Hi folks ....well i really like good B&W images ...but i do find it personally very difficult to create them as such .
But i still give it shot and got my hands on one of my recently taken Bison images , could have posted this in color too ....
As the theme was calling i rather tried it without normal color .
This is a mixture of a warm and platinum toning .
The herd was approaching me , more or less lined up on an open stretch without any chance to hide behind a bush/ tree .....
I wished for more animals to be fully in the frame , but i had to crop out some heads ...that did not do any good to the comp .
Hope you like it ....
Canon EOS 1Dx II
EF 500 IS L II
HH no support
F 8 ; Iso 12800 ; 1/2000sec
Processed with DPP 4.6 and PS CC 2017 ; manual conversion; toning with a plugin .....would love to be able to handle the toning like Steve is able to do .
Thanks for watching and commenting to my previous thread .
Andreas, I'm really enjoying your bison images and this one is no exception. The standout for me in this shot is the tones you've achieved on the calf between the two adults, particularly the head and body - simply wonderful. I feel the two adults and the younger animal on the right are a little too contrasty for my taste though. Both the shadows and the highlights are just a bit hard for my liking. Your low POV is excellent and I like that thin band of in-focus grass. Background is excellent. I'd be inclined to a slightly different crop by taking some off the left of the frame so less of those cut-off animals are showing. This is all a bit of nit-picking though. I still enjoyed this frame and lot and overall think it works very well.
I like the shot very much indeed, I am no expert on monochrome and whilst I like the contrast I wonder if the darkest areas are just a little too dark.
Hi Andreas - Toning, pp and conversion look good. The comp isn't working for me with too much of the bison on the lhs and then missing the head. Not sure what you could have done differently though such as move to the left to capture the entire bison. The calf in the middle fg looks a little soft.
Hi Andreas, I agree the darks look a bit strong, but not choking, I also agree on the LHS, go tighter in so there is a fraction of calf leg??? Compared to other posting the IQ is a fraction off, even for you at 12,800, although few folk rarely push things as much as we do. I like it, I think a couple of tweaks and you are there.
Thanks Glenn, John,Jon, Rachel and Steve ...much appreciate your feedback in which i partly agree .
With hindsight i should have chopped off some of the LHS to avoid the headless calf ..., but at least there is no other option on both sides . As there are already cut off animals on both sides in the original .
Rachel i am ok with the calf , the calf does have a softer appearance by nature from my POV , but will have again a look .
Steve - i do agree that IQ might have suffered a bit .... i think it is coming from my B&W maneuvers .....i really need to get my hands more on that B&W stuff , i never reached my color IQ with my conversions . The darks ...well a matter of taste , i wanted them that dark , so no accident and i am still ok with them a presented .
Anyhow thank you all for taking the time and leave your honest critique .... this is what it is all about !!!!!!
Hi Andreas -- Well all things said , i feel the conversion works and gives a nice feel to the image . Composing becomes tricky in such situations and the headless calf is a problem for me also . Darks are fine to me, this is what i expect from a BW image , it is a matter of choice i guess . A nice image . TFS !
European Bison in toned B&W
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, but at least there is no other option on both sides . As there are already cut off animals on both sides in the original .
.....i really need to get my hands more on that B&W stuff , i never reached my color IQ with my conversions . The darks ...well a matter of taste , i wanted them that dark , so no accident and i am still ok with them a presented . 
