Black and white conversion

This has been very insightful.

This is the method I use in CS5, but does work in other versions:

1. Layer/new/layer
2. Edit/fill/Forground colour (making sure that your forground colour is set to Black)
3. Change the layer 1 blending mode to colour

Rayk wrote in post #10649247
This is the method I use in CS5, but does work in other versions:

1. Layer/new/layer
2. Edit/fill/Forground colour (making sure that your forground colour is set to Black)
3. Change the layer 1 blending mode to colour

Tried it CS4... gives a nicely balanced conversion.

Yeah. You can also use a copy of the layer which you desaturate, or use a "solid color" layer. As long as the color is neutral, and you set blend mode to color.

PSCS4 Weirdness:

Photoshop is acting more then a bit goofy here by the way: If you desaturate the top layer, you essentially fill it with medium gray. However, if you create a new layer and fill that with medium gray (or black or white or whatever shade of gray in between) by using the fill command, the file size does not double.

I'm just not good at monochrome so cannot claim this as my own. But for what its worth heres a simple routine, similar to at least one other already mentioned here that I bumped into somewhere:

1. Duplicate the background layer.
2. "Desaturate" this new layer and set blending mode to "Color".
3. On the background layer, select Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation.
4. Use the "Hue" slider to adjust to taste.

Apparently this should work in various versions of PS, as well as Elements and GIMP.

Damo77 wrote in post #10266056
What people need to understand about simple conversion methods such as desaturation is that they are the beginning of the journey, not its destination. I often like desaturation because it gives me a satisfactorily "boring" conversion, from which I can manipulate exactly to my taste to create something striking. I realise that other people don't like to work this way; preferring a "wow" conversion right out of the bag. Each to their own.

That's how I approach conversions, too. I also like the B&W conversion in DPP and how I can adjust the various color filters -- the results are different and interesting and it makes you realize how much possibility there is for one B&W.

just saw the thread ... i have used this process to great sucess on landscapes

http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=yzP2tHMiP2g

if the link does not work just seach on youtubr for
(Adobe Photoshop CS4) [Tutorial] Dynamic Black And White Photo Edit

Andy