Create a Dramatic Black & White processed from a difficult Photograph

Very often you may travel to a location to capture great images, but the weather can be against you, here I traveled to Holland hoping for a nice sunrise, but instead, I was greeted with a rather dull overcast sky and lighting, however, this does not mean all is lost as these types of condition can still lead to an opportunity for a dramatic Black & White image. So in this video, I will take you through how this can be done using Lightroom and Silver Effects Pro.
If you would like to follow along feel free to download the original.DNG fine here :- drive.google.com/drive/folder...
If you like what I am doing on youtube, you can find more of my work here:-
Instagram :- / jamiemathlin
FaceBook :- / jrmathlin
500PX :- 500px.com/p/Jamie_R_Mathlin

[@raisinsawdust]

The first thing I always do with B&W conversions is to change the white balance to a very vivid red (wb 14500/tint 74)with high contrast of +50. Desaturate to -100 Then turn black to -50 and then start juicing exposure, shadows and white. Then dehaze and clarity sliders and last deal with noise reduction…I have done this to great results for well over 1000 paying clients!

[@jamiermathlin]

Sounds like a good flow for B&W, the changing of the WB is a great step, as you see I also like to increase the colour values, it makes for great B&W images. Thank you for the information 😀

[@andrewdavies6273]

This photograph is absolutely stunning....

[@jamiermathlin]

thank you, 😀

[@andrewdavies6273]

@@jamiermathlin Your very welcome...😀

[@ccw5886]

Im a beginner with Lr. This was so helpful. Thank you . Now in my 60's I was a film amateur photographer in my 20's and 30's. Its a brave new world with digital. Looking forward to it.

[@jamiermathlin]

Much like you I started in film and for two decades came to understand it, at the turn of the century I jumped on the digital band-wagon, and now two more decades on, I am starting to understand it 😀. have a look at some of my earlier videos, as I have some start from basics type tutorials. Thank you for your comment, it is much appreciated 🙂

[@ccw5886]

Thank you Jamie. I have to say Lr feels a bit inpenetratble at first. I am used to film manual control and have just purchased an old Leica M8 in lovely condition and venerable D5 Classic cannon. I don't think I can cope with the enormous amount of options on modern cameras, as good as I am sure they are. I will keep you posted and will be watching and taking notes on your brilliant back catalougue of photographic life saver videos. :)

[@user-bj3cx7qq2z]

Great tutorial. Learned some helpful tips. On first glance, the B&W looks dramatic yet convincing. However . . . on second glance there is still a lot of halo-ing around some of the buildings, particularly the largest windmill. As well, the bare trees on the right against the sky look ‘forced’. A casual observer may not notice, but a discerning eye see it or at least feel there is something odd with the lighting.

[@jamiermathlin]

A man with an educated eye, you are totally correct, not my best video, but for some reason, it has had 40k views, stunning. All valid points and well received 😀

[@BarneyStreit]

I understand those who are clamoring for shorter videos. In my eyes though it makes little sense to omit essential parts of the workflow to achieve a shorter video… another instance of the tail wagging the dog. Your workflow is so logical and precise, and your delivery is so clear and enjoyable, I say make your videos as long as they need to be. Sadly, it is impossible to satisfy all your fans.

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you for the feedback, as you say it is difficult to keep everybody happy, and thank you for your kind words, they are very much appreciated 😀

[@tiaoat2013]

I'm fine with the long videos. It makes perfect sense.

[@dougdina]

Great video. Thankfully we are afforded large bit depth photos and affordable software that allows us to PUSH n PULL as we wish. Just the editing is an art form in itself as you have clearly shown. I do not (yet) have the knack to know when enough is enough or too much was done. Sometimes I’m so proud of an edit that I worked on for 2 hrs only to show it to my wife and within like 3 seconds she says “it looks fake”. But, it’s a joy to be able to watch such videos and exercise our own edits on our treasured photos.

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you for the comment, the points you raised are so true, I could not agree more :-D

[@Drputtick]

Often the answer after editing is to leave it for a day or so, and then come back to it. Sometimes you decide it's overdone, then you can just dial the whole thing back to perhaps 50%. The best way to do this I find is in Photoshop, with the edited version as a layer, then you control the opacity.

[@mijory123]

very instructive, thanks

[@jamiermathlin]

You are very welcome 😀

[@marekvollach7831]

WOAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH and wowzers. My heart dances with joy , gratitude and appreciation

[@jamiermathlin]

you are very welcome 😀

[@jacobthomson9369]

Another excellent tutorial,Jamie.Thank you.

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you Jacob 😀

[@marcystarnes5511]

just love the way you deal with light and dark - learning a lot

[@jamiermathlin]

thank you Marcy 😀

[@BernhardSchwarz-xs8kp]

Thank you. A hard lesson for me to realize how little I know when it comes to photo editing. But then - learning is a lifelong process - so I keep going. Channels like this are most certainly great.

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you for the comment Bernhard, knowing that I am helping others to learn more, as I learn more every day, is what motivates me to make these videos 😀

[@rphandler]

New LrC tricks even when I thought I knew a lot. Nice teaching.

[@jamiermathlin]

Happy to have been of some help 😀

[@andredupuis7018]

Very effective and appreciated demonstration. Merci

[@jamiermathlin]

Glad it was helpful!

[@thewanderingeye7133]

Brilliant video ! thanks so much you are very talented and a great teacher.

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you for your kind words, they are very much appreciated 😀

[@benjamindeguzman8509]

Beautiful rendition. I didn’t realize how powerful the radial mask is until I saw this video. Thank you for taking the time.

[@jamiermathlin]

You are very welcome and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. The whole masking system provided by Adobe in LR is in my view a masterpiece, the tools available to us are simply stunning 😀

[@fuhirees]

Awesome ❤

[@nelsonclub7722]

Gets dull overcast sky. Turns it into a Rembrandt when others would have just gone home. Myself included.

[@jamiermathlin]

There is always something hiding in the photo !

[@JerrePaquette]

The best tutorial I have ever experienced: patient, thorough and perfectly paced and articulated. Thank you, sir!

[@jamiermathlin]

thank you for your kind words 😀

[@mike1902]

Another excellent video tutorial Jamie - I like watching your methodical workflow as it makes so much sense.😀

[@jamiermathlin]

thanks Mike 😀

[@1duesy]

Quite simply the best tutorial on photo editing. Love the slower pace and how you took the viewer methodically from start to finish. I also discovered that my workflow was backwards! Well done!

[@jamiermathlin]

Many thanks for the comment, have a look at my KZbin channel, you will find 75 videos in total covering many different approaches to processing. Subscribe if you want to keep up to date, as I try to publish a new video each week. I always value people's comments and opinions even if sometimes the critique is tough, I am ok with this, best regards Jamie 😀

[@MyStocko]

Another great video Jamie. Just love your amazing attention to detail. I always learn something new when watching your edits. Thank you.

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you David, nice to hear from you 😀

[@michaelkramer4741]

You are a true wizard sir. And a great teacher as well. Keep 'em coming!

[@jamiermathlin]

many thanks 😀

[@BarryBernau]

I like it!

[@ahkammontaj5465]

Congratulations on another job well done! What always keeps me in your posts, checking your channel and making sure I watch every video until the end is your creativity. The job of a master like you is to turn the worst photo into a masterpiece and an incredible painting. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with us Jamie.

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you so much for your kind words 😀 your comment is much appreciated!

[@user-mn2zh9lb8b]

Hi Jamie. I've been reading some of the comments and I see I'm not the only one who loves your photos and think you are a master at what you do. Your amazing attention to detail is a reason I keep watching your videos. It's funny to say that I keep learning new stuff with each video you make. Keep them coming.

[@jamiermathlin]

thank you for your kind words, they are very much appreciated 😀

[@ASMPHOTO]

Thank You for sharing & teaching.

[@jamiermathlin]

You are very welcome 😀

[@boristahmasian9604]

Great video. The transformation is amazing. I learned a great deal. Thank you.

[@jamiermathlin]

you are very welcome Boris 😀

[@koulis70]

What a great tutorial! Your day to night techniques really transformed some of my less interested photos. Many thanks for posting these videos.🙏

[@jamiermathlin]

you are more than welcome 😀

[@heeyulkim9699]

Thank you very much. I am really learning plenty of things from your video. from south korea

[@jamiermathlin]

I am very happy to be of service 😀

[@robertjureit2574]

Wonderful. I’m a retired Pro. Have not updated my printing software in years. Got a EpsonP900, now for the new software. Ike very much your work flow. Going to try it on my Leica M10 monochrome pics. Thank you very much,

[@MrObie107]

Beautiful work. Really enjoyed watching your work flow.

[@jamiermathlin]

thank you Robert 😀

[@DaveEP]

Wow, I learned so much! Thank you!

[@jamiermathlin]

Hi David, you are very welcome, glad I can be of help 😀 Happy New Year 🥳

[@UlliMueller]

Amazing transformation! Thank you for your educational videos, they also serve beautifully as relaxation therapy. :-)

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you Ulli, I am happy to hear this 😀

[@zvecan]

Thanks very much - I learn a lot from your videos 🙏👏

[@jamiermathlin]

you are very welcome 😀

[@martincregg]

Excellent

[@jamiermathlin]

thanks 😀

[@louislapierre8453]

Louis LaPierre Enjoyed the video very much, great detail certainly helps. I always learn something new. Your delivery is excelent..

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank You very much Louis 😀

[@pavanrai343]

A wonderful video. Thank you.

[@jamiermathlin]

Hey Pavan, hope you are having a great Christmas, and everybody is well. `need to catch up sometime 😀

[@garyclinton7146]

Great to watch 🙂

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank You Gary 😀

[@scottcitron]

Excellent tutorial. Very clear, well-paced. I learned a lot.

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you for your comment Scott, it is very much appreciated 😀

[@normjames4451]

Jaime - another wonderful video! I stumbled across your KZbin channel several months ago and I’ve fallen in love with your techniques on using light. I’m giving a talk to our local photoclub on “Day to Night” processing and what I’m now calling “Turn The Lights On”. I’m giving you full credit for these techniques and am hoping some of the members embrace them and begin following you on social media. Keep up the great tutorials and the wonderful content… best, Norm

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you Norm, and the very best of Luck with the talk to your local photoclub 😀your support is very much appreciated!

[@therightfoot81]

super video.

[@jamiermathlin]

😀

[@snowmanphoto]

Well done.

[@jamiermathlin]

😀

[@felixifloresrodriquez3306]

Superb image love it

[@jamiermathlin]

thank you 😀

[@simoharjane7823]

whenever I see a tutorial I am interested in and I see there's an attached file to follow with. Just subscribe . best way to learn and follow using a good image .

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you for the comment and welcome to my channel 😀

[@robertleem5643]

Many thanks for sharing that tutorial, I learnt so much from this video, surprising how B&W looks better than colour

[@jamiermathlin]

You are very welcome Robert. B&W can work really well in the right situation, always worth a try 😀

[@MA-no8tz]

Thanks for the video, I learned so much!

[@jamiermathlin]

You are most welcome 😄

[@birdie399]

Very detailed explanation and commentary. The masking actions are helpful. Thanks for the video.

[@jamiermathlin]

You are very welcome and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, it is very much appreciated 😀

[@peterlawrence8203]

As always really enjoy your videos and learn so much. Thank you kindly

[@jamiermathlin]

thanks you 😀

[@cerealkiller4248]

I’m rubbish at PP’ing, watching you deal with this average shot and transform it into the end result was fascinating. The street light was genius and the overalll B&W 👏 👏 👏 Thanks for taking the time to produce this video.

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment it is very much appreciated. Please feel free to look back over all my videos, I have covered many different ways to post-process and you are also welcome to download the RAW images and follow along if you wish. Subscribe to see more content each week 😀

[@susanlane99]

I learned so much from your video! Very very well done. Thank you

[@jamiermathlin]

thank you Susan 😀

[@marlinsobbota9846]

I thought the photo looked good in color, but it really pops artistically in black and white. I've been too shy to tackle black and white, but I think I'll start giving it a try. Thanks for the video and everything you've taught me/us.

[@jamiermathlin]

You are welcome Marlin 😀Silver Effects Pro is an excellent piece of software, worth considering!

[@marlinsobbota9846]

I got very lucky. A few years back when it was free, I downloaded it. Didn't use it because I didn't know how to. That is, I didn't know what I was doing and got horrible results. Thanks to your videos, I now do, so I searched my back up hard drive and found the download. Am using it with results that make me happy. Thanks once more for all your help. I literally could not have done black and white without you.@@jamiermathlin

[@elke1317]

An excellent video on image post-processing. In my opinion, the optimized color photo is at least as attractive as the black and white result.

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you so much for your feedback and for taking the time to leave me a comment, it is very much appreciated 😀

[@erikladefoged6108]

A great educational video that I'll have to watch and watch again while trying out/learning the tips and tricks on my own photos. Keep them comin' please😊

[@jamiermathlin]

thank you for the comment Erik, it is very much appreciated 😀

[@davidwaters9876]

Hi Jamie. Watched a few of the videos now without taking notes, as I have just enjoyed your workflow. I have just been asked to take some photos of local buildings for a 'ghost' book. I feel your dramatic B/W or your day to night processes will work well. Guess I will have to rewatch and take notes this time. Looking forward to it.

[@jamiermathlin]

I have plenty of videos to watch, perhaps this one might be helpful :- The Haunted Church 😀 kzbin.info/www/bejne/o36ZlWqCps6Unck

[@kqschwarz]

Probably the best LR tutorial I have ever seen, and i have seen lots. I would probably stick with the LR B&W conversion, as the Silver Efx Pro version reintroduced halos, but that is only my opinion based on KZbin compression. All the best.

[@jamiermathlin]

Many thanks for the comment, the B&W conversion comment is a very valid point. Much appreciated 😀

[@robertdepaulis5188]

Very good explanation, tutorial. Beautiful work

[@jamiermathlin]

thank you Robert 😀

[@pixels1497]

Thanks Jamie. Just found you. such great work and explanations on technique and workflow. Will be a regular on this site.

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you for your kind words and welcome to my channel 😀

[@colinyoung9432]

Cracking video Jamie thank you so much....Colin..

[@jamiermathlin]

thank you Colin 😀

[@davidpeppert9168]

Excellent, very informative and enlightening ( no pun intended!).

[@jamiermathlin]

thank you David 😀

[@stevenmatson5679]

An interesting note for me was, the height (obviously the tripod) it really got me thinking for my next shot, to check if the foreground is included enough. Often my shots seem too flat, but this really shows how much I need to pay more attention to the foreground. Great editing video 😊

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you, Steven, this is a great observation, height can have a huge effect on the image, and the balance between fore, mid, and background can really make or break an image. To gain depth I always look for these three key elements and if possible find leading lines. THank for the comment, it is much appreciated 😀

[@ecycled3d]

Great walk through for your post editing techniques. I've become a big fan of using both LrC and Nik Collection 6 (Silver Efex). Thanks for sharing!

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, it is very much appreciated 😀

[@_R_o_n_a_l_d_]

I live 25km from there, it’s indeed a really nice location to take photos. I never thought about doing this location in b/w, but I’m gonna try this for sure, though it’ll be in Capture One instead.

[@jamiermathlin]

Thanks for the comment, local to Zaans, that is a treat 😀

[@snoopywalker1881]

Great walkthru on your detailed tweaking process and B&W . A lot of work…sometimes I just hit the HDR and then B&W on LRC ….Silver FX Pro is a great tool. The color version right before you processed to B&W was quite nice. Probably can do 2 versions.

[@jamiermathlin]

The flexibility of the software is truly amazing, it is more about your own creativity today, rather than the equipment we use. Perhaps it has always been this way 😀

[@josepbel8731]

Wonderful master class tutorial... !! I've learned a lot of new useful things with it. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience !! 😃

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you Josep for your kind words, and for taking the time to leave a comment, it is very much appreciated 😀

[@BommeltjeNL]

Great tutorial. I'm a bit of an oddball in not liking black and white photos, but I have to admid this does look great 👍

[@jamiermathlin]

thank you very much 😀

[@ddsdss256]

Yep, SEP rocks (especially the latest updates in Nik 5/6). I also prefer DxO PhotoLab for RAW conversion--you can do a lot on there as well toi the point where SEP isn't even required, but I just don't feel I'm "properly" processing B&W if I don't use it to get that "film look" (baryta paper helps further). It's almost too good--too many options!

[@jamiermathlin]

All very valid points, we have so many options open to us these days and we can come at processing from so many different angles, we are in a time of real creativity! 😀

[@Triplebuc50]

I am a “Color-Blind” Digital Photographer, since I do not see or appreciate the stunning Colors in a image, I am looking into turning my Photographic interests from Color to Black & White creative images. I would need to get advice from other B&W professional Photographers, as to how to improve my B&W photography Journey.

[@jamiermathlin]

I have a number of Black and White tutorials on my KZbin channel, perhaps have a look at this one to start with:- kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqCtqqyOrsycf6M&ab_channel=JamieRMathlin

[@philipabercrombie6694]

Another great tutorial Jamie. Many thanks. I think the length of the videos is dictated by the degree of work you put into them to achieve the result you require. 32 minutes for this one, 50 minutes for the York Ghost Merchants. It's what you are teaching us that is the important factor. By the way, is that your wife in the orange parka just in front of the third from left windmill 😄 Edit....Whoops, just got to the part of the video where she is removed lol

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you for your comment and kind words Philip 🙂. no it was not the wife, she prefers to leave me be when it comes to photography 😀

[@Swallowtail34]

Thought this video was excellent, very easy pace and such a easy one to follow. Just one question, i'd never heard of Silver Effects Pro, is this a plug in for Lightroom and how much does this cost. Thanks for a great tutorial.

[@jamiermathlin]

thank you Mark, Silver Efex Pro is part of the DXO suite, stand alone or as plug-ins for LR & PS, you can find it here:- nikcollection.dxo.com/nik-silver-efex/

[@mustab5135]

Tip-top

[@jamiermathlin]

😀

[@jeffcowan54]

Jamie, I really enjoy the artistic style of your final images and that you take the time to show us how to process similarly on our own. In this video, however, there seems to be a missing gap from LR color to SilverEFX. You made some B&W edits in LR prior to exporting but didn’t mention the details. Anything we should know here? Many thanks for your videos!!

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you for the feedback, it looks like I missed a part of the edit during processing, there is 4 mins no included, whoops 😀well spotted, more haste less speed Jamie 🙂

[@GirdHerd]

Jamie. I love your dramatic B&W images. I'm trying my best to duplicate your steps. Just a question: To reduce the halo effect around the windmills a little more could you use "Subtract Sky" as a final step?

[@jamiermathlin]

The halos are a little bit of a problem, if I had more time I would have subtracted with a brush, but I tried to get this video to 20 mins as a few people have said my videos are too long 😀

[@johndwilliams]

Always interesting watching someone else's workflow. Always something to learn or remember. Did I notice that you changed to black and white in Lightroom before moving into Silver Effects rather than letting it do the conversion? Is there any benefit to do it that way?

[@jamiermathlin]

No real benefit, in fact, it helps to come in with Colour to Silver effects, but I was having fun 😀

[@PaulTimlett]

Fascinating to follow your process. Curious as to why you converted it into black and white in Lightroom before taking it into Silver Efex. Would the result have been any different if you had taken the colour version into Silver Efex to allow it do the black and white conversion?

[@jamiermathlin]

You are completely correct, it was actually a bit of poor editing of the video, as I did do a Lightroom change first, but it did not work out so well, so I used Silver Efex Pro to get back on track. So, well spotted 😀

[@PaulTimlett]

@@jamiermathlinThank goodness for that! I thought I’d been missing a trick all these years! Happy New Year 😁

[@alphat4551]

Much prefer the edited color version!

[@jamiermathlin]

:-)

[@Nazareth434]

Nic3 conversion but noticing some pretty strong haloing around the windmill and building holding the windmill- the dark clouds around the mill are pretty noticeably lighter right on the edges of the mill

[@Nazareth434]

The nearest windmill 8 mean- the further ones look ok

[@jamiermathlin]

Yes, you are completely correct, I rushed the processing a little to try to keep the video a little shorter than normal. Lesson Learnt, take my time 😀

[@Nazareth434]

@jamiermathlin still a very nice conversion to b&w- won't take much to knock the halo down a bit- little bit of burning will fix it nice

[@nelsono4315]

you really do some amazing work. Thank you!

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank You Nelson 😀

[@glen-draketoolworks7186]

Had some trouble following your cursor at times. Would a cursor-enhancement program like PinPoint help, or perhaps just a cursor color that provides a little more contrast?

[@jamiermathlin]

Thanks for the feedback Glen, I will look into this 🙂

[@margaretebickerstaff8599]

I love what u do! I tried to do a photo I had but had issues with LR slowing down. Had 13 masks and my laptop couldnt handle it. It started doing weird things. Why do u not use LR B&W presets?

[@jamiermathlin]

I generally do not use presets in Lightroom, I did get a copy of Serge Ramelli B&W, they work quite well, however, I like to do the adjustments myself as I go. The Silver Effects Pro presents are ones I have setup myself. 😀

[@nickross133]

Do you ever use the clone stamp in Photoshop set to darken for halos? It can work well if used carefully.

[@jamiermathlin]

Hi Nick, yes, it works very well, but this video I tried to stay in Lightroom, and keep the video to 20 mins, as I have some feed back that my videos are too long 😀 thank you for the comment !

[@MarkNF1]

Beautiful photo. I'm wondering if you've printed it and if so, what type of paper surface did you choose?

[@jamiermathlin]

Hi Mark, I have not printed this image yet, however, generally I print to Canvas through a very good print house here in the UK. To do this for canvas I always increase the exposure by 0.5 stops and reduce the contrast by 10 points, to compensate for the canvas printing process.

[@MarkNF1]

Thanks. Interesting, I have not yet printed on canvas. @@jamiermathlin

[@JuanGonzales-mi6xx]

Do you have tutorials on processing black & white? You make very complex masks, it would be great to learn that.

[@jamiermathlin]

this is one of my videos:- kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJbMoXyQrZybetk&ab_channel=JamieRMathlin. but there are more, just look in my video library 😀

[@ianbrowne9304]

What a great work flow tutorial . Pity you use Adobe products as I cannot justify the subscription especially as I slow down in life . Fortunately I still have/own and know my old Lr5 and Affinity is my PS app .

[@jamiermathlin]

Thanks for the comment, I understand your sentiment, I have been using the Adobe products since 2015, the only good thing with Adobe is that do not increase your subscription once you start (as long as you do not stop) so I still pay the same as 2015, so it is now good value for money. But to start today, yes it is expensive. The problem I have is that I personally have not found anything else as good , there are lots of different software packages out there, they all have their own advantages, but LR & PS are by far the leaders. Best Regards Jamie

[@ianbrowne9304]

@@jamiermathlin I totally agree LR PS are big boys in town ; and so they should be considering what they charged from the start (1988) . My first was Ps7 , and Lr2 in 2008 . I would love to have the latest Lr but that is not to be :( . PS is just too big imo . I will be looking in from time to time for new ideas --- what can be done in PS can be done in Affinity

[@jamiermathlin]

@@ianbrowne9304 Have you considered the Adobe Photographer monthly subscription, this can be had for less than £10/month and it includes the up-to-date Lightroom and Photoshop as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud package, this is what I have:- www.adobe.com/uk/creativecloud/photography.html

[@ianbrowne9304]

@@jamiermathlin thanks for the info ; that is about Au$20 , and not sure it's actually available to Australia (??) . I agree it is good value if it's being used enough. However ; I don't want to be locked into a "have to pay" every month when I don't really use the product that much as I slow down in life. I'm retired, 70 y/o. If I don't pay I cannot use it and then I would need to learn another program or maybe go back to LR5 which is near impossible . Stuff that ! Thankfully the days of PS or nothing are over even if Adobe is the biggest and strongest kid on the block that seems to run a blackmail scam of pay or lose it . Adobe have made it very clear they are not overly interested in "little shits" like me . Cheers Mate

[@marcystarnes5511]

could you use the object mask on the far away windmills

[@jamiermathlin]

yes, thanks that would have been a good way to try to avoid the halo ! 😀

[@MikeKleinsteuber]

Nice demo and end result. Except for one small area which really doesn't work at all. At the apex of the leading wall to the building where it meets the roof it goes quite dark and there's a bright halo running from the top of the apex till it meets a clearer area. Just makes the apex look manipulated and really lets the image down which is a shame as the rest works so realistically.

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you for your feedback, and I agree it is a valid point, must try harder next time 😀

[@1duesy]

Now three years on, do you still recommend Silver Efex Pro 2?

[@jamiermathlin]

It remains the best Black and black-and-white software currently, the newer version Silver Efex 3 is much the same with a few minor tweaks. Not sure if you can purchase it outside of the DXO Package, but it is very good, my go-to for B&W 😀

[@1duesy]

@@jamiermathlin thx!

[@kevinbrowne3089]

Lesson learned! Nothing in photography is as it appears. Good and not good.

[@1duesy]

I noted the application of Denoise within Lightroom. Where yours took less than a minute, mine takes forever 😢. My computer is otherwise fast including when processing the Topaz versions. Any idea why this could be?

[@jamiermathlin]

I have had a number of people raise this question with me, if you are using Windows and an Intel processor, depending on the age will have quite an effect, the amount of RAM can also affect the overtime. Adobe has kindly created Apple ARM versions of their software, which means the full capability of the new Apple M Chips can be utilised, and the machine I do my videos on is a Mac Studio M2 Ultra machine, with 64GB Ram. It is also necessary to understand that the new Apple M Chips have a much faster memory interface speed than x86-based systems, a typical DDR3 2400 Windows machine will have around 20GB/s, the fastest dual channel DDR4 RAM chips only reach 40-45GB/s whereas the Max M Chips in MacBooks is 400GB/s, the Pro M Chip at 200GB/s. The problem currently is that people look at benchmarks to determine how fast a machine is, whereas it is really about workflow and general experience, and using software that has been optimized for the ARM-based architecture. The latest M3 Max MacBook Pro 16" has the same or better performance for Video Editing (using Final Cut Pro) or photo-editing as a 13900k Intel Processor with DDR5 Memory and a 4090 Graphic Card, which uses upwards of 700watts of power, whereas the MacBook laptop can run on Battery for 8-10 hours (18-20 hours for light workload) as it is around 30-45 watts of power, running cool on your lap. If you let me know the specification of your machine CPU, GPU type, Ram, Hard drive, I am happy to help you understand where the bottle neck might be. PS. I am no Apple Fanboy, I have a Windows computer as well, but this is mainly for playing computer games, but everything else I do on my Macs, as they run cool, the batteries last all day and evening and they are as fast as anything windows can create for photo and video creativity type workflows. I hope this helps

[@1duesy]

@@jamiermathlin Thank you so much! I can send dxdiag file via message or email. Just let me know which you prefer!

[@1duesy]

@@jamiermathlin SYSTEM INFO: System Manufacturer: Dell Inc. System Model: Precision Tower 7810 BIOS: BIOS Date: 12/13/18 14:57:43 Ver: A29.00 (type: BIOS) Processor: Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2630 v3 @ 2.40GHz (16 CPUs), ~2.4GHz Memory: 32768MB RAM Available OS Memory: 32690MB RAM Page File: 22070MB used, 29051MB available Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS DirectX Version: DirectX 12 DX Setup Parameters: Not found

[@1duesy]

GRAPHICS CARD: Card name: NVIDIA Quadro K4200 Manufacturer: NVIDIA Chip type: Quadro K4200 DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC Device Type: Full Device (POST) Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_11B4&SUBSYS_109610DE&REV_A1 Device Status: 0180200A [DN_DRIVER_LOADED|DN_STARTED|DN_DISABLEABLE|DN_NT_ENUMERATOR|DN_NT_DRIVER] Device Problem Code: No Problem Driver Problem Code: Unknown Display Memory: 20397 MB Dedicated Memory: 4052 MB Shared Memory: 16344 MB Current Mode: 3840 x 2160 (32 bit) (30Hz)

[@danielattias1525]

Hi Mate, RAW OR JPEG???

[@jamiermathlin]

RAW buddy 😀

[@johnvidol5555]

ok...J,M.W .Turner, aka Billy Turner...(HaHa) wow...

[@jamiermathlin]

😀

[@rggfishing5234]

The vignetting in the corners is a bit distracting. Otherwise fabulous! Thanks for the tips!

[@jamiermathlin]

thank you for the the feedback 😀

[@Drputtick]

Unfortunately you still have lots of halos around the buildings and windmills. Perhaps in your own version of the edit you spent time dealing with these, but in this worked example they are very obvious, sorry. But I'd like to ask - where is the location? Clearly in the Netherlands, where I've photographed lots of windmills, but not seen these...?

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you for the feedback, yes the halos were a problem, always limited for time when doing my videos 😀 The Location is Zaamdam Museum

[@0toleranz]

Over all not a bad edit, a bit over the top for my taste but that’s a personal thing. The only thing which destroys it for me at this stage which was an eyesore for the length of the video from the point where you introduced it was the missing shadow of the lantern which it should cast by it self from its bottom around the pole. This breaks the hole scene and makes it look fake unfortunately.

[@jamiermathlin]

thank you for the feedback, it is very much appreciated 😀

[@keithsimpson8676]

Shorter videos are much better.

[@jamiermathlin]

😀

[@lanceschill75]

Having said this, it is nice to see a processing from start to finish that encorporates overlapping work as well. This helps beginners like me advance 😊

[@TonyVeinberg]

Another great video but the halos are terrible. :(

[@jamiermathlin]

Tell me about it, I was trying to shorten the length of my videos, based on some feed back, but I think I rushed this one, in future I will go back to getting it right, even if it takes 15 mins longer :-) thanks for the feedback...

[@jeffstarley1591]

I agree, the halos are really really bad. I think you would get a much nicer result using PS and layers. Clarity is a "tool" that always produces this effect. Try using the "Channels" in PS to produce your masks. Did you shoot this with the intention of converting it to B&W? or was it an after thought?

[@jamiermathlin]

@@jeffstarley1591 All good points and the channels are a very good way to avoid these problems in PS. With regard to "did I plan it to be Black and White", no, but when the conditions and lighting are challenging, I find that B&W can often be a better outcome 😀

[@Atlantis4242]

I'm a photographer just starting out, and this photo is way beyond my abilities at the moment, and I'm in no way a "purist" as it relates to photo editing. However, Where does one draw or perhaps define, the line between a photograph and a construct? I understand editing out extreme departures from the aesthetic you're trying to cultivate, but the wholesale erasure of anything that may encroach on that vision seems disingenuous to me. If all that counts is one's artistic vision, why muck about with photography at all? Just create it all in photoshop and have done.

[@jamiermathlin]

A great point for discussion 😀 for me this is my hobby, I gain great enjoyment following this type of approach to my photography, and in my humble opinion, I believe people should do what they enjoy and therefore if you prefer to let the camera develop the image (JPG) using the manufactures standard algorithm, that is fine, as is shooting RAW and developing the image yourself in post. If you look back over the history of photography there tends to be three types of photographer, firstly you have the right place at the right time type, such as Dorothea Lange, secondly, you have the shoot and develop approach, such as Ansel Adams, and thirdly you have the staged or semi-staged photograph, such as Henri Cartier-Bresson. Personally, I do not have the time to wait for the perfect moment or the resources to stage my photographs, often I have to make the best of the location. that I can regardless of the weather or conditions, hence why I post process, but over the years of post-processing I have discovered that to create good images I need to shoot the original photograph in a particular way, generally RAW, and exposed for the highlights, then I work to recover the detail in post. I look at a scene with the knowledge that I can produce an image using all the tools at hand including post-processing. But, the most important point is to enjoy yourself, if you are having fun and you are producing images that you are proud of, then you are doing it right 😀

[@garyparsons9745]

colours not right go black and white? really

[@jamiermathlin]

😀

[@JeffreyLear]

Cartoony

[@jamiermathlin]

😀 thanks for the feedback

[@stevecain7420]

Are you blind (the welder's goggles)? How do you photography?

[@jamiermathlin]

sorry I do not understand your comment

[@stevecain7420]

Blind people wear dark glasses.@@jamiermathlin

[@adrianp7475]

it is very creative but it is not a photograph

[@jamiermathlin]

Thank you for your feedback it is appreciated, however, I am keen to understand what you think a photograph is ? The word photograph actual definition is 'drawing with light" taken from the Greek genitive: phōtós, the word Photograph was coined by the British scientist Sir John Herschel in 1839, when he saw light being exposed onto a silver nitrate plate. Based on this, it could be argued that film may well count as a photograph, once exposed onto paper, but digital cameras would not. As the sensor in a digital camera takes the image and turns it into bits and bytes of information, if you choose JPG as your output then the camera will process this data using a software algorithm written by the camera manufacturer, if you choose RAW you can process the image using another form of software, in this case Adobe Lightroom. My point is: that to use the word photograph today, is to describe any image produced by a digital camera, so your definition of a photograph is simply, it is your opinion, which is something I respect. For me, I start with a photograph and process it into digital art, and in doing so, I have a great deal of fun 😀 I hope you agree...

[@adrianp7475]

@@jamiermathlin coz i'am greek and i know the exact meaning of the word that's why i said this is not a photograph.... simple as that