Last weekend I submitted a few images for the weekly Lens-Artist Challenge, Colour vs Black and White. I rarely convert my images to BW as I’m mostly shooting for stock. I leave it to others to convert my images if they want a BW version. They can’t convert it the other way.
I enjoyed the challenge and decided I’d like to improve my black and white photo skills. I put a comment to that effect in my post and Leanne, who runs today’s Monochrome Madness challenge on her blog, invited me to submit a post in to todays challenge. So here it is.
I decided to take a crash course in BW conversions (I used the BW adjustment layer tool in Photoshop for the Lens-Artist challenge). There’s nothing wrong with that but I know there are lots of other ways to convert colour images.
So, come Monday, I used my UK library app, Borrow Book, to find some guides. Ironically, the first magazine I found was an Australian publication called Master Black & White Photography. It’s a pretty good mag and had some photo software tutorials on converting colour images to black and white. I chose a Photoshop guide, using a gradient map. Photoshop is what I use to process all my images.
It’s a simple three step process and I’ve now saved those steps as an Action, in PS, so with one click I have pretty good BW images. There’s many other ways, quite a few more in the mag, on how to process conversions but this one worked well for me. Hope you like them 🙂
Thank you to Leanne for hosting this weeks challenge. Here’s a link to the Monochrome Madness challenge page.
All images: ©Stephen Hyde 2007-2025 – All rights reserved.
Steve Hyde 
Beautiful shots, Steve!
Thank you. I enjoyed your Portugal article. I’m looking forward to the update on your Spanish trip.
Great shots, Steve.
Thank you Teresa 🙂
Wonderful to see you joining us Steve and I hope you enjoy it and want to do it again.
These are great in monochrome, I especially like the last one, the type of thing I would do.
I didn’t see your post in the reader and I think it is because you have used too many tags and categories. If you have more than 15 then WP won’t share it in the reader. YOu can put in less for the first day or whatever and then add more later on if you want. I hope it is okay to say that.
Hi Leanne, thank you for pointing that out about the tags, I had no idea. I’m happy to get any advice I can 🙂 I enjoyed the challenge. I’ve already lined up my hand pics for next week!!
That’s great, I look forward to seeing them. I have find some.
i love the two first black and white images of this post. Especially the Beetle. Maybe this dark night environment and very nice light adds some special vibe..
My photography is mostly BW. Whatever i do – digital or analog. And the conversation for digital is always simple click on Black and White button in Lightroom.