Black and White Processing

When looking at a color image, it may appear that the color is what guides your eye through the frame because that is what instantly jumps out at you…especially highly saturated hues. However, it’s the value of those pixels that draws us in. There are exceptions to this, but generally speaking… humans notice the difference (or contrast) between two values more easily than the contrast between two colors because our eyes are more sensitive to light.

Creating a black and white image lets us focus on the value of light and shadow without the distraction of color…and better appreciate the structure and texture of the composition, and how each focal point transitions to one another. By “painting with light”, you can directly influence the atmosphere of your image…and in doing so, alter the emotional connection one has to your photography.

Here’s what we’ll discuss in the following course:

• How to choose images that work best for black and white processing.
• Preparing and converting an image into black and white format.
• How hue can influence lightness…and methods for adjusting value through adjusting color.
• The best “order of operations” for processing a black and white image.
• How to enhance the flow and balance of your composition through light and shadow adjustments.
• Methods for refining a black and white image to give it that final polish.

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