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Category: New Answers

Photography Question 

Julie D. Fuhrman 		 

How do I make b/w pictures look more real?


 
 
I can't seem to make my black and white pictures look more real. I have seen pictures on here that are in black and white, and it looks like you can reach out and touch someone, they almost look porcelin. Should I be changing something on my camera, or in ps? And what is the best white balance for a black and white picture, or should it be auto? Please help!!!


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December 02, 2006

 

Stacy L. Robertson 		  Hi Julie, I'm by no means a pro but I do know that white balance has nothing to do with black and white. Whatever white balance is used on the camera, the tones are going to be the same. Your white balance is used for color. The only thing I have noticed is maybe a blue or brownish hue when using a particular light source, but that can be fixed very easily. I don't have PS so I take my B&W shots mostly on the camera. I find that when I use the camera for the contrast and tone adjustments, I get better B&W's. Try taking them B&W on the camera and bumping up the contrast or maybe even adjusting the filtering on the camera. Hope this helps and PRO BP MEMBERS..if I am wrong about any of this can you recommend a good course? LOL!


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December 02, 2006

 

W. 		  Stacey is right, Julie.

It's not clear to me what you mean by 'more real'. It could mean you want to to see subtle gradients and/or more punchy contrast. They are mutually exclusive of course, but in any case either would bevery difficult to see in a photo the size you uploaded.

2 recommendations about the composition of your photo if I may:

1) When shooting kids and animals, get down to THEIR eye-level! Bend your knees if you have to!

2) Apply the 'rule of thirds': http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds.


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December 02, 2006

 

Mike Rubin 		  You did not say , but I hope you are not using the B&W mode on the camera. One reason is if you decided that you also want a color version, You're out of luck. The other reason you should convert it with your editing software (and be sure not to just convert it to gray-scale)is that if you use Levels and Channels to do the conversion,you will have greater control over tones/contrast. I hope this helps.


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December 02, 2006

 

Julie D. Fuhrman 		  I am refering to a picture more like Nicole A. Trahan here on betterphotos called Tender Moments, or the one by Elizabeth Beaudoin called Young Confidence. How would you suggest they did it?


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December 02, 2006

 
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