How to Edit Black and White Images with Luminosity Masks

[@AbhinavanandSingh]

That image is a masterpiece!

[@gregbenzphotography]

Thank you!

[@chepo1956]

I never get tired of watching this tutorial. You always pick up something you've probably missed in the past. Great job.

[@gregbenzphotography]

Thank you, Jose.

[@mopunchstudio9289]

awesome tutorial.

[@MrMortenVutborg]

It is the crazyist information highway, looking at your videos and tutorials. i am completely stunned. I came across your name, watching Nick Page, Mads Peter Iversen, and Thomas Heaton, because they (especially Nick Page) use Lumenzia. But i must say, i thought Nick Page blew my mind with info, but you litterally dropped a bomb i my house, my mind can stay in the house. Great work on all you TUTS, and i'm loving lumenzia v8.

[@gregbenzphotography]

That’s awesome!

[@livedeliciously]

Loving the content on your channel. Being able to perform localized adjustments is an absolute game changer. I'm learning so much.

[@stephenscharf6293]

NIce! Very informative and helpful. Learned a lot.

[@CarolineTudor]

I would love to see you work on more black and white images.

[@kpsnow2411]

Awesome work Greg. I rarely take the time to dodge and burn my landscapes, but now you've convinced me. I love the color picker! Wow! Thats one button in Lumenzia that I haven't touched. I'd love more tutorials like this where you show the power of some of the specific Luminzia features.

[@gregbenzphotography]

Kerrenton Snow will definitely keep making more demos. Thanks!

[@thomaslavery5168]

Another great video ,Thank you Greg

[@brahim20112010]

I have no words to express how breathtaking is to watch this 💓

[@gregbenzphotography]

Thank you!

[@chepo1956]

Wonderful tutorial. Thanks Greg.

[@norrinRadd026]

Excellent tutorial

[@twistedfirsphotography8444]

You're really good at this :) ~ and the photography is excellent !

[@gregbenzphotography]

Thank you!

[@davec28]

Wow. Just Wow. Thank you for sharing.

[@chrisrohwer5481]

As always a great video. I'm learning so much since obtaining Lumenzia 8. Only problem i had trying your process is I can not find the color lookup you used. When I open abstract it takes me into explorer but not even close to where the files should be. Still trying to find them in program folders.

[@gregbenzphotography]

Unfortunately, it comes with MacOS and not Windows. But you can apply solid color fill with BlendIf and lower opacity to similar effect.

[@chrisrohwer5481]

Thanks, I'll give that a try.

[@howardthompson7661]

The comment of adding a little color to B&W also works in reverse. I had gray storm clouds in a color pic. Using a lumenzia mask of and slight lavender color screen gave the clouds more depth without changing the color of the clouds

[@JodyG57]

Excellent schooling teach. Ive been trying to understand Lmasking for some now. Each time I think I’m making a lights or any selection it seems to add it globally as my eyes see it. And tips love your tutorial

[@lylestavast7652]

curious if you've used the range masking on colors or luminosity in LR ? certainly not as flexible as this system but you don't always need a big hammer either so to speak :)

[@gregbenzphotography]

I have. It’s useful for some things, but all the really cool stuff absolutely requires painting through luminosity selections. If you don’t manually paint the mask, you’re getting a very simple luminosity mask. Range mask is very comparable to BlendIf, so my demos on that should give you a sense of some potential uses. I’d say they cover about 10-20% of my luminosity masking needs, and are advantageous when they can be used.

[@jackdos14]

Fantastic mate, that color lookup is amazing, will definitely be using that tip!

[@rasicaphoto6450]

Another great tutorial Greg...

[@pl2996]

Very well done.

[@colincrane1]

Super tutorial Greg...😄👍🏻

[@gregbenzphotography]

+Colin Crane thanks, Colin!

[@zediogoamareleja]

The impact of the LUT in final image is impressive..thanks for sharing the tip...but unfortunately the Blue-Tone pre-set you mentioned is not available on my PS CC 2019...any idea where I can get it from? Thanks a lot

[@gregbenzphotography]

It only comes with Mac. Try a solid blue layer in soft light blend mode at low opacity and then tweak BlendIf to target lighter tones more.

[@zediogoamareleja]

@@gregbenzphotography your receipt for Windows works like a charm..need a little more massage but get the same final result..Thanks for your tips..highly appreciated

[@gregbenzphotography]

Great!

[@rgarlinyc]

First, that's a wondrously composed photograph! Second, the result you finally achieved was spectacular! (Ever grateful that I have Lumenzia, and your insights to help me along..! )👏

[@gregbenzphotography]

Thank you!

[@lauramacky4083]

What a great tutorial. I can't wait to try it. I hadn't used the color tool in Lumenzia yet but I'm looking forward to it!

[@Rocking_J_Studio]

Love your videos! They really help me utilize the Lumenzia tools as well. Thanks so much!

[@gregbenzphotography]

John Wilkinson you bet, thanks for the feedback!

[@StewartMarsden]

Nice workflow

[@miro_juric]

Amazing work Greg! Thanks!

[@sajjadal-lawati3133]

Hi..thanks for the wonderfully explained video of conversion to B&W, it is great to know your way of creating B&W from color image, can you do B&W infrared from capturing the image to the process please if you have time to do so.

[@gregbenzphotography]

I've actually never shot infrared, but I would approach it the same way (assuming I was capturing color infrared to convert to Black and White).

[@keithlinforth4585]

Hi thanks for sharing this, I recently purchased Lumenzia and although I’m in the early stages of my learning, I’m impressed!

[@gerryroncolato8895]

Greg, do you have a video on removing lens flare from color photos? Thanks. Gerry

[@gregbenzphotography]

I do not.

[@BarryWardPhoto]

Superb video, thanks for posting.

[@gregbenzphotography]

+Barry Ward thanks!

[@Mackymcd]

expert tutorial thanks

[@marclabro]

Thanks Greg, i have installed lumenzia and i am playing with it on flower,... very nice, so easy to make selections of petals,... !!! Lumenzia curves : i have been surprised in your b&w tuto to see the curve used for the sky. not a simple s-curve, very complex one. does it analyze the scene ? Dynamic contrast : currently i am using topaz clarity or on1 photoraw dynamic contrast to change micro, medium and large contrasts. do you have tricks to have a dynamic contrast in photoshop we can directly use with luminosiy masks ? Sharpening : Is your sharpening button the one you advise to use in most of situations ? best regards marc

[@gregbenzphotography]

+Marc Labro Lumenzia's "contrast" button will analyze the scene and provide a contrast-enhancing curve for the selected areas (using selections or the mask preview). Dynamic contrast is essentially a filter, whereas luminosity masks determine what is adjusted and can be used with an adjustment or filter. You can use luminosity masks in conjunction with curves for a similar effect, but it's a different approach. I like using both tools for various scenarios. The sharpening in Lumenzia is great for creative sharpening (how things look on screen). I'd still recommend output sharpening (for print) using whatever tool you prefer (I use Smart Sharpen in Photoshop mostly, sometimes Nik's Sharpener).

[@clementstevens]

inspiring

[@jameslane3846]

Amazing tutorial. This might encourage me to start using PS more for my BnWs rather than using just LR!

[@gregbenzphotography]

James Lane dodging and burning is key to making truly stunning black and white images, and there’s no substitute for dodging and burning in a full-featured tool like Photoshop.

[@jameslane3846]

Greg Benz yeah thanks! The bit about removing halos arising from dodging was the highlight for me, I never knew what to do about them

[@epiphini]

Great Tut! I don't have the Blue Tone LUT on my Windows machine. Any place I can download it?

[@gregbenzphotography]

+Mitch Derr not sure, it is installed by default. You look in the same part of that panel? There are a few different drop downs for LUTs in the interface.

[@michaelashphotography6881]

I'm having the same weird problem. No Blue Tone, no Sepia (other choices but not those). If anyone figures out how to re-download these, I might not be the only one who could use such a tip.

[@michaelashphotography6881]

May have found the answer. It appears that several of the "abstract" profiles are only available on Mac, not PC (and I use PC). See the CS6 article (and I use CC) here: www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-editing/color-lookup-cs6/

[@gregbenzphotography]

Mike Ash strange, no idea why that would be the case. Thanks for the info!

[@michaelashphotography6881]

While it may not be the precisely same tones, PC users could go Image> Adjustments > Photo Filter & then select Sepia or one or more of the cooling filters.

[@grassomaurizio1]

Thanks Greg

[@marclabro]

hallo Greg, amazing tutorial ! i come from sylver efex pro 2 and its zone system and i don't find this tool in new software. so my black are not dark enough and my white are too grey. i was looking for a way to make beautiful deep black and white. you convinced me and i am going to purchase lumenzia. looks simple to use. i hope you will do more b&w tutos on different topics like dramatic portrait, pets, flowers,... i have seen in other tutos that it is advised to use a huse sat layer below black and white because bw sliders are not enough to do deep black skies. using blue slider in HS layer create a ugly blue in color mode but dark sky in bw. what do you think. best regards marc

[@gregbenzphotography]

Marc Labro hi Marc! There are many ways to convert color to B&W in Photoshop. The HSL tool can be part of that workflow as you note. Using channels or the Channel Mixer is another good option. But if the sky is a range of colors or saturation (white clouds, sunset colors, etc), then a color based tool may not give you the level of control you seek. In that case, you might want to burn (darken like in this video) through a luminosity mask or Quick Selection that targets the sky. You might also want to customize the range targeted when using the HSL tool, as expanding it a bit might capture colors that weren't darkened enough.

[@dopeydad1221]

Hi Marc, I've always found that you can get really velvety blacks by creating a duplicate layer, adding a touch of gaussian blur to the duplicate, and then overlaying it on the original. The default 100% overlay is a bit drastic, but backing this off to around the mid 50s really works

[@john3Lee]

Always excellent content - Thanks & 👍

[@michaelcappello8438]

Greg, I just found your channel today, great stuff! I love this tutorial. I don't have Lumenzia so I'm going to have to figure something else out with the luminosity mask and dodging, but I couldn't find those abstract profiles in my PS 2019. The folder is empty. How can I get those color presets?

[@gregbenzphotography]

Unfortunately, the LUT I used is only supplied on OSX. Didn’t realize that when recording. But can use solid color layers with blend modes and BlendIf to do similar things. I’ve got a free panel on my website if you need a tool to create luminosity selections.

[@Aramis7]

great image

[@gregbenzphotography]

Thanks!

[@mihneafronie9390]

I can't find the blue tone. How do i get it ? I have a lot others look up. But not the same as you. I don't know what to do.

[@gregbenzphotography]

Click on the Solid Color layer in Lumenzia, change the color as desired to blue, and then reduce the opacity on the new layer you get.

[@reneholtslag2297]

Hello Greg, Is that an older version of PS. You have in the top Capacity and flow. In my PS I have 3 options.

[@gregbenzphotography]

It’s pretty recent, and opacity and flow still work the same.

[@lynr3399]

The Abstract Profiles shown at 13.40 are not available in Windows system only on MAC. Any solutions or alternatives? or source for the profiles appreciated.

[@gregbenzphotography]

+Lyn Rostron I'm not aware of an official way to get those profiles. I'd suggest using the ones available to you, or using the other methods listed at the bottom of the written article that goes with this video (gregbenzphotography.com/photography-tips/how-to-make-stunning-black-and-white-images-with-luminosity-masks). There are so many ways to add color. My videos are meant to show the intention, and I would suggest always experimenting with variations on the approach I demonstrate to find what works work best for your style and image.

[@djl2407]

Excellent tutorial as always, Greg! Quick question, when I load a selection using the panel, it always shows the marching ants, and I have to control + H to hide. Any idea why?

[@gregbenzphotography]

+David Lewis they show by default, just hold when clicking “Sel” to load with ants hidden.

[@djl2407]

Greg Benz, Ahhh, I didn't catch that in the video. Thank you, Greg! I always appreciate your support! Please keep these excellent tutorials coming!

[@Hegegutt]

For a PS newbie like myself i have a question. The textbox states that as an alternative for lumenzia; "You can create a Dodge/burn layer by creating a blank (or 50% gray) Pixel layer….. How do i create a pixel layer, and how do i turn it 50% grey? Is it the same as an adjustment layer or?

[@gregbenzphotography]

Just create a new layer and set it to soft light. You don’t even need the gray.

[@Hegegutt]

Well that wasn't hard:) Thank you. I have learned ALOT about luminosity masks from watching all the videos on your website, really appreciate them. I would love to see a tutorial on luminosty masks for "city at night photos". I think its hard as the higher exposed shots tend to "overburn" areas from city lights, and the underexposed shots hides precious details.

[@gregbenzphotography]

I do have a cityscape tutorial in my Exposure Blending Masted Course, though not quite the scenario you are describing.

[@allgamestotal6773]

hi greg, can you do a low key/high key wildlife instead of landscape. :-) thanks

[@gregbenzphotography]

I don’t photograph wildlife

[@gr8_22-15]

Great tutorial, even greater panel. Changed my PS game that's for sure. Thanks to Nick page for seeing it in his tutorials.

[@gregbenzphotography]

+gr8 photography that's amazing, glad you're finding it so useful!

[@JohnHight3270]

Sorry about your camera, now you'll have to get a D850 ;). Tutorial was great and I would like to request a tutorial on blinding a sunrise/sunset with a high dynamic range.

[@gregbenzphotography]

Thanks, have that order in - can't wait to get it! And thanks for the feedback!

[@williamcurran9290]

PS CC 2018 - I clicked on color Lookup, Abstract, and it opened a dialog box for loading an ICC Profile. I seach for .icc on my computer and there are 308 of them! what do I do now?

[@gregbenzphotography]

Start playing! Or check out the written blog post I have linked in the description for alternative ideas to color without using LUTs. 308, crazy.

[@williamcurran9290]

Thanks for the reply. Turns out half of the ICCs are backups - my bad. The bulk of the others are non-adobe softwares and from print houses. they add up.

[@gregbenzphotography]

Sounds like a lot of sorting!

[@yoyoz333]

so by Luminosity Mask, you actually just meant desaturate the image, and then dodge and burn and do a bit of a contrast. I sat through 15 minutes for that?

[@gregbenzphotography]

Dodging and burning with a luminosity mask is nothing like dodging and burning free hand.

[@yoyoz333]

it was a 50% grey filled layer set to soft light and you painted with a white and black brush. how much more by hand can that be?

[@gregbenzphotography]

I had an active selection (a luminosity selection). That controls where the black or white paint goes on the Dodge/burn layer. For example, you can use a luminosity selection to make subtle highlights in the rock stronger without muddying up the shadows that should remain dark. Trying to achieve the same result without the luminosity selections would much more time-consuming, and likely yield an inferior result.

[@boonsantan9388]

good presentation. However, for those donot have the special panel to perform the masking process, this video is not for all general PS user.

[@yathribbani5756]

I love you greg❤😘👈😎

[@gregbenzphotography]

😘😂

[@andrewlarking7492]

We need to hear more about the camera suicide.

[@gregbenzphotography]

It was ugly.

[@andrewlarking7492]

Sad times. Just bought the panel. Lots to learn.

[@gregbenzphotography]

Thank you! Let me know if you need anything.

[@сашаобнял]

Колхоз.

[@MrMortenVutborg]

It is the crazyist information highway, looking at your videos and tutorials. i am completely stunned. I came across your name, watching Nick Page, Mads Peter Iversen, and Thomas Heaton, because they (especially Nick Page) use Lumenzia. But i must say, i thought Nick Page blew my mind with info, but you litterally dropped a bomb i my house, my mind can stay in the house. Great work on all you TUTS, and i'm loving lumenzia v8.