Light at the end of the Tunnel

[Greg McCary]

Gary, I like the desaturated one the best as well, I really like the texture of the wood. I was also thinking of "The Outer Limits" when I was converting this to B&W. Thanks for your help. Your B&W version is much better than mine. I may have over done it in the blue channel. Do you like the noise reduced version better?
Jurgen, I agree that just clicking greyscale or flipping your DSLR to B&W just doesn't cut it when working with B&W, but I have a book that that shows how to convert with PhotoShop and channel mixer with some very good results. It uses some of Ansel Adams work as examples.I actually find B&W harder to work with than color. I also have stocked up on some TriX and currently have a roll in my Canonnet. I carry it in the same bag as my E500. I hope soon to try and develope some of my own prints.
Ron , I understand your views on color verses B&W, but as I surf the internet I find that B&W is still a very popular choice amoung photographers. I even see many of the younger generation shooting in B&W. LIke me they just don't understand the basic concept or science behind it. Some of our local schools have darkrooms and the kids are taught to develope their own B&W film. Even our local colleges that teach photography classes have their own darkrooms and still use B&W. I also feel that everyone that takes up photography should start with film first or a least try it. Thanks for your comments...
Greg

[Ronnoco]

Although I agree with what you have said about film and digital, Jurgen, when it comes to Photoshop, some qualifications are necessary. Certainly Photoshop will never make a poor photo into a good photo but it certainly can selectively bring tones into view that are hidden by shadow. Midtones can be compressed and for that matter even the whole histogram from black to white can be compressed but it can also be stretched as well.
In 8 bit jpeg, you certainly lose tones in every action that you take in editing in Photoshop.
If however you do as much as you can in RAW in colour, save to 16 bit colour then convert to black and white working with 65K tones then save them through a paper toner filter you can come closer to what you would see in a darkroom working with film.

Ronnoco

[gahspidy]

Greg, yes I like the effect of the noise reduction in the areas of the shining light. You have to be very careful though when using noise reduction as you can start softening details in the rest of the image.

[Ronnoco]

Ron , I understand your views on color verses B&W, but as I surf the internet I find that B&W is still a very popular choice amoung photographers. I even see many of the younger generation shooting in B&W. LIke me they just don't understand the basic concept or science behind it. Some of our local schools have darkrooms and the kids are taught to develope their own B&W film. Even our local colleges that teach photography classes have their own darkrooms and still use B&W. I also feel that everyone that takes up photography should start with film first or a least try it. Thanks for your comments...
Greg

My point however as I indicated is that there is little in black and white photography that can even qualify to be in the good category, let along higher, because it does not meet the basic requirement of a considerable tonal range from deep black to bright white with no loss of detail. This requirement is standard and not a personal point of view. It is used by professional judges in competitions and it is used by editors and others that judge photos for publication. Jurgen indicated that he agreed with it.

Photography Critique in the strict sense of the term is based on the standards normally used to judge the quality of photos in the competition and professional areas. In order to all be on the same wavelength, it would benefit some to study those standards.

Ronnoco