Forty Shades of Mono

[THELONGMAN]

The harvested fields across the Cuckmere Valley to Firle Beacon East Sussex

[Guest]

Lovely scene and a beautiful range of tones.

[THELONGMAN]

Lovely scene and a beautiful range of tones.

Cheers Bill, very much appreciated, 

 

Geoff

[ChrisLumix]

The enhanced contrast (and channel mixing?) really makes this shot.

[CanonChrissy]

Chanel mixing - explain - dont know about thiis......

[THELONGMAN]

The enhanced contrast (and channel mixing?) really makes this shot.

Thanks a lot Chris, --really appreciate your feedback,

 

Geoff

[THELONGMAN]

Chanel mixing - explain - dont know about thiis......

Hi Chrissy, Its selectively mixing the Red, Blue and Green channels to alter the shades and strength of tones and adjusting the contrast -- --anyone got a better way of explaining it??

 

Geoff

[ChrisLumix]

Hi Chrissy, Its selectively mixing the Red, Blue and Green channels to alter the shades and strength of tones and adjusting the contrast -- --anyone got a better way of explaining it??

 

Geoff

 

It's like using red, green or blue filters with black & white film - you can get completely different effects with each, and you can mix (though the combined value of any channels you use, should equal 100 give or take a few points). Perhaps the best way to explain is with an example : start with this hot air balloon :

 

 

The next post will show the effects of converting using each different channel. 

[ChrisLumix]

This is what you get if you use the blue channel:

 

 

 

This is what you get if you use the green channel:

 

 

 

This is what you get if you use the red channel:

 

 

That was using each channel exclusively, but as I said - you can mix them. For example, if you set each channel to 33, you'd get the equivalent of a 'straight' conversion.

[CanonChrissy]

Ah right, I think I might do similar when I convert to B&W in PS. Thanks guys

[annie]

Tis very lovely, but would I be being cheeky if I asked if we could see the colour version if you have one...pretty please?

[THELONGMAN]

This is what you get if you use the blue channel:

 

balloon (B&W blue channel).jpg

 

 

This is what you get if you use the green channel:

 

balloon (B&W green channel).jpg

 

 

This is what you get if you use the red channel:

 

balloon (B&W red channel).jpg

 

That was using each channel exclusively, but as I said - you can mix them. For example, if you set each channel to 33, you'd get the equivalent of a 'straight' conversion.

Thanks a lot Chris, much better explanation, 

Geoff

[THELONGMAN]

Tis very lovely, but would I be being cheeky if I asked if we could see the colour version if you have one...pretty please?

Thanks a lot Annie, Although I've taken many colour pictures of this scene over the years this one really never quite worked in colour, so I de-saturated it and worked on a mono version, firstly using strong contrasting tones but decided that it worked best when toned down, which also allows for far more detail such as the hundreds of birds and the bloke wandering across the field to come in to prominence. Thanks again, I really appreciate it,

Geoff

[CanonChrissy]

I prefer the mono

[THELONGMAN]

Ah right, I think I might do similar when I convert to B&W in PS. Thanks guys

One thong I should mention Chrissie, I always use the "Hue/Saturation" slider to remove colour not the B&W conversion tool, --others may use a different method but this is what works best for me, --That said I am always open to new suggestions,

 

Geoff

[annie]

Its good to see them both sometimes for me. I am not a big lover of mono....but I can see this one really works. 

[THELONGMAN]

I prefer the mono

Snap

[THELONGMAN]

Its good to see them both sometimes for me. I am not a big lover of mono....but I can see this one really works. 

Cheers Annie, For me mono, or B & W, is great with many subjects such as portraits and street photography where it can add so much more drama and impact to a picture, but landscapes are different, I feel a little more care in subject matter, light and scene selections is needed, 

 

Geoff

[ChrisLumix]

I prefer the mono

 

Agreed. Normally I don't find landscapes ideal for B&W but this one is merely "nice" in colour, without any particular element standing out for me, whereas the mono conversion offers so much to look at in a new way.

[DarrenC]

General consensus would be that this lacks a subject? I like a contemplative, well processed image myself but this could really do with a focal point?

[ChrisLumix]

One thong I should mention Chrissie, I always use the "Hue/Saturation" slider to remove colour not the B&W conversion tool, --others may use a different method but this is what works best for me, --That said I am always open to new suggestions,

 

Geoff

 

A Freudian slip? 

[THELONGMAN]

General consensus would be that this lacks a subject? I like a contemplative, well processed image myself but this could really do with a focal point?

Thanks for your feedback Darron. This picture was never meant to have a focal point, is is a study on mono tones. I have photographed this scene many times when I have made the main pointy of interest Firle Beacon, the 200mt hill in the Right of the picture. I hope this explains my aims,-- as described in the title of the picture,

 

Thanks again

 

Geoff

,

A Freudian slip? 

"You stupid boy"

[NannyFerret]

I like the colour version the best, because I love scenery as I see it in it's natural colour, but the mono is also very eye-catching

[THELONGMAN]

I like the colour version the best, because I love scenery as I see it in it's natural colour, but the mono is also very eye-catching

Thanks a lot Tina, Its interesting how people see things differently, I felt the colour version was a bit insipid, but what do I know, glad you liked it,Thanks for your feedback, I appreciate it,

 

Geoff