Foundations of Photography: Black and White

Ben Long shares strategies for capturing the best black and white images and techniques for converting to black and white in Photoshop.In this Foundations of Photography, Ben Long shows photographers how to develop a black and white vocabulary and explains the considerations to take into account when shooting for this medium. The course follows Ben as he goes on location and explains what makes good black and white subject matter and how to visualize the scene in terms of tonal values and contrast rather than color. Along the way, he demonstrates some exposure strategies for getting the best images. Back at the computer, Ben demonstrates techniques for converting the resulting photos into black and white using Photoshop and other imaging tools, and offers tips on printing and output. Topics include: Why shoot in black and white How to recognize good black-and-white subject matter Preparing the camera Shooting a tone-based subject Exposing for black and white Understanding grayscale Converting from color to black and white using Photoshop CS4 or CS5 Converting to black and white in Camera Raw Vignetting Toning and split-toning Comparing high key versus low key images Preparing a black and white image for print