Stud Muffin

[Marina Scarr]

This is my first attempt ever at converting a photo to B & W and felt this wild black stallion on the dunes was a good candidate. He was standing guard over his mare and young foal from atop the dune while they were feeding below. This was photographed on the Outerbanks of NC.

I TOTALLY winged it in PS (couldn't even duplicate what I did here if I wanted to) but like the outcome. I find this capture to be more powerful in B & W.

Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Canon 1D3, Canon 100-400L IS
F8, 1/1250sec, ISO 400, manual mode
Handheld

Marina Scarr
www.marinascarrphotography.com

[Sid Garige]

Like it Marina. Elegant pose and b&W conversion working very well.

[Morkel Erasmus]

It looks nice Marina, the horse stands out very well...I am wondering if one can get more out of this ito tonal range, so would love for you to post the colour version so I can have a crack at it if you don't mind :)

[Marina Scarr]

It looks nice Marina, the horse stands out very well...I am wondering if one can get more out of this ito tonal range, so would love for you to post the colour version so I can have a crack at it if you don't mind :)

Here's my original with no changes at all. Thank you for this, Morkel.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Marina, here's another version for your consideration.

I felt the background in your original came out a bit 'grey' and having it closer to white would make the horse stand out a bit more. I adjusted my B&W filters to achieve the look in the sky I wanted, and then I also dodged the horse a bit for more detail. Lastly I cropped very slightly from the LHS to eliminate a stray grass-end that was prodding into the scene.

What do you think?

[Andrew Merwin]

B&W works very well with this image. I prefer the B&W version over the color version. I like the pose & composition. Maybe some CCW rotation?

[Marina Scarr]

Marina, here's another version for your consideration.

I felt the background in your original came out a bit 'grey' and having it closer to white would make the horse stand out a bit more. I adjusted my B&W filters to achieve the look in the sky I wanted, and then I also dodged the horse a bit for more detail. Lastly I cropped very slightly from the LHS to eliminate a stray grass-end that was prodding into the scene.

What do you think?

I REALLY like what you've done with this, Morkel. Thank you so much. This stallion pops even more now. Do you remember which slider you used to lighten the sky? I love the way you dodged the horse. What a difference that little bit makes.

[Harshad Barve]

I like your original capture Marina , excellent
TFS

[Morkel Erasmus]

I REALLY like what you've done with this, Morkel. Thank you so much. This stallion pops even more now. Do you remember which slider you used to lighten the sky? I love the way you dodged the horse. What a difference that little bit makes.

Thanks Marina, glad you like it. Sorry, forgot to say that I used Nik Silver Efex 2 for the conversion ...and selected the neutral filter to get the sky the way I liked it. You can do the same with PS but you'll have to play around some. I also pushed the 'structure' slider a tad which enhanced the shapes/curves of the horse's posture.

[Mike McCarthy]

Nicely done SM. Do enjoy a good B&W conversion of an original RAW image. Do prefer it here for sure. Now if all things in life were as simple as B&W...eh *-)

N

[Jay Gould]

Morkel, lovely RP; Marina I like the RAW in color!

[Steve Berkowitz]

Very nice either way - I also like the tall grasses on the right side. It's a very nice composition Stev

[Morkel Erasmus]

I have to add as well that the colour version is very nice

[Marina Scarr]

Thanks Marina, glad you like it. Sorry, forgot to say that I used Nik Silver Efex 2 for the conversion ...and selected the neutral filter to get the sky the way I liked it. You can do the same with PS but you'll have to play around some. I also pushed the 'structure' slider a tad which enhanced the shapes/curves of the horse's posture.

I had a feeling that you used NIK on this. I won't have my program until next month. I hear it does wonders with B&W photographs, among other things. I am curious whether you prefer the B&W or the color (keeping in mind that the color photo above is untouched.) I personally find the B&W to be more powerful.

Thank you again for all of your help.

[ramesh anantharaman]

I really finding it hard to decide which one i like better. the colour or the B&W version. They both Have their own charm and give out different emotions. but in all a scene brilliantly captured. and then comes Morkels repost which does take it to a different level. real well done Marina and Morkel

[Dumay de Boulle]

Beautiful image...The wind swept adds massively IMO and the col works for me. Also like Morkels repost

[Robert Amoruso]

B&W is more powerful here Marina. I had copied the color to PS and was opening up Nik Silver Efex when I saw Morkel's version. Basically what I had in mind.

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Love this image Marina. I like the b&w but i like the color version as well. The repost really pops off the page, Nice work Morkel. I like where you positioned the horse framed by the (sea oats?)