BW Plug-ins for the Unplugged!

[PhotoJet]

Catchy, doncha think??? hahaha Y'all ready for this??? :chatty:

Brad asked about using a plug-in to do the work of converting a photo to B&W. I use a plug-in called Silver Efex Pro frm Nik Software. I trialed this one and another one - Exposure2 from Alien Skin. The Alien Skin software is good stuff, too.

Both of these softwares offer you the ability of 'applying' a wide variety of 'films' to your photo... so let's say you scan in a photo (or upload a digital photo). You have two choices if you want to convert this photo to b&w. You can adjust levels and tweak color, contrast and tone, or you can use a plug-in that works inside your software.

The thing I like about using a plug-in is that I know how certain films look and I can achieve (or maintain) the look of that particular film. I prefer a denser, softer grain, so I can say I want my photo to be like it was taken with APX 100, and I can further adjust the size and hardness of the grain. If I have some areas where (in the darkroom) I would have to dodge or burn, or even adjust contrast, I can do those in the plug-in. I can select a spot (with this thing called a control point), adjust the area where it will have an effect, and adjust the contrast & brightness of just that area.

I can apply toning, even split toning combinations. I can adjust how much of this I want to show and even save off my settings to apply to other photos. You can also adjust the tonality of the 'paper' (just like printing on warmtone or coldtone paper). So let's say that you are thinking about taking this negative into the darkroom, but you are really not too sure how you want to finish it. By using the plug-in, you can test out various finishes, tones, papers without mixing any chemicals and without burning any paper. It's a great proofing tool!

So that's my little 'spiel' on BW plug-ins. I should mention that the Exposure2 software is also very good stuff & also includes a variety of color film options. But for me, the ability to selectively control contrast was the tipping point. I'd say to download the free trials that are offered and see what works for you!

[Terri]

Wow - great information, Jeanette. I bet Brad is going to be all over this. Thanks!

signed,

an unplugged one

:lol:

[Mike]

I found this post on TPF, where Wally shared his B&W action,
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/graphics-programs-photo-gallery/32459-wallys-action-version-2-0-a.html

It appears that the link is long since dead but I could send it to anyone who wants it. (I've got the accompanying instructions which say that it's OK to distribute for free).
PM me and I can send it to you.

*edit* it also appears there is a link to it, from Doenoe, further down that page.

[Terri]

I found this post on TPF, where Wally shared his B&W action,
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/graphics-programs-photo-gallery/32459-wallys-action-version-2-0-a.html

It appears that the link is long since dead but I could send it to anyone who wants it. (I've got the accompanying instructions which say that it's OK to distribute for free).

Just PM me your E-mail address.He got nothing but rave reviews so it must have been well worth it. :)

[ann]

i have the silver efex pro software (altho, haven't used it much, which is a different story) and something i really liked about the software was the interface that related tones in Zone langauage, which with my training made a lot more sense and still allowed me to "tweak" as needed.

Some plug ins are based actions that take over and can be usefully, but........

Fortunately or unfortunately my work has create a computer full of all sorts of toys, most rarely used :)

[PhotoJet]

Yeah, I get the idea that SiEfx was made by actually talking to, or with input from real B&W photogs!
Tonal Zone language... I think you may be onto something there, ann! :salute:

[Rolleimaniac]

I appreciate all the feedback y’all. Quite a bit of information to digest...

Jeanette- Never even occurred to me to use some of these programs as a proofing tool for darkroom work; very slick… Also, I’m very curious about using the ‘control point’ tool you mentioned when dodging and burning; this seems to be a simpler method than the ‘Photoshop way’.

[ann]

i can't speak for Jeanette, but i found the control point tool the most interesting and more like a "real" darkroom experience.

At first it was a little strange, but the same type of control can be found on Nikon"s Capture software, or at least very similar.

Also ononesoftware uses similar control tools. All of which , at least for me are easier to do without using layers etc.

[PhotoJet]

The Control Point feature is what made me buy this one instead of the Exposure2 software. It is very much like the darkroom! Selectively being able to add contrast to an area or to brighten/darken an area was just great to me. When you put a control point on, it's kind of like a 'target'. You can make the circle (I'll call it the 'circle of influence') as big or small as you like. Once you get it the size you want, you can adjust the other variables... brightness, contrast, structure. The neat thing is that let's say you have several areas in the shot you want to have the basically same adjustments; you can duplicate the control point & move it to another location on the photo. It operates independently so you can make whatever changes you need to that one. You can also just add a new one as well.

Let me put it this way... I'm basically lazy, (:waiting:) so if I can find something that does things easily but still allows for a wide latitude of personal control, I'm hooked. Especially with darkroom stuff. If I am going to do a bunch of photos and I want to tone them, I'd just as soon find out before I mix chemicals that 'no, sepia is just not working here... perhaps copper.' :big grin:

Check out their website & download the trial version!