How do you make a bw image?

[Gerard Buckleman]

my way of processing color digital images...first, let me say I don't use the jpg feature in any camera I use. I shoot raw, nef, etc... their is more manageability to the final picture, but this could be another "argument" of photographers that I have talked with...

Second, I do not have a calibrated screen, what I see in my viewfinder to what I see on my computer screen, to what I print has taken time, but isn't that what we had in the wet darkroom.

Just processing film, you had to worry about water temp, what developer you used to get the final negative (I sent my 120 film out and they cross processed it, came back different). I can't say how many 3x5, 4x6, 5x7, 8x10 prints I trashed in the wet darkroom. Just by a couple of seconds of filtered light(how many people still remember using filters in their cold-light heads) (and this is where "Photoshop plays its part)), swishing thru the developer, stop bath, fixer, hanging the prints to dry. Did I mention the different types of paper being used...but that is a different venue.

So with all this being said, I view my photos using breeze browser to select the pics I want to use. Then I will edit/develop using Photoshop, version CS6 (it is a shame how they charge you yearly now).

When I select the edit mode in breeze browser it opens in Photoshop giving me the latitude to process the image for the following:
white balance, temperature, tint, exposure, contrast, highlights,shadows, whites, blacks, clarity(=diffuse glow)(even though I can still use the diffuse glow in Photoshop)), vibrance(color only), saturation(which I select -100 (converts to a b&w image)), and sharping(amount - 145, radius - .06, detail - 4).
From this point on, it depends how I want the photo to be displayed. Since most of shots are based on the same settings within the camera, I can use Photoshop use of previous conversion to convert several shots (with some minor variations) easily. Even changing the color temp/ tint can give nice results.
Next is the curves feature in PS, even though B&W, you are still able to add cold or warm features, then again this is the photographer choice, which I always enjoy seeing.
I give you 2 examples of the same photo...
comments are welcomed

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#1
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#2
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