Black & White

[Liam Bunce]

Hi all

 

I have of late been converting a few of my images to B/W as i have never dabbled in B/W before I would appreciate any constructive advice as to weather the images have the impact that B/B should have.

 

Liam  

[Allan Bell]

I cannot see any B/W images?

 

Allan

[spacecadet]

Thay're a few pages in.

I have just one from a colour original, but it's actually a spot-colour version à la Schindler's List. The colour version is up as well. No strong opinions on them; my view is that at Alamy rates if a client wants b/w he can jolly well do the work himself.

[MDM]

I do a lot of monochrome (prefer this term to black and white) but I don't submit this material to Alamy. However converting to mono is not a simple matter of desaturating an image and there is more than a dash of skill involved. I started in photography in a BW darkroom and that has strongly influenced how I work in digital mono.

 

Shooting raw and processing in 16-bit are absolutely essential - noise is much more apparent in mono. Also apply higher noise reduction than for colour. I find Luminance NR is necessary even at low ISO.

 

I use LR and I normally convert the files in 16-bit mono and open in PS for further editing. The BW mix controls in LR are excellent for darkening skies and lightening vegetation in landscapes. I also use these for outdoor portraiture usually darkening vegetation backgrounds but care is needed not to mess up skin.

 

If I want mono and colour versions and I need to work in PS, I convert in colour and then apply a BW adjustment layer. The mix controls are not as good as in LR but are still very good.

 

As with all digital darkroom work, a good calibrated monitor is essential.

[Bryan]

I've got some B&Ws but they are largely from the film era and were shot that way. They occasionally sell, probably due to the subject matter (no longer around) and date taken rather than the monochrome look.

 

If Alamy gets into POD then B&W might become a more viable option?

 

I note that some interior designers seem to like them. E.g. as a loyal Greggs customer (why pay more for coffee?), I know that many of their shops have modern B&W prints on the walls, I  seem to recall seeing them in Morrisons also. 

[MDM]

 

 E.g. as a loyal Greggs customer (why pay more for coffee?)

 

Aroma and flavour

[Ed Rooney]

Hi all

 

I have of late been converting a few of my images to B/W as i have never dabbled in B/W before I would appreciate any constructive advice as to weather the images have the impact that B/B should have.

 

Liam  

 

 

Constructive advice? Stop!

[fotoDogue]

Do contemporary B&W images sell? I've had a few B&W archival images licensed but I generally presume clients are looking for color in contemporary work. Of course they can always do the conversion themselves.

[John Mitchell]

 

 

If Alamy gets into POD then B&W might become a more viable option?

 

 

 

I have a feeling that people shopping for prints will frequent POD sites before they turn to mysterious entities such as stock agencies. But you never know.

[Liam Bunce]

Many thanks all

[Allan Bell]

 

 

 

 

If Alamy gets into POD then B&W might become a more viable option?

 

 

 

I have a feeling that people shopping for prints will frequent POD sites before they turn to mysterious entities such as stock agencies. But you never know.

 

 

Probably, but I think Bryan has a good point that B&W might be more wanted than it used to be with the upcoming printing service Alamy will be offering.

 

I don't know how things will work with Art.com, but would they have a search facility on that site that links up to Alamy's database?

 

I generally don't upload B&W, only rarely (I did actually keyword one yesterday), and when the shot looks better than it does in colour. Usually it's to give a more dramatic effect, or for an old building such as a castle.

 

Geoff.

 

 

 

 

Portraits of older people look more interesting in mono than colour (color). At least I think so.

 

Allan