Righto, given its the photography section I thought Id open it up to some Photoshop.

I know a quick method for converting a photo from colour to black and white in photoshop, but would like to know how the more photoshop savvy go about it.  The ones I convert tend to look a bit wishy washy ... would like darks dark and light light, a really sharp image, but with a soft finish (not asking for much).  The colour images I have are very sharp and clear and pretty good.  Just venturing into some black and white work and have been told that its always better to shoot in colour and then PP after.

I dont do a lot of B&W but when I do I use the channel mixer to do it.

create yourself a nice Channel mixer adjustment layer (can do it with the straight channel mixer, but I prefer to be non-destructive)

toggle the "monochrome" toggle and use the sliders to adjust the contribution of each channel to your final masterpiece. Usually they should add up to 100 in total to make it look sensible, but of course this is open for creative messing. You can also get some pretty neat effects by throwing one channel -ve and pushing the other two up high to compensate.

have fun

Convert to LAB colour.

Then Desat the Red Channel.

Normally do that, as reds tend to have higher contrast than any other channel.

Cheers chaps, worked a treat.

Quote from: M3ta7h3adConvert to LAB colour.

Then Desat the Red Channel.

Normally do that, as reds tend to have higher contrast than any other channel.

not quite sure what youre saying here Metalhead, LAB colour doesnt have a red channel

lol!!! may have fecked that up then lol. Erm.. Convert to CMYK or RGB and pick either Magenta or Red

Quote from: Mongoose

Quote from: M3ta7h3adConvert to LAB colour.

Then Desat the Red Channel.

Normally do that, as reds tend to have higher contrast than any other channel.

not quite sure what youre saying here Metalhead, LAB colour doesnt have a red channel

I was a bit stuck initially when I read that, but put me in the correct direction.  I went for the adjustment layer channel mixer, monochrome and then played with the slideys, adjusting the red does make the most impact, and then fine tune with the other two.

Another photochop option for this is a red red multiply

Open the image

Select image calculations

select the two channels you want (red and red, or another combination) and then select a blending option (multiply, or something else) and percentage.

results->new document
Image mode greyscale

Image mode RGB

Should work a treat, if someone will have a go. I dont have a copy available ATM

From someone else BTW so not my idea

Cool .. will check it out, thanks!

Ive just dug up my own ancient copy of PS 6! It works a treat

I salute your subject matter!!!!  

It was the first and only photo on my desktop! :/