Antarctic Fur Seal in B/W

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hello you BPN freaks,
going on with my B/W phase, never had that much fun in exploring and testing B/W, how that works for me.

This time a more or less straight forward conversion, again using the same plugin as last time with the same film emulation as preset, the from me beloved AGFA SCALA 200.

I mage taken on South Georgia Island.

Processing in RPP , PS CC to a normal color frame, followed by using the B/W Styler , cropped for comp, sharpening for output.
Worked a bit on BKG on LHS, was water visible in the URC.I wanted a more or less homogeny ? BKG.

Canon EOS 1D MK IV
EF 70-200 at 200 mm
HH

F10 ; 1/250 sec ; ISO 1250

C&C welcome as always.

Thanks for watching, Andreas

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Very nice image, cute looking Seal! I like the B&W conversion & Comp.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Andreas - This one works quite well for me. Nice pose and comp with good detail and tonal range. Those are some long whiskers too!

TFS,
Rachel

[Hilary Hann]

A nice conversion, but I'm not convinced that this composition or subject really needs to be b&w. However, if you are just practising technique I think it has been done quite well. I guess it all comes down to what you are hoping to show the viewer with the way the image is presented. I do think that your practicing is paying off with your pp, well done.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Andreas, I think the conversion has worked well, but agree with Hilary that perhaps the subject does not lend itself to B/W although I know you are going through your 'experimental' period, perhaps post the colour version too. I do like the composition, but wonder if just a slight Channel curves to boost the blacks ever so slight would help? But not global, just selective.

TFS
Steve

[edwardselfe]

I like this conversion but to be honest, I'm not that keen on the coppery tone. That's personal preference of course, but to me, a seal is a clean thing, living in the blue ocean, and the sepia tone is not really working for me. Would love to see the original too, but even just the original b&w without the toning.
You did great with the conversion though and retained loads of detail and life in the image.
Ed

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi you all ,thank you for watching and leaving your thoughts, really appreciate them all.

Ed - understand your point about the coloration, just a personal preference, as is said i am testing and trying out, so not looking that much if this is fitting to the subject, hope this will be the next step on the ladder.I used Bromoil as color preset, there is a preset called Copper, but the preset is more on the reddish side !!!?? :eek3:.

Hillary ,Steve - will try color in a short time, but i do not understand , so far, why certain subjects does not working B/W, this has contrast, tonal variation , different density in tones ………..What makes a subject worth to process in B/W, for you guys? Please make a statement , maybe i understand better afterwards, so far i do not get it, not referring only to my posts.

Thanks Andreas

[Andreas Liedmann]

Et voila, here in color.

Cheers Andreas

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Andreas,

Was about to comment on the B/W when I saw your RP in colour. My gut feeling also told me this would look better in colour but now that I see your RP I am absolutely certain! The colour version is so vibrant and the seal so lovely, nothing wrong with your B/W in my opinion but the colour takes it up a notch, there's more life in it and also, some more "attitude" from the seal, who looks a bit flat in the OP. Perhaps if the BG was not so "mottled" in the OP, the subject would stand out more?

I am really shy to comment on B/W images because I am just learning myself how to do these conversions, but I know you don't mind an opinion, be it from a novice like myself:bg3: I really enjoy your work Andreas, but also your sense of humour!

Have a great evening,

[Anette Mossbacher]

Hi Andreas,

B&W fever :bg3: !!
I still have your lioness sitting here and wait for your RP, that yours is overdone! :bg3:
Anyway, I really do like very much the color version. The B&W is very nicely done as well. Have to agree with Hilary on the B&W take. There are some animals which B&W use do not work very well. I tried at least 10 Meerkats, those are not good in B&W. No idea why, seals fall under that category as well for me. But just to try it out, very nice done :w3

Have a great eve

Ciao
Anette

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hey girls thanks for your kind words, still do not understand why this is not working in general in B/W , like wise Meerkats, i do not find a reason for this, it is too simple , at least for me to say , this is not working generally speaking.Maybe it is just a gut feeling as per Gabriela.I would think , maybe i am not able to make this looking great.

Gabriela i think you should fire your thoughts and suggestions , every time , even if they are coming from a novice :bugeyed:. All welcome.

Anette i already forgot about the lioness, please do me a favor , and let the lioness run free and wild in here, i am so excited about tearing her apart…………… LOL. Or become taken down by her :t3.

Cheers Andreas

[Anette Mossbacher]

No prob, the lioness has a look in the trash can what she can eat in there :bg3:

I am waiting to be enlightened for a B&W Meerkat. Have seen quite a lot in B&W, but since I try to add more punch or drama for does not work! A Meerkat is no drama, a Meerkat is funny, unless gets caught by a predator. I do not have such image :w3

Have a great eve

Guess you have cold now too :S3: we still got this white stuff falling from the sky. The gods are loose. They should shake their pillows somewhere else!!

Ciao
Anette

[Gabriela Plesea]

I have a funny Meerkat, but it's not B/W:w3 Maybe I'll try a B/W and you can help me "tweak" it?

Andreas, what's this thing about tearing apart the lioness? She will eat you up:2eyes2:, pyjamas and all! One day I will tell you about the big lion who walked over the mat in front of our tent at midnight and roared…You will never laugh at a lion/lioness again, be it a B/W!!!

Nite nite dear friends, nothing falling out of the sky around here, not even stars, it is hot and humid and frogs are going crazy in the pond…summer has just begun:t3

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hey girls , we do have Meerkats in captivity ,maybe i`ll give it a shot and try , just to see if this works or not. Even if you say , it will not work, will take some time depending on weather and my time to get some shots.

Still no snow up here,Anette,just build a snow firewall just south of the place where i live ,to keep the snow with Heidi, Peter and lilac chocolate.

Lekker slaap to all you out there, finished for tonight.

Cheers Andreas

[Hilary Hann]

Andreas, the colour image has much more impact in this case.

I am no expert but the things I look for in black and white, which make them lift above a colour image, is drama, impact, graphic design and all these things need to be there without the effect of colour. When an image converts into b&w the colours all change into different tones of grey and it is important that when they convert, the impact increases. The graphic design is important because you will see it so much more when your eye isn't seduced by colour. Personally, I don't think that detail is necessarily the main thing that we look at as some of the best b&w images I've seen have very deep blacks and less tone across areas than you might expect and detail isn't always the prime driver of those images. However, animals or landscapes with great detail which can be extracted in b&w can make for really exciting images if they combine with design and drama.

One thing we do is have one of our cameras set to display in b&w and it encourages us to look at things in 'b&w' which has improved compositions and outcomes.

So I convert to b&w wildlife images with real impact or where the colours are so disgusting (and they are sometimes!) or where the graphic design of the image just doesn't improve with colour.

But I am changing and adapting my ideas as I go, it is a moveable feast.

[Loi Nguyen]

It seems I'm on the minority here as I actually like the B&W version better. I'm no B&W expert and as Gabriela, I'm shy on commenting on B&W. I think the BG and rock on the color version look grey, so to me the B&W seal fits in quite well with the environment. I assume you were really close and used F10 to get the most DOF? Good choice as the seal is tack sharp. Loi

[Steve Kaluski]

but i do not understand , so far, why certain subjects does not working B/W

For me and in simple terms, does it look right in B/W compare to colour (does it suit it), but perhaps more importantly, has it 'improved' the image and taken it that one step further.

FWIW I prefer the colour version. :w3

[edwardselfe]

I also prefer the colour version. Lovely soft colours and the russet colour around the eye is just beautiful.
Ed

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hey folks . thanks for all your great feedback, interesting for me, at least .Not just because of this image.So far i did not get or found a solution for going B/W or not.

To the MODS - i would like to start a discussion thread about this , where we can be sure that a lot of people will follow and leave there thoughts.By knowing the Avian Forum is not a big place for B/W,like wise Macro/Flora .Landscape could be.

So you mods please give me advice where to start , to get the best effort,for all of us, maybe there are some more people apart from me who wants to know.

Cheers Andreas

[Steve Kaluski]

I would suggest General Photography Discussion, Rachel WDYT?

[Rachel Hollander]

Andreas - I agree with Steve that probably the best place to generate the most discussion will be in General Photography.

Cheers,
Rachel

[Andreas Liedmann]

Ok Thanks , Rachel and Steve, if i am in the right mood in the next couple of days , i will start a thread and hope for a long ongoing discussion……………….

Cheers Andreas