Digital B&W

[Harry Harrison]

Well that was timely, so only upload B&W if that's all you've got, so either film scans or Leica Monochrom presumably, it's not advice that's being followed very widely. Yes, surely it is the interpretation of the photographer when doing the conversion that is important here although I'm still not personally clear as to what pictures will sell in B&W on Alamy, and for what purposes, other than historical or reportage pictures of course.

 

Edit: 

Sorry, correction, you could I suppose therefore upload in B&W but don't upload the colour version as well.

Edited October 22, 2019 by Harry Harrison

[Phil Crean]

43 minutes ago, Johnnie5 said:

This tweet from Alamy had me scratching my head this morning knowing that there is more to a black and white conversion than just a mouse click.

 

Alamy Content Team

 

✔ @AlamyContent

Do #Alamy accept black and white images?

Yes, as long as they meet the submission guidelines. If you plan to upload both colour and black & white versions of same images, we’d suggest you to upload just the colour version. Customers then have the option to convert to B&W!

Best ignored! 

I upload both as I don't trust them to do as good a job as me on a conversion😁

Phil

[Ed Rooney]

7 hours ago, Harry Harrison said:

 

If you do a search for 'England' and filter for B&W then that's not the overall impression that I get I must say though yes, there is a scattering of muddy lifeless ones as well. Looking at those pictures though it's clear that most are modern and almost certainly shot in colour, often colour and black & white versions have been uploaded.  It does make me wonder under what circumstances it's appropriate to do that. Just scanning through I quickly saw two pictures that I have on Alamy in colour, very similar compositions, should I do them in B&W as well I wonder?

 

 

 

Thanks for that, Harry. I did as you suggested and I totally agree with you -- most of those B&Ws look very good. I must have happened across a bad batch of samples. 

 

And Jonnie, what Alamy suggests is what I've been assuming for decades, long before joining this agency. Newspapers converted my color images to B&Ws regularly.  

[MDM]

15 hours ago, Harry Harrison said:

 

I'll have a look at that, you just have to go to shows to see them all properly. I still haven't quite found anything that replicates the eggshell finish of unglazed Record Rapid.

 

There is indeed a bewildering array of different paper types and quite a lot of jargon to get to grips with. I was at the Photography Show trying to work out the difference between two high end cotton based gloss fibre papers, one Baryta, one not. The guy on the stand told me that it more or less just marketing, old darkroom guys like the smell of Baryta! I melted gently back into the crowd.

 

The Photography Show is too big and way too busy for my liking. The SWPP convention which takes place every January in London is much better if you want to have a chat with the various company reps, especially if you go to the trade show on the Friday rather than the weekend days. Several paper manufacturers  (Permajet, Fotospeed, Hahnemühle) usually have stands, the reps tend to be knowledgeable and there are often discounts on paper. The trade show is free as well.

 

Permajet are having a free open day on November 3rd in Stratford-upon-Avon with other photographic companies as well. The blurb says there some printing experts attending who will advise on prints 1:1. Might be worth a look if you are anywhere in the region.

Edited October 22, 2019 by MDM

[Harry Harrison]

7 hours ago, MDM said:

The SWPP convention which takes place every January in London is much better

Thanks, you're right, come to think about it I could hardly get anywhere near the paper stands at the Photography Show. I'd forgotten about the SWPP convention and I do go to those, a very easy hop up to Paddington for me. I have also been up to Stratford for a Permajet Open Day in the past, a very friendly and informative bunch of people.