Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
converting from color
to black and white
I have a secret. It's not about becoming a better
photographer. It's about making other people
think you have become a better photographer.
It's how to make your friends, associates, fam-
ily members, your pet, and in particular, any of
your photographer friends see you in an entirely
different light. The secret is to start converting
some of your color images to black and white,
but what really takes this over the top is to
make a physical B&W print and show it around.
The good news is that you don't have to do this
in a traditional darkroom; you're doing to do
this in Lightroom, and then either print it on
your own inkjet printer, or upload your image
to an online photo lab, but either way, you
are literally just a chapter, a few sliders, and a
piece of photo paper away from elevating your
status as a serious photographer to an entirely
new level. That's because photographers inher-
ently love B&W prints, and by proxy, those who
make them, as well. Yes, the entire thing is a
psychological phenomenon, but that doesn't
make it any less real. So, I'm going to teach you
how to make great looking B&W images from
your color photos, and then you can jump to
the printing chapter to find out how to print
one out (or save it as a JPEG to send to a lab).
That's it. That's how close you are to getting
photographer street cred on a level that will
send your status soaring. This is the equivalent
of joining a street gang and robbing your first
liquor store. You do this, and you're “in.” Also,
it's time to start referring to your photography
as “my work” (i.e., “I've been looking a lot at
my past work…”), and it also doesn't hurt to
make fun of other photographers, who've never
done any B&W, in a way that makes the use of
color sound like a crutch (this is more than 62%
of the fun of shooting in B&W, so don't over-
look it). Now you know “The Secret.”
