Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 31

Thread: Anyone shoot color and convert to BW digitally?

  1. #1
    Mike Anderson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    681

    Anyone shoot color and convert to BW digitally?

    I'm new to LF. I like to shoot 35mm color film and DSLR and convert it to BW digitally using the techniques described in the book "Advanced Digital Black and White Photography" by John Beardsworth. An advantage of producing BW this way is that you can effectively apply color filters in post processing interactively.

    Does anyone do this in large format? If so what film do you use?

    ...Mike

  2. #2
    hacker extraordinaire
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    1,331

    Re: Anyone shoot color and convert to BW digitally?

    I don't do it in large format because large format color chemistry is so expensive, but I do it a lot with smaller formats. I shoot color slide film in the camera and make a B&W internegative onto pan film. You can indeed apply color filters at this stage if you want. I get very nice prints this way; in many ways they are 'better' than using B&W film in the camera.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Posts
    9,487

    Re: Anyone shoot color and convert to BW digitally?

    Yeah if you are in a Photoshop and inkjet workflow why not? The only hassle is the added expense of color film. Color neg makes a lot more sense to shoot and scan, I like Kodak Portra NC 400 and 160 ISO. Longer range, more forgiving....

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Austin TX
    Posts
    2,049

    Re: Anyone shoot color and convert to BW digitally?

    I've started to do the conversion from 35mm transparencies to B&W using PS then inkjet printing. But only with material that I've found unsuitable for color printing using Inkjet or Ilfochrome. For me, so far, it amounts to a salvage job for older 35 mm chromes when I want a print for documentary purposes. Often slides that are too monochromatic or that are what would be called "snapshots". No 4X5 conversions yet since I shoot originals in both transparencies and B&W.

    Nate Potter, Austin TX.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    789

    Re: Anyone shoot color and convert to BW digitally?

    This is the way I plan to do it. But don't tell my buddies on APUG.

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    1,952

    Re: Anyone shoot color and convert to BW digitally?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike1234 View Post
    This is the way I plan to do it. But don't tell my buddies on APUG.
    Well C.B. they will discover your duplicitous ways sooner or later.

    Don Bryant

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Posts
    9,487

    Re: Anyone shoot color and convert to BW digitally?

    Yeah and then that petty bastard will ban you

  8. #8
    Just waiting to be developed..
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    New Rochelle, NY 10804
    Posts
    501

    Re: Anyone shoot color and convert to BW digitally?

    Occasionally i do it. I have sometimes ran out of B&W film or the shot after i scan it looks so much better in B&W.
    I mostly shoot Fuji Pro 160s. It converts nicely to B&W and so does 160VC which i use in QL.
    -Ian Mazursky
    www.ianmazursky.com Travel, Landscape, Portraits and my 12x20 diary
    PrePress Express

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    England, UK
    Posts
    40

    Re: Anyone shoot color and convert to BW digitally?

    Whilst you can gain some flexibility in your B&W conversion in this manner (at large chemistry and film cost), you lose the ability to control the scale of your film.
    For example, if you have a scene that has a dynamic range that is too large for the film that you are using, you can increase the exposure time and reduce the film development time to compress the highlights to fit into the dynamic range of the negative.
    This process is Ansel Adam's Zone System and is explained in his book, The Negative.
    It is a big advantage of sheet film over roll film because each sheet can be developed individually according to its needs and doesn't work properly with colour films.
    These considerations may or may not be of concern to your particular photography style and subject matter but whatever you do, enjoy yourself

  10. #10

    Re: Anyone shoot color and convert to BW digitally?

    Mike, I've a friend who swears by this, shooting transparencies and scanning for inkjets. Says he can retroactively apply filters and augment/reduce color to tones. I note that he makes only small prints and has never been in a darkroom himself (and so on). At 11x14 his prints looked pretty good though. C41 isn't more difficult than B/W. If you want to seriously alter images in Photoslop it may be the best way to go.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •