I mention in my assignment notes for assignment 3 that i use a simple conversion to B&W using Silver EFX Pro 2 which approximately replicates pushed TRI-X. And I thought I would drop a n post to explain why.
I take a lot of images in Hong Kong in black and white because to a certain degree I find the colours around a little distracting and also in some cases a little bland a drab. And I was converting each image individually tweaking this slider, that slider and too thing were happening I was spending far too long in front of my Mac and there was little consistency in my images.
I tried using Lightroom presets as starting point and the presets in SEP2 with varying degrees of success but i wasn’t too happy – still ended up tweaking here and there.
Then about 18 month ago a professional photographer friend posted a video on his blog showing how is process RAW file to Finish B&W in 3 easy steps – i have to say I was sceptical but gave it ago.
The major steps are:
- Flatten image in Lightroom (contrast etc) – created bespoke for each camera
- Apply preset in SEP 2 – created in SEP individually for each camera you use.
- Return to Lightroom just a another user created present to tweak contrast a little more.
i took my time and created this presets using trail and error to get a look i wanted – i started out by trying to replicate Ilford FP4 & HP5 from the setting SEP2 gives you (there so many to try before) as these where the film I used in the 1990’s but i wasn’t happy with the outcomes and eventually got a look i liked which in theory is Tri-X or Kodak Tmax.
These still are a starting point they work 97% percent of the time in some cases you need to adjust the odd thing but my images are more consistant and it quicker.
Why there effort?
After reading this I can perhaps hear you asking why, what is this bring to the images – well the simple fact is I have a lot of emotional attachment to black & white film images, they are what I brought me into photography through the work of people as diverse and Don McCullen in Vietnam and the early portraits of Terry O’Neil and it was working the full black & white process that started to development my own skill as a photographer.
I therefore what to present black & white as close to how it has always been presented, I want the viewer to look at my back & white images not nessecailly know if when they were taken – want to present a timeless image.
The above description results in a image that replicates says it replocates Tri-X however, that is too technical it is look that replicates silver halide film to the best of my own personal memory. For that look is the final touch much like a scent – it what completes a moment and makes the memory indelible.