How to Optimise Black and White Photos with Adobe Lightroom
People often ask how to optimise black and white photos with Adobe Lightroom and whether there’s any difference between the Leica M Monochrom camera and the Leica M9 in terms of image quality. While both cameras are excellent in low light, the Leica M Monochrom produces stunning quality in black and white photos. The camera’s sensor has no Bayer filter, thus resulting in absolutely no colour cast when using Adobe Lightroom to convert your images into black and white. To learn more about how to get the best out of your
, read on below!
For Beginners, Know Why You Should Shoot in RAW
RAW files are much larger than JPGs, so you’ll need a lot of memory if you’re going to shoot in RAW. The upside is that shooting in RAW gives you much more editing freedom and allows you to take advantage of all the camera settings, such as white balance and exposure. If your photos aren’t coming out exactly how you want them, then consider using Adobe Lightroom for black-and-white conversions or Leica Digital Photo Pro for color ones. Both programs allow you to tweak individual colors and get rid of red-eye (which can be hard to do in post processing). They also have presets that can make your pictures look like they were taken by an old film camera. You can also add graininess to simulate an older film, which will give your pictures a more professional look. It’s important to note that when you shoot in RAW, your ISO setting won’t affect image quality; it only affects how much light gets into your camera. So it doesn’t matter whether you use ISO 100 or ISO 800—the picture quality will remain about the same—but at higher ISOs, there will be less noise in low light conditions.
Understanding Histogram on your Camera Screen
A histogram is a graph that represents how many pixels are at a specific brightness value. It allows you to see your photograph’s lighting or exposure levels in real time on your camera screen. Shadows (darker tones) are on the left side of a histogram, while highlights (lighter tones) fall on the right side. The center of a histogram, or peak, represents an even number of pixels at both extremes. If there are more shadows than highlights, then there will be a dip in the middle of your histogram. If there are more highlights than shadows, then there will be a bump in the middle of your histogram. Your goal is to have a nice, smooth curve from one end of your histogram to another. This indicates that you have an even distribution of shadows and highlights within your image. Ideally, you want most of your pixels concentrated in either the shadow area or highlight area; if they’re evenly distributed throughout all areas, it means that you haven’t captured enough contrast in your photo. You can use your histogram as a guide when editing black-and-white photos in Lightroom. For example, if you see that there aren’t any pixels represented in your image’s darkest tones, it means that some parts of your photo may appear too dark when converted to black and white. You can fix this by increasing exposure until those areas appear brighter onscreen. Similarly, if you notice that there aren’t any pixels represented in your image’s lightest tones, it means that some parts of your photo may appear too bright when converted to black and white. To fix this problem, decrease exposure until those areas appear darker onscreen.
Pre-Processing in Lightroom
The first step in processing your black-and-white photos is to import them into Adobe’s software. Depending on your camera model, you can choose from two different file formats: .dng (Raw) or .jpg. If you want to play around with any of Lightroom’s settings, it’s important that you choose Raw format. When working with a jpg, all of Lightroom’s adjustments are applied directly to your photo—which means they won’t be saved when you export it as a jpg. With Raw files, however, you can make edits without losing quality because all changes are stored separately; they aren’t permanently applied until you export as a jpg or tiff. And if you decide not to edit at all?
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Leica M Monochrom Typ 246 Review: Introduction
Sometimes it’s nice to put a camera on auto and just shoot, you don’t have to worry about manual settings, shutter speed, ISO or aperture settings, your camera is doing everything for you. But if you know how to use these settings and when it is best used what kind of affect that will have on your photo then why not give it a try. You can go Leica Photography for a Leica M Monochrom Typ 246 Review! Leica Causeway Bay has one available for rental. It’s great because you are able to see what all those settings do without spending a fortune on equipment. If you find yourself enjoying using manual settings than perhaps investing in one of Leica Cameras would be worth it? Either way take some time out of your day and learn something new! Leica Causeway Bay also offers classes so if you want to get more hands on experience Leica Camera offers private lessons as well. There is no better place to learn photography than at Leica Causeway Bay! _________________________________________________________________ The Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) was announced in February 2014 and features a newly developed 24-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, designed by Leica Camera AG exclusively for monochrome imaging.
Leica M Monochrom Typ 246 Review: Build Quality
The Leica M Monochrom Typ 246 is made from a high-quality magnesium alloy, lending it an air of quality that matches its almost $9,000 price tag. It is built for pro use: just like other M series cameras, it is designed to take a beating (though we wouldn’t advise doing so). The body is weather sealed, ensuring that light rain won’t damage its interior components. Its top plate is also adorned with Leica’s classic red dot logo, which adds a bit of flair to an otherwise plain camera body. If you want something more subtle, there are plenty of black or silver bodies available too. What makes Leica M different? Leica's famous rangefinder system allows photographers to see exactly what they're shooting through their viewfinder. A bright frame lines up with your subject in order to make sure your shot is perfectly composed every time. When using an SLR or mirrorless camera, you have no way of knowing if your shot will be in focus until after you've taken it - but not so with Leica's legendary rangefinder system! A true workhorse: Just because it looks simple doesn't mean that the Leica M isn't a powerhouse - because when it comes down to it, photography is all about getting those important shots right in camera.
Leica M Monochrom Typ 246 Review: Design & Control Layout
Leica cameras aren’t just about gorgeous, cutting-edge technology. They are also about design. The way Leica cameras look is sometimes as important as how they perform. This idea was driven home recently when I visited Leica Causeway Bay in Hong Kong on a quest for a new lens. My girlfriend wants me to buy her an expensive lens – any expensive lens; she just likes looking at them. While browsing through Leica lenses at Leica Causeway Bay, I was stopped dead in my tracks by a camera: The Leica M Monochrom Typ 246. It wasn’t that it looked like some kind of alien or that it had some kind of amazing tech built into it. It didn’t have either of those things (but it did cost $7000). What stopped me dead in my tracks were its lines and curves...and colors. There was no mistaking that it came from Germany!
Summary / Closing Thoughts
Importing photos from your DSLR into a program like Lightroom is a great way to get started optimising your black and white images. It’s also a great way to experiment before saving a version in Photoshop. Try working on an image in light room, don’t be afraid to play around until you find what works for you. You can always save it as an editable layer in Photoshop if you have time later on! If you are ever looking for Leica Photography related content, I highly recommend checking out Leica Causeway Bay's site. A digital marketing agency with years of experience in optimising photos specifically for social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram. They offer some amazing discounts on their services too!