What kind of PP is this?

Hello all,

I have been following this local photographers work for a while. I have always wondered his B&W conversion methods - they're very contrasty and have some great pop to them.

Here is a link of a specific series he did that I really enjoyed. Even the color photo looks great.

http://frankpetronio.c​om …ter_of_headshot​ology.html

All his B&W have this look to it.

What are your thoughts? Any idea to his PP?

Another exam of his work:

http://frankpetronio.c​om …eckles_and_tan_​lines.html

Nice shots!!! Anyone shed any light?

Not really my taste in editing ...

It just looks like some fairly aggressive sharpening to me, possible several stages of USM at various radii, or several applications of High Pass sharpening.

Have a look at the sharpening halos around the butt and legs on the fifth photo on this page - http://frankpetronio.c​om …ter_of_headshot​ology.html - a bit careless, in my opinion.

Damo77 wrote in post #3536354
Not really my taste in editing ...

It just looks like some fairly aggressive sharpening to me, possible several stages of USM at various radii, or several applications of High Pass sharpening.

Have a look at the sharpening halos around the butt and legs on the fifth photo on this page - http://frankpetronio.c​om …ter_of_headshot​ology.html - a bit careless, in my opinion.

Good spot Damo77

The sharpening is a little agressive, but I agree that the b&w tones he gets are lovely.

In an e-mail this is what he said:

Umm I just use CS2 and now CS3. I tend to underexpose and then turn up the blacks and watch the camera raw histrogram to make sure it is fully distributed -- a full range of tones. Play with the color temp and other controls even tho it is B&W to do subtle things. And sometimes edit more in Photoshop, like to separate matching tones.

I love the effect he gets!

My thoughts after some more investigation:

He ensures that in-camera he has a very simple photo. He uses no flash/lighting and uses a very wide aperture to ensure that the model is the only thing in focus. Then, some blacks adjustments and some heavy sharpening with Threshold turned down.

Even still though, I can't seem to duplicated it.

Another e-mail from him:

I tried some of these techniques, and this is what I got:

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looks good! I just slightly prefer the tone of his b&w shots.

bcap wrote in post #3537381
... What are your thoughts? ...

Personally, I like your work much better.

goatee wrote in post #3538099
looks good! I just slightly prefer the tone of his b&w shots.

I know, so do I. I can't match it for the life of me though.

Here is another go:

I'd love to hear some feedback:

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bcap wrote in post #3537381
Another e-mail from him:

I tried some of these techniques, and this is what I got:

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What are your thoughts?

Is there a way to do a "soft-light" type effect in Lightroom?

oo, came out really good! kewl guy, u asked and he actually told you. most of the guys u ask will never reveal how they did it (its their "trade secret").

bcap wrote in post #3538628
Here is another go:

I'd love to hear some feedback:

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first one came out better, this one her skin looks muddy.