Black & White Using Topaz B&W Effects 2 Plugin
Last time I talked about the newly released Topaz Black & White Effects 2 plugin and gave you the 15% discount promo code, in case you decide to add it to your bag of tricks. Since then, I’ve taken some time to play with it and created the HDR black & white photo for today’s post.
The plugin has several dozen presets including several stylization presets. I found so many of the presets did a great job on this HDR photo of a church in Chemainus, B.C. Since I can only choose one, I settled on the first of the platinum tone presets. No other manipulation of the preset was done… just a click and save. EZ PZ and it looks just great!
FYI, when making the HDR I did not use the black & white preset in Photomatix Pro. I tonemapped it in color as normal and allowed the Topaz plugin to render the black & white image. I believe that is the best way to render the colors into their respective shades of grey.
It’s been a really busy week for me and tomorrow is Friday already. Even though I haven’t posted any new photos earlier in the week, I have definitely been working on some. Maybe if I hadn’t played golf twice those photos might be ready by now… but I played, had fun, and no regrets.
Strangely enough, Captain Photo has never been the captain of anything, except his golf team in high school. He was on a big boat once, a cuise ship, and was banned from the bridge while offering to help navigate after leaving the ship's nightclub at 3 AM.
What I, Captain Photo, can do for you is to help sail the stormy seas of HDR photography. It's treacherous out there. I've been shipwrecked more than once. (I wasn't Captain those times)
Read the blog and learn the easy and inexpensive process of making Perfect HDR photographs that beginners will love and will make your friends begin to reassess and elevate your worth! You'll quickly be sailing smooth and making amazing images!
~Captain Photo 
Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by Wordpress
There is a nice contrast to this image, Keith. I find HDR images do not always convert to B&W all that nicely as the contrast ends up either too little or way too much, but definitely not in this case. Guess I should take a look at the new topaz B&W.
Mark Summerfield recently posted…Converted Freight Depot, The Railyard, Santa Fe
That’s so true Mark, you bring up a great point. Now that my focus is on HDR I rarely do black & white anymore precisely for the reason you bring up. What I have learned is that if I process the HDR with very low contrast in Photomatix, I can regain the contrast I need with Lightroom and this Topaz plugin. My theory of doing it this way is that by being less agressive in the tonemapping, that will eliminate halo issues and the other undesirable traits associated with HDR gone wrong. As an example, look around all those fine twigs and branches on the tree. So often I see people posting a photo with fine details like these and they are surrounded with ugly halos, which totally wrecks the mood in a most distracting way.
(dofollow)
Captain Photo recently posted… Corner Church Black and White from Topaz
A place we’ve photographed several times! It’s a very difficult composition due to the cramped nature of the tiny roads the encircle it, but you’ve found a great perspective and angle to share here, Keith! Great drama in the b&w aspect of the delivery, and I just love all those great textures! Ain’t history wonderful…
(dofollow)
Toad Hollow Photography recently posted…These Shoes Were Made For Walking
Yes, it’s difficult to not photograph this church. So why resist? Lots of cameras point to churches, inside & out, probably more than any other type of building. There must be something that is universally attractive about them. Anyway, they do make for an interesting subject to play with.
(dofollow)
Captain Photo recently posted…Photographing the Full Moon