Query About B+W Photography

[cindiaugustine]

Although I've been attached at the wrist to my camera for about 5 years now, I still don't do a lot of B+W photography. I'd love to do more.

I shoot in raw with a Canon 50D, and have the option of shooting in B+W, or shooting in Colour and processing in B+W later. Of course with raw I can always return the colour to the photo during the processing, so I'm not screwing myself up either way.

What are the pros and cons of shooting in B+W in camera? Is this anyone's preferred mode of working? Really interested in how other people see this issue.

Thanks,

[edG]

The only benefit that I see, is that you will immediately see on your screen the raw material. I personally do not shoot in B&W in camera, when I am composing an image/shot, I get an idea in my head whether or not it might make a good B&W.

With that said, once I am working in Lr I will push the saturation slider all the way to the left to see if a capture has some possibility as a B&W.

[Wicked Dark]

I think if you're not used to seeing in monochrome, putting the camera in monochrome mode, but leaving it in raw will help. Live view will give you the scene in B&W, but the file created will still include color info and you can process it in B&W. A while back I wrote a couple articles about improving B&W photography, have a read if you like - Article 1 and Article 2. Also if you go back a bit in the Photography.ca blog, Marko put together a good podcast about this, too.

[cindiaugustine]

EdG, presently that's the way I handle it, but, as Wicked Dark suggests I'm wondering if shooting in B+W will help to teach me to see more in monochrome.

Wicked Dark, I'm going to check those articles out, thank you so much.

[cindiaugustine]

Wicked Dark, I read the articles. Great explanation on how to use the B+W colour sliders; wow, gives you so much more control over where and how much contrast you want. And it never occurred to me to use the adjustment brush to help bring out areas in my B+W photos. Seems so obvious after I read that.

I really happy that I've discovered this forum. I can already tell, after a week of being here, that all the feedback and tips I'm reading from the senior members are going to help me evolve as a photographer.

[Gremlich]

When I shot film, it was usually tri-x, or ilford - all B&W. Currently, I leave my camera on monochrome with some of the settings boosted. if I need to change anything, I "export" the image into SEPv2 for further "play". Some shots call out for colour, though. In LR it's easy enough to switch back if it does. My Dec shots in London were shot purposely in B&W. (this one and this one for example)

Never let anyone tell you there's no colour in B&W....

[cindiaugustine]

Stunning shots of London, Gremlich.
I would've loved to have gotten into photography back in the pre-digital days, but didn't have the resources. Probably safer for me now that there's no chemicals involved, however. I can only picture the spillage and clean-up I'd have to do. :shudder::

[Gremlich]

Not to say that I never intentionally take colour images, I just prefer to go monochrome.