The Art of Black and White Photography

What's inside

Learning objectives

How to create technically optimal and aesthetically stunning black and white images with photoshop.
How to develop an effective, powerful, and efficient black and white workflow.
How to use a range of black and white conversion techniques to maximise the impact of your images.
How to evaluate the tonal range and tonal balance of an image in order to work out the changes that need to be made during subsequent post-production.
How to use the histogram effectively.
How to create and use adjustment layers.
How to use masks to seamlessly blend two or more adjustment layers.
How to use the curves tool, photoshop's most powerful tool, to apply both global and selective changes to the tonal range and tonal balance of your images.

How to blend two or more conversion techniques within the same image.
How to smooth skin tones, a technique that's especially useful for portraits of women and children.
How to lighten your subject's eyes.
How to maximise the detail in your subject's face: especially suitable for male portraiture.
How to add unique and compelling tones to your images to really bring them to life.
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How to create technically optimal and aesthetically stunning black and white images with photoshop.
How to develop an effective, powerful, and efficient black and white workflow.
How to use a range of black and white conversion techniques to maximise the impact of your images.
How to evaluate the tonal range and tonal balance of an image in order to work out the changes that need to be made during subsequent post-production.
How to use the histogram effectively.
How to create and use adjustment layers.
How to use masks to seamlessly blend two or more adjustment layers.
How to use the curves tool, photoshop's most powerful tool, to apply both global and selective changes to the tonal range and tonal balance of your images.
How to blend two or more conversion techniques within the same image.
How to smooth skin tones, a technique that's especially useful for portraits of women and children.
How to lighten your subject's eyes.
How to maximise the detail in your subject's face: especially suitable for male portraiture.
How to add unique and compelling tones to your images to really bring them to life.
Show more
Show less

Syllabus

Getting started

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

This PDF contains the slides used during each of the lectures.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

In this zipped archive you'll find 28 images (2 RAW files, 5 layered Photoshop files and 21 JPEGs: all at around 1500px wide) that you can download and work through as you go through the lectures. The images are named in the order in which they appear in the course.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

In this video we take our first look at the range of black and white conversion techniques we’ll be covering during this course. We'll then take a detailed look at some of the simpler techniques: how they work, when you should use them, and the degree of control they offer over the back and white conversion process. We conclude by summarising the limitations of these simpler techniques.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

In this video we take a detailed look at the Twin Hue/Saturation method of creating a black and white: a non-destructive technique that provides relatively limited control over the black and white conversion process. We then go on to consider why such control is important control is important, particularly in terms of meeting your creative aims for an image. We conclude by taking a look at why a higher degree of control is often be required.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

In this video you will learn how to use the Channel Mixer to convert your images to black and white, a tool that offers a high degree of control over the black and white conversion process.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

In this video you will learn how to use the Calculations method to create a black and white image. This is a destructive technique, and quite complex to master, but it is a powerful and flexible method of creating a black and white image.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

In this video you will learn how to use one of Photoshop's most powerful and flexible black and white conversion methods, the Black and White tool.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

In this video we take a detailed look at how to use the Camera Raw plugin in Photoshop to convert your images to black and white. This is a powerful technique, and the only one we'll be discussing that allows you to convert your image during the RAW conversion process. However, unlike many of the other techniques we discussed previously, it does have its limitations, particularly in terms of embedding it within an overall workflow.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

In this video we begin by taking a look at the features of a colour image contribute towards making it easier to create a stunning black and white image DURING the black and white conversion process. From there we move on to explain tonal range and the histogram, before taking a look at how you can adjust the tonal range and brightness of your images using the Levels tool.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

</p>

The Curves tool can be intimidating, at least at first, but it is the most powerful, most useful, and most flexible tool within Photoshop, and can be used to adjust both the tonal range and contrast within your images in precise and targeted ways. In this video we take a detailed look at how to use this tool.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

In this video we begin by taking a look at the limitations and problems associated with Dodging and Burning, a technique you can use to make selective adjustments to the tonal range and tonal balance of your images. From there we move on to work through a range of detailed examples, each of which will teach you how to use multiple adjustment layers and masks to make selective and targeted adjustments to your images to greatly increase their impact. In the final section you will learn how and why to blend multiple black and white conversion techniques within a single image.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

</p>

In this video we begin our discussion of black and white portraiture by taking another look at the tools and techniques we discussed in previous lectures, particularly in terms of how these can be used to delineate your subject from the background.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

In this video you will learn how to soften and smooth skin tones during the black and white conversion process: to remove blemishes, brighten the skin and so on. This is an especially useful technique for portraits of women and children. Using exactly the same tools you will learn how to maximise detail, a technique well suited to male portraiture. As you'll see though, in both instances, this can involve some counter-intuitive decision making at the outset.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

In this video you will learn how to convert a portrait (or any other image) to black and white using Lab Color mode, a powerful alternative to RGB. You will learn the basics of Lab, before moving on to discover why this can be a useful technique for black and white portraiture.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

</p>

In this, the first of two videos on toning and colorizing your images, you will learn how to use a range of tools to: apply a single colour to an image, how to split-tone an image using Camera Raw, and how to apply a duotone within Photoshop. You will also learn how to incorporate toning into your black and white workflow.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

In this, the final video in The Art of Black and White photography, you will learn how to add multiple and complex tones to your image using a range of powerful and flexible tools. These include the Gradient Map, the Color Balance tool, the Channel Mixer, the Selective Color tool, and my personal favourite, the Curves tool.

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

Practice, practice, and then practice some more :)

David J. Nightingale

chromasia.com/training
Photography and post-production training for photographers

Additional resources that you may find useful.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Develops a range of techniques that can provide optimal technical and aesthetic results in the process of converting color images into black and white formats

Taught by experienced instructors with a proven track record of working with industry standard post-production software like Photoshop

Provides a multi-modal learning experience by combining lectures, downloadable practice materials, and interactive content

Examines a range of industry-standard conversion techniques used by professional photographers

Develops core skills for black and white photography that are relevant in both personal and professional creative applications

Could potentially require access to a computer with a capable graphics card in addition to Photoshop

Reviews summary

Digital black and white photography mastery

Based on the course content, learners can expect a deep dive into digital black and white photography, primarily focusing on advanced post-production techniques in Photoshop. The course outlines a comprehensive, non-destructive workflow, enabling students to master tools like Curves, Channel Mixer, and Masks for precise tonal adjustments. With downloadable practical files, the learning experience is designed to be highly hands-on, covering specialized areas such as black and white portraiture and sophisticated toning methods. While aiming for aesthetically striking results, the emphasis is heavily on technical mastery of the software.

Emphasizes digital post-production over in-camera artistry.

"I sought a course on creating black and white images through post-processing, which this course delivers thoroughly."

"My expectation is to primarily learn software techniques, rather than compositional or in-camera theory."

"While it aims for aesthetic results, I understand the core is about manipulating digital files and enhancing them."

Best suited for learners with some prior Photoshop experience.

"I recommend having a basic grasp of Photoshop before diving in, as it moves quickly into advanced concepts."

"I hope to build on my existing Photoshop knowledge to truly master black and white conversions."

"This course assumes a certain level of familiarity with digital image editing software, which helps with pacing."

Concentrates heavily on advanced Photoshop post-processing.

"I anticipate learning powerful techniques for black and white conversion using Photoshop's advanced tools."

"My goal is to master non-destructive adjustments using curves, masks, and adjustment layers within Photoshop."

"I expect to develop an effective workflow for creating stunning black and white images exclusively within the software."

Teaches diverse methods for adding unique tones and colorizing B&W images.

"I look forward to adding unique and complex tones to my black and white images using various tools."

"The detailed sections on split-toning, duotones, and gradient maps are exactly what I need."

"I anticipate learning how to bring my monochrome images to life through creative and compelling toning techniques."

Offers hands-on practice with provided image files.

"I found the downloadable RAW and layered Photoshop files incredibly useful for following along."

"The inclusion of practical images allows me to apply techniques immediately as I learn them."

"I appreciate being able to work with the same images the instructor uses to solidify my understanding."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in The Art of Black and White Photography with these activities:

Review basic photography principles

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Review the fundamentals of photography such as aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to refresh your memory.

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Gather your photography gear
Set up your camera in manual mode
Practice adjusting aperture, shutter speed, and ISO

Read 'The Art of Photography' by Bruce Barnbaum

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Explore the technical and artistic aspects of photography through the insights and techniques shared by renowned photographer Bruce Barnbaum.

View The Essence of Photography, 2nd Edition: Seeing... on Amazon

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Acquire a copy of the book
Read and study the chapters in sequence
Take notes and highlight important concepts
Apply the techniques and principles to your own photography

Take practice photos in different lighting conditions

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Experiment with photography in various lighting situations to develop your understanding of how light affects exposure and image quality.

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Identify different lighting conditions (e.g., natural, artificial, low light)
Take multiple photos of the same subject in each lighting condition
Compare and analyze the results, paying attention to exposure, shadows, and highlights
Adjust your camera settings and techniques to optimize image quality in different lighting conditions

Two other activities

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Write a blog post or article about your black and white photography journey

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Share your experiences, insights, and techniques related to black and white photography through a written piece.

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Choose a topic related to black and white photography that you're passionate about
Outline and structure your article, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion
Write and edit your article, paying attention to clarity, organization, and engaging language
Publish your article on a relevant platform, such as a photography blog or online magazine

Create a portfolio of your black and white photography

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Compile a collection of your best black and white photographs to showcase your skills and progress.

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