Black and White conversion

[Califfoto]

This thread may be redundant, but I am looking for an "efficient" way to convert my color shots to B&W.
I've been using different features of Photoshop CS2:
Gradient Map, Channel Mixer, Grayscale, Hue/Saturation, and most recently a fredmiranda plug-in "B&W Workflow Pro"
Several fellow photographers have recommended Channel Mixer, but I'm not sure which RGB measures I should use. I was als told that the RGB measures should sum up to 100 ...
So here come my questions:
Which feature do you use?
If you are using channel mixer, what values do you recommend?
Thanks in advance.
Califfoto

[SWPhotoImaging]

I don't think I have ever used the same settings twice when converting from color to B&W. The original colors, contrast, lighting, etc. all affect the conversion and the level of adjustments used.

[SRPhotographic]

Alright, here's a crash-course in effective and easy b&w conversion!

Open up the image to be converted. Now, where your layer pallette is, select the "Channel" tab. You will notice four channels: RGB, Red, Green, and Blue. Select the Red channel and look at the image. Do the same with the Green and Blue channels. Notice which channels preserve the details in your image best for each tonal range (shadows, midtones, highlights). Keep these channels in mind.

Now, select the RGB channel again, and click the "Layers" tab; your layers pallette reappears. Now, at the bottom of the layers pallette, select the "new adjustment layer" icon (looks like a black & white cookie), and select "Channel Mixer" from the drop menu.

It seems you have used channel mixer before, so this is the easy part. Yes, it is true that you should keep the totals of the channels at around 100%, but there is a little wiggle room.

Now, make sure that the 'monochrome' checkbox is selected. Now, think back to the layers that you decided preserved the details best in the image. With those in mind, adjust the percentages of the channels until your image looks the best.

There is no one setting for all images, but there are a few guidelines to help you:
People pictures: go heavy on the Green channel, it preserves skin tones well
Landscape: go heavy on the Red channel, it darkens the sky and increases contrast
'Grundgy' Street: go heavy on the Blue channel, it brings out textures and details

Hope I helped some.

[gmen]

You could do a whole lot worse than spend some time reading this thread:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=87784

---- Gavin

[Ed Kanney]

The 'efficient' way that I use is to simply run an action to convert rbg color files to lab mode/lightness channel/ back to rgb w/an assigned 'function key'. Finally adjust brightness/contrast to suit. Takes about 10 sec. per file. keep in focus. Ed K.

[PhotoAlien]

Alright, here's a crash-course in effective and easy b&w conversion!

Open up the image to be converted. Now, where your layer pallette is, select the "Channel" tab. You will notice four channels: RGB, Red, Green, and Blue. Select the Red channel and look at the image. Do the same with the Green and Blue channels. Notice which channels preserve the details in your image best for each tonal range (shadows, midtones, highlights). Keep these channels in mind.

Now, select the RGB channel again, and click the "Layers" tab; your layers pallette reappears. Now, at the bottom of the layers pallette, select the "new adjustment layer" icon (looks like a black & white cookie), and select "Channel Mixer" from the drop menu.

It seems you have used channel mixer before, so this is the easy part. Yes, it is true that you should keep the totals of the channels at around 100%, but there is a little wiggle room.

Now, make sure that the 'monochrome' checkbox is selected. Now, think back to the layers that you decided preserved the details best in the image. With those in mind, adjust the percentages of the channels until your image looks the best.

There is no one setting for all images, but there are a few guidelines to help you:
People pictures: go heavy on the Green channel, it preserves skin tones well
Landscape: go heavy on the Red channel, it darkens the sky and increases contrast
'Grundgy' Street: go heavy on the Blue channel, it brings out textures and details

Hope I helped some.

I liked that alot :)

[Califfoto]

Thanks so very much guys ...
Keep up the great work.
Califfoto

[René Damkot]

Another possibility to convert to B/W is the use of two Hue/Sat layers:
Set the top layer to blending mode 'color', and set the saturation all the way down in this one. Set the lower one to blending mode 'luminocity', and adjust Hue to taste.
Not as much control as a few channel mixel layers, but easier to see results...