Almost Black & White … By Intent to be "Not Quite"
For the most compelling "Black & White" (Grayscale) Imagery, render them in COLOR!
Really!
A bit of preface
What is Color?
Color is the property possessed by an object of producing different sensations on the eye as a result of the way the object reflects or emits light .
Light is the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible.
That which we usually refer to as light, is also known as white light -- the natural, visible energy emitted by our sun, actually made up of the so-called colors of the rainbow or spectrum .
Transmitted at 186,000 miles per second through space (a vacuum), light appears white, odd, since white light is actually all of the spectrum, or rainbow colors combined : red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. If that seems odd, there is black, which by scientific definition, is the absence of color .
Skeptical? In a near totally dark room, try and identify the colors of the clothing in your closet; and, no cheating by feeling the fabric of a sweater known to be red and thinking no problem this is my red sweater. Better yet, try it with a new box of crayons even that stingy eight-crayon box dump the crayons out in a dark room, mix them around and see how many you properly identify (without trying to read the labels).
We see colors because surfaces reflect light and, not all surfaces reflect light similarly ; surfaces that reflect all of the colors of the spectrum are white surfaces that absorb most of the light striking them, are black or quite dark. If a surface is red, it absorbs all spectral colors except red, which it reflects.
Black and white is now something of a pass term grayscale being more descriptive, namely a range of gray shades from white to black . Depending on whether youre viewing a printed page, a computer monitor or television screen, etc., most grayscale images are comprised of 256 shades white to black . Technologies today yield even more than 256 like digital imagery of so-called HDR (High Dynamic Range).
Colors are primary or secondary the primaries are red, yellow and blue and combine to give secondary colors;
~ red + yellow = orange ~ red + blue = violet ~ yellow + blue = green ~
Thats for pigments like paint. In mixing light, the primaries are red, green and blue like on computer (RGB) monitors.
Enough of that.
There are millions of colors as compared to just the 256+ shades of gray
One time, while I was in the process of converting a full-color photo to black & white , instead of going there directly, I began to gradually DESATURATE the image,incrementally reducing the colors but before going all the way to black and white, I stopped short not at 100% DESATURATED, but 80% or so.
The result was, IMO, much more interesting than full color or black and white!
No more words here are some examples; keep in mind, every image is different, not all images benefit from this process, and, viewer opinions are subjective to one degree or another.
1) The FULL COLOR IMAGE
2) 25% DESATURATED
3) 50% DESATURATED
4) 75% DESATURATED
5) 100% DESATURATED
Take your pick it will be interesting to see if the choices/preferences vary.
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Kodachrome gives you those nice, bright colors
oh 75% desaturated!
A much more natural look once you take the overpowering reflected light away.
Very well done explanation also Mac!
In the full image the power of the light blows out any detail in the center. (but once desaturated, the ability of the photo sensor in the camera to capture slight variations in intensity really does shine doesn't it)
Number 4. 75% de-saturated.
The most pleasing to my eye.
The full color image makes me want to shield my eyes and keep walking to the light.
I also like the 50%. Something there that I can't quite touch but I feel it.
For some reason I can't open that image, although I normally have no problem opening whatever still image you post. (Videos are always touch and go.)
I would have liked to see a 100% desaturation of your article images as well.
I used these images in my article on "Colour to B&W". You will note that in full colour, the subject (the 3 skull-bearing poles) does not stand out from the background, obscured by the bright green leaves and other colourful items, which happens as well in total B&W which in fact causes the subject to be lost. However, with just 50% colour, I feel that the subject becomes more readily discernable.
Of course that is only my opinion, and as I see the photos, but others are free to disagree.
Full colour
B&W
50% colour
Buzz, apparently you enlarged the 50% image also by what 50% or so? you also maintained the pixel resolution which increases depth of field. Combined with toning down the saturation makes the detail pop.
Very Very effective.
A much more natural light perspective.
Did you use your flash when you took that pic? The natural light appears almost directly overhead which tends to wash out vertical detail.
once you flush your mind of all the crap they taught you in high school.... {Chuckle}
Buzz,
I added 5) 100% DESATURATED.
The video you can't open (sorry, I forgot) is Simon and Garfunkle's Kodachrome song.
In the era we're in full bright white light with almost no interfering infrared has become commonplace & inexpensive . I find infrared to be the hardest frequency on the eyes . Still I have to say I like these de-saturated pics a lot .
I happen to like the one that is 75% desaturated. Just a touch of color to add mood.
Really lovely shot, Mac!
I don't think the B&W does justice to the scene - my preference is the 75% desaturation.
I forgot to reduce the 50% version. No flash was used. It was the usual overcast (or pollution) atmosphere.
A Mac
I think they are all pretty great but if I have to choose a favorite it is #3
Thanks, RIO,
I will do this again with other images some lend themselves well to the exercise and others serve as examples of poor outcomes, or, indifferent outcomes. Either way, I think it makes or interesting analyses and how individual preferences vary.