[fionaB]

as requested........
the steps I have listed I use on just about all my conversions, but to a lesser or greater degree depending on what or how much i need.
Conversion using CS3.
1. Open image and go to Image>adjustment> black and white

2. Using the different sliders i adust them until i have the image as i want it.

3. go to image> levels> to check levels are ok or change accordingly

4. copy layer and select sky then go back to the black and white and bring the blue and cyan sliders right down to the left to give a dark and broody sky ( this step is optional and not used on every conversion.

5. image> curves... do a tweak as needed here

6.if its an old building with rough stone work i normally then copy another layer and run it thru a mild lucis art on either whyeth or exposure setting. i dont put it on skies as it makes it noisy.

7. recheck levels and then if needed use the brightness and contrast slider .

i dont think i have forgotten anything but i never write anything down and every image is different but thats the jist of it

Fi

[Dave]

Tx Fi ..... will have to play with step 4

[Boofers]

Thank you,
Put it in my tips folder and will take a spin. I like what you have said about the blocks and bricks,,,good tip I haven't used the black and white adjustment in CS3 yet, this will be kinda fun..

[Steve]

Nice run through of the steps. I noticed the creative use of the Lucas Art filter in there as well as the old tried and tested adjustments of the sky separately to everything else. I might have to take a look at the lucus art filter and see what it can do, with P-E and you producing great work with it you have both wet my appetite.

[Dave Canon]

Fiona, I have also been using the Black & White conversion in Adobe Raw 4.1 and CS3 and it is great. Being able to tweak the 6 colour contributions individually is excellent. In his CS3 tutorial, Deke McClelland recommends adjusting each slider from one side to the other to see the effect on a picture before deciding how to set them. I often find that one or two of the sliders have no effect. I had not got as far as using the B&W with selections yet but will certainly do so.

[fionaB]

yep i started off by going frmo one end to the other, but the more conversions you do, you seem to just "know" roughly where you will get the best results....... obviously not with every shot, and not every shot benefits frmo a mono conversion either.

Fi