Critique Me

[Alsnowman]

OK I am asking for it. My first photo to be critiqued. It is a B&W due to the fact I did not like the color photograph. Too much grey this time of year in Florida. Grey trunks to the trees, grey moss etc. I thought there was much more interest with the crooked tree branches as a B&W?

[JCW3]

Very neat shot, but your B/W looks really gray...

I feel the use of levels would pull out more contrast an make it look like a true B/W does.

Other than that, its a nice over all shot...

Would have been much more dramatic if there was a subject walking down the road or something...

[me_wrestler]

I like the composition of the photo. The photo is washed out in the highlights. How did you convert to B&W? A bit of lack of detail in the moss. Overall, though, the picture has potential.
Colin

[Alsnowman]

I used two different methods on the photo:

The first method was the lazy way and I just edited it in Photoshop by changing the mode to grescale and discarding the color info.

The Second time I used the adjustments of hue/saturation and moved the saturation slider all the way down. I then played with the levels and contrast util I thought it looked right.

Does anyone have any other methods I can try?

[BytePhoto]

Hi,
I agree with the others on the 'washed out' look of the B&W. It's a very nice shot, but IMO needs tweaking a little.

Here's some other tutos on B&W conversion:
http://luminous-landscape.com/tutori...w_better.shtml
http://www.cliffshade.com/dpfwiw/b&w.htm#lab-grayscale

I personally use the LAB method.

[Alsnowman]

I re-edited it in PS using some of the methods in the tutorials. What does everyone think now? Better?

[JCW3]

I see what your trying to do here. But now the photo seems to have a overexposed and seems to be still flat as far as the B/W effect go...

Sorry, but seems as if your in the right direction with these PS aids.

[BytePhoto]

Better... !!
but IMO it still needs a better B&W tonal range (from jet black to pure white). However, this could be difficult with this photo because of the overexposed parts, ie. the sun shining through the trees.
In PS try using, Image > Ajustments > Levels..., then move the slider on the left, slightly to the right to see the difference.