Working with a point and shoot camera while trying to learn more about filters and when and where to shoot black and white over color can be a bit challenging. You don't always have complete control on the settings of your camera, so experimenting with tone and have it is effected by different filters has to be done in post processing. I decided to do another comparison collage today using some of the interesting things I learned about filters and "color" balance in black and white photography.
The first shot here is the original with just a slight color enhancement for maximum contrast when converting to black and white. The second shot is simply converted to black and white- no filtering or adjusting contrast. The third shot is the same picture converted to black and white with a red filter. Surprisingly this (shall I say) neutralizes the red rather than darkening it. The last shot is the same picture converted to black and white with a blue filter. In Peterson's book when this filter was applied it completely darkened a sky to black, so in a way I was not surprised the picture got darker. I was surprised though by how the filter intensified the "red" of the leaf. I didn't think it would make it as dark as it did.
Peterson wrote, "Pictures without color can convey altogether different qualities to the original." This collage certainly demonstrates that and more.
I love this visual and your descriptions of the steps you took. It really helps me to better understand how color can translate into grey scale.
Terrific collage!
Great collection of pics to show the different effects :)
(I don't have the book, so excuse me if it already says all this!) Filters do interesting things to light because they transmit the colour of interest, but absorb other colours. When you put the red filter in front of the red leaf, it looks bright (or white) because there is a lot of red which is transmitted through the filter, and very little blue or green to be absorbed.
When you use the blue filter, the leaf appears dark because there is no blue light to pass through the filter. All the red light is absorbed, so there is very little light of any colour available to pass through the filter instead - so the leaf appears dark.
@kerristephens Thank you Kerri! @yaorenliu Thank you Yao! I use a free on-line site for my post processing. It is very easy to use. Believe me, if I can figure it out, you can!! Ribbet.com @archaeofrog Thanks Katie! Alia did a great job explaining why! @luvmynynix Thanks Laurie! This was very helpful to me as well. @paulam Thank you Paula! It really started out as an experiment, but I learned a lot from doing it. I'm glad you found it helpful. @twr Thanks Timothy! @alia_801 Thanks Alia! Honestly, I'm sure the book did explain it a bit, but it probably went right past me! You explained it much better! Or at least in terms I really understood. @sangwann Thanks Dione! @digitalrn Thank you Rick! @gratefulness Thanks Sandi! @cimes1 Thank you Carole! @daisymiller Thank you Daisy! I'm glad it was helpful to you. @eudora Thanks Diane! By the way- I ordered that book you recommended and have it ready and waiting for when I finish the book club book.
Great shot, Ann! And excellent collage. I like your explanations. It looks like the b&w with red filter really brings out the detail of the really red part when it is lighter. I've never thought of using filters before. I actually never knew about filters. You are becoming quite the pro! You could make good money with your shots. Well done :)
@salza Thank you Sally! I call them filters- I'm not sure if that's correct but it's a throw back to my film days. It may be that I'm digitally affecting the channels- but I'm not savvy enough to know for sure!
February 7th, 2014
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Terrific collage!
(I don't have the book, so excuse me if it already says all this!) Filters do interesting things to light because they transmit the colour of interest, but absorb other colours. When you put the red filter in front of the red leaf, it looks bright (or white) because there is a lot of red which is transmitted through the filter, and very little blue or green to be absorbed.
When you use the blue filter, the leaf appears dark because there is no blue light to pass through the filter. All the red light is absorbed, so there is very little light of any colour available to pass through the filter instead - so the leaf appears dark.
I hope that makes sense!
@yaorenliu Thank you Yao! I use a free on-line site for my post processing. It is very easy to use. Believe me, if I can figure it out, you can!! Ribbet.com
@archaeofrog Thanks Katie! Alia did a great job explaining why!
@luvmynynix Thanks Laurie! This was very helpful to me as well.
@paulam Thank you Paula! It really started out as an experiment, but I learned a lot from doing it. I'm glad you found it helpful.
@twr Thanks Timothy!
@alia_801 Thanks Alia! Honestly, I'm sure the book did explain it a bit, but it probably went right past me! You explained it much better! Or at least in terms I really understood.
@sangwann Thanks Dione!
@digitalrn Thank you Rick!
@gratefulness Thanks Sandi!
@cimes1 Thank you Carole!
@daisymiller Thank you Daisy! I'm glad it was helpful to you.
@eudora Thanks Diane! By the way- I ordered that book you recommended and have it ready and waiting for when I finish the book club book.