red', 'Green' and 'Blue' till you like the image.

See the results for an image that I did the above using all the 3 methods above. Which one do you like?



Note, a good way to modify a B&W image is to the use the Brightness/Contrast adjustment tool and only modify the 'Contrast' slider to get the look you want.

Canon 20D, image desaturated partially in PS CS.

I have never shot people before. (Neither photographically nor with a firearm :)

I recently did a studio portrait/model shoot organized by a local camera club and I was blown away by the experience. It was enjoyable, emotional and interesting. Maybe there is still hope for me as a Portait photographer.

Canon 20D, Canon 50mm f2.5 @f8, 1/180

California appears to be a place where pictures don't hide from the photographer. They appear in plain view, always available and always ready like this one.



Canon 20D, Canon 70-200L, @150mm, f5.6, White Balance changed in Photoshop.

San Francisco, taken near Ghirardelli Square. There were several neon signs like these lighting up the night. Canon 20D, EF-S 18-55mm, handheld.

Canon 20D, Canon EF-S 18-55mm, ISO 400, Handheld.

One from the archives. Rebel Ti, Sigma 100mm Macro, Fuji Reala 100.

One of my newest Johanni Cichlid to join my freshwater fishtank. They are incredibly active and it took me lots of time (and patience) to catch this shot. But thats the good part of digital, all wasted shots take only one push of the erase button.

Canon 20D, Canon 100mm Macro, Monopod.

The flower's petals weren't really blue, but I like it this way. Canon 20D, 100mm Macro.