I just added a PS action set for B&W conversion on the Digital Darkroom section of The Light's Right.

<http://www.thelightsright.com/DigitalDarkroom/PhotoshopTools.htm>

By using a pair of Hue/Saturation adjustment layers, one to adjust contrast and the other to desaturate the image, you can take control over the conversion from color to B&W.

If you invoke the "Convert by Adjustment Layers" action, the following steps occur:

(1) A new Hue/Saturation adjustment layer is created and named "Contrast Adjustment Layer." The layer blend mode is set to "Color."
(2) A new Hue/Saturation adjustment layer is created and named "Desaturation Layer." Saturation is set to -100.

You can adjust localized contrast by clicking on the "Contrast Adjustment Layer" and changing the settings for Hue and Saturation. You can targer the Master channel or indivdual color channels in this way for pinpoint contrast adjustments.

Global contrast adjustment can be made on the "Desaturation Layer" by making adjustments to the Lightness setting.

An excellent tutorial that will walk you through the technique is also available on the site at:

<http://www.thelightsright.com/DigitalDarkroom/Tutorials/Converting%20from%20Color%20to%20Black%20&%20White .pdf>

Mitch

[ 02-09-2004, 09:30 AM: Message edited by: Glenn E. Mitchell II ]

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