Maybe, maybe not?

marikris

C/c very much appreciated. I haven't really worked with b&w conversions, so I'd very much love to know how I'm doing and ways to improve (sometimes, I do too much). Thanks in advance



Original:

Jwar

i think it's important to see the eyes. The hair in the eyes is not good. The b&w conversion looks good:D

GoofBckt

Ditto, Jay. <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/thumb.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" >
Carrie

marikris wrote:

C/c very much appreciated. I haven't really worked with b&w conversions, so I'd very much love to know how I'm doing and ways to improve (sometimes, I do too much). Thanks in advance



Original:

jeffreaux2

While I aagree about the eyes, I think you are looking more for feedback on the conversion than the photograph itself...

IMO you have lost a lot of detail in her hair...especially below her ears. Im not at all sure which method you have used. I do most of mine in Lightroom now days...not because its always the best choice, but because it is faster than using a second editor to do it. I usually DONT like the results I get from photoshop's BW tool. I do like to use the LAB method, but it isn't right for every photo.

marikris

Thanks, guys. It's actually a crop of an accidental shot of my mother-in-law at my nephew's 9th bday. I saw it when I was looking through my card and what struck me at first was that bang over her eye. I just kept wanting to brush it away lol - it's almost tactile that desire. I figured I should do something to exorcise that feeling so I kind of really like that it now brings the focus to the single eye and that hint of personality there. Must be that personal connection of knowing the subject.

Jeff - I see your point on the lost detail. I use Photoshop because Lightroom won't open my raw files from my 5d2 (I'd love to know if there's a way for it to, though!) so I can't even try it there.

I have a tendency to push the skin smoothness too - still trying to to get a feel for that. I use portrait professional, a super old version, but they usually look overworked there anyway, so I have to go back to photoshop and tweak it a little bit. Also, I used this opportunity to figure out what the daggone buttons on Liquefy do since I'm not that great with photoshop.

bdcolen

marikris wrote:

Jeff - I see your point on the lost detail. I use Photoshop because Lightroom won't open my raw files from my 5d2 (I'd love to know if there's a way for it to, though!) so I can't even try it there.

Let me suggest you go to the Adobe site and download the Adobe Raw Converter - Adobe DNG. Use that to important your raw files, and put them in a folder and then decide where you want them. DNG converter will save them as Adobe DNG files - Adobe version of raw, which uses a lossless compression algorithm. I don't pretend to understand how it does it, but I know that it takes my 11 meg raw files and saves them at about 4.5 meg, which saves an enormous amount of disk space. They are still "raw," still have all the information; they're just smaller. I do not save any of my original Olympus Raw files - just the DNGs, and Lightroom can read them without a hitch.

jeffreaux2

bdcolen wrote:

Let me suggest you go to the Adobe site and download the Adobe Raw Converter - Adobe DNG. Use that to important your raw files, and put them in a folder and then decide where you want them. DNG converter will save them as Adobe DNG files - Adobe version of raw, which uses a lossless compression algorithm. I don't pretend to understand how it does it, but I know that it takes my 11 meg raw files and saves them at about 4.5 meg, which saves an enormous amount of disk space. They are still "raw," still have all the information; they're just smaller. I do not save any of my original Olympus Raw files - just the DNGs, and Lightroom can read them without a hitch.

Good Call BD.

I have LR set up to convert to DNG on import...and full size previews to speed things up downstream.

I know there have got to be some 5DM2 usuers out there using LR. Which version do you have? I'm on version 2.3, but have been getting prompts that a new update is available.....perhaps going to "help" and then "check for updates" in Lightroom will solve your issues? If so, then set up LR to convert to DNG (adobe's digital negative) and copy to a new location on import.

W.W. Webster

marikris wrote:

... Lightroom won't open my raw files from my 5d2 (I'd love to know if there's a way for it to, though!) ...

Lightroom opens 5DII files fine, provided you are on a recent version.

In Lightroom 2, go to Help > Check for updates ... and your copy will be automatically updated (free) to v2.4.

marikris

Why, thank you BD and Jeff. As it happens, I've had the DNG converter for the longest time but didn't know how to use it with either Photoshop/LR. The tip on setting LR to handle DNG did the trick lol. By any chance, would you guys know if Photoshop CS3 can also use the dng converter?

PS. There was a 2.4 update for LR, Jeff

marikris

W.W. Webster wrote:

Lightroom opens 5DII files fine, provided you are on a recent version.

In Lightroom 2, go to Help > Check for updates ... and your copy will be automatically updated (free) to v2.4.

We were typing at the same time ^_^

W.W. Webster

marikris wrote:

We were typing at the same time ^_^

... at opposite ends of the planet!

marikris

W.W. Webster wrote:

... at opposite ends of the planet!

Indeed! I want to say "Jinx" lol.

jeffreaux2

marikris wrote:

Why, thank you BD and Jeff. As it happens, I've had the DNG converter for the longest time but didn't know how to use it with either Photoshop/LR. The tip on setting LR to handle DNG did the trick lol. By any chance, would you guys know if Photoshop CS3 can also use the dng converter?

PS. There was a 2.4 update for LR, Jeff

Glad it worked out......and yes....Im still getting the 2.4 prompt....and Im still procrastinating!!!

PS shouldnt have any issues working with a DNG from lightroom.