“Black and white in Lightroom” plus 1 more: Digital Photography School

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 11:07 AM PST

Most of us know we can convert and image to black and white in Lightroom by simply pressing the letter V. However, for the exact same image, your version of Lightroom might give a very different result to my version of Lightroom. The explanation is that there are two settings available for black and white conversions in Lightroom.

I'll show you what these are, how to configure the one you want to use and how to quickly switch between them.

With a color image on the screen in Lightroom's Develop module, press the letter V to convert it to black and white.

Open the B&W panel – it's called Greyscale in Lightroom 2 – and check out the color sliders.

Depending on the preferences that you have set, the sliders might all be set to zero or they might show a black and white adjustment tailored to the image itself which Lightroom calls Auto mix.

The auto mix adjustment applies an auto exposure adjustment to the image as well as a conversion that maximizes the distribution of the grey tones in the image. This is customized for the image so every image will be given a custom adjustment much as you will get if you click the Auto Tone button in the Basic panel. Notice the subtle differences in the histograms in each of the adjustments here.

Whether or not you see this Auto mix applied to a black and white image is controlled by your Lightroom preferences. To see these, choose Edit > Preferences (or Lightroom > Preferences on the Mac), select the Presets tab and there's an option there which reads "Apply auto tone mix when first converting to black and white".

If this is checked you will get the auto tone mix applied to the image, if not, you will see a black and white adjustment where each color is given the same adjustment value of zero.

Regardless of which setting is in place you can switch between the two in the B&W panel.

If an Auto mix has been applied, hold the Alt key (Option on the Mac) and you will see an option Reset Black and White Mix. Click this and all the sliders will be set back to zero.

On the other hand, if your sliders are all set at zero, click Auto to apply the auto mix adjustment to the black and white image.

You can further adjust the black and white regardless of whether you have an auto mix applied automatically to it or not by adjusting the sliders.

You can also select the Target Adjustment Tool and drag on an area of the image to adjust whether it is light or dark. Dragging downwards will darken it, dragging upwards will lighten it.

Post from: Digital Photography School

Photo Nuts and Shots: Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography [Our New eBook]

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 05:01 AM PST

You can use a camera … but do you take great photos?

The dream – taking photographs that your friends think you paid someone for, not shot yourself.
The myth – that you just don’t have what it takes. You need better gear, you don’t have ‘the eye’ and you’ll never understand the skills needed to take amazing photos.
The reality – Great photography CAN be learned. This book is the perfect companion on your journey to becoming a photographer. It will teach you the techniques, tools, and thought processes used by the pros to take gorgeous photos. If you think creative photography is limited to those artistic types – think again.

Become a better photographer with Photo Nuts and Shots.

This lush, 100+ page pdf ebook is the ultimate creative photography primer – and for a limited time you can grab your copy for 25% off!

Here’s a little video we made about this new eBook (note: the guarantee is 60 days not 30 as it says in the video).

Photo Nuts and Shots is perfect if you …

look at others’ images and wonder “Why don’t my photos look like that?”
want to take gorgeous shots, every single time
know your camera, but want to learn the craft of photography
long to take more emotive, expressive photos
want to take photos that truly connect with viewers.

What You'll Learn

Packed with all-new, practical advice from professional photographer Neil Creek, Photo Nuts and Shots has been developed specifically for DPS readers.

Learn to harness light to convey emotion.
Understand the rules of composition … and know when to break them.
Take the sharpest possible photo every time.
Learn to adapt the camera’s exposure to produce the shot you want.
Master the concepts of shot perception, planning, and execution — in any setting.
Tap into your unique creativity to take evocative photographs that reach out to viewers.

Why do we think this is the best creative photography guide on the market?

Because it's comprehensive: over 100 pages of all-new content.
Because it'll improve your photography, starting today: Neil's advice is immediately actionable. Whether you read the whole book from cover to cover, or take snippets from the areas that interest you, you'll see an immediate improvement in the quality of your images.
Because it shows you how to harness your creativity: use your creative instinct to select and apply practical techniques that create stunning shots.
Because it builds on your existing technical knowledge: whether or not you've read Photo Nuts and Bolts, the first book in the series, this practical primer builds on your existing knowledge of your camera with in-depth advice, practical examples, and a wealth of illustrations.
Because it will help you be a better photographer: this inspiring guide explores rarely-discussed topics to help you tap into your creative drive, empowering you to be the best photographer that you can be.

Early Bird Special: Secure Your Copy for 25% Off

This lush, inspiring, practical guide normally retails for $19.99 but as a launch special and for a limited time, you can secure a copy for just $14.99.

This 25% off special is for two weeks only – so don’t delay.

Order Today and Go in the Draw to Win a Canon DSLR

What better way to put into practice what you learn in the eBook than to do it with a brand new camera!

To celebrate the launch of Photo Nuts and Shots we are giving one buyer this eBook a brand new Canon EOS Rebel T2i 18 megapixel DSLR complete with an 18-55mm lens. This bundle is worth over $800!

To be in the running to win this best selling camera simply purchase your copy of Photo Nuts and Shots before midnight (Eastern US time) on Wednesday 2nd February and you’ll automatically be entered into the draw to win.

60-Day, Money-back Guarantee

If you're not satisfied that Photo Nuts and Shots is helping your photography within 60 days, just let us know and we'll refund your money

That's how confident we are that this resource will help you become the creative photographer you want to be.

Download Your PDF Copy Today – 25% OFF!

Photo Nuts and Shots is ready for your download right now for just $14.99 USD – to secure your copy simply click the 'download it now' button below and you'll be taken to a page where you can make your payment via PayPal or Credit card and get immediate access for download.