Post Processing Leica Monochrom Images in Lightroom

A behind the scenes look at my post-processing techniques for Leica Monochrom image files using Lightroom, Silver Efex Pro, and Photoshop
Website: www.davidmullinphotography.com

[@XATNEP1]

Thank you for sharing , I am looking into buying the new Pentax Monochrome camera and your blog and this video has helped me decide to go for it. The whole mono process just takes me back to happy times in the traditional darkroom with mono film. I was happy to see that the red, yellow and green filters would work like they used to with film due to the mono only sensor.

[@davidmullinphotography]

You are very welcome. I’m so glad I was able to help you with your decision!

[@nelsonclub7722]

Filters on the lens are the key - saves a huuuuge headache in post - or just shoot colour and adjust the colour channels. The beauty of the monochrome camera is an extra stop or two. + decreased noise -and increased saturation due to the lack of the colour array - all good

[@MykeWinters]

Yeah I use filters on my typ 246 M. A yellow 8, red 25, red 29, orange. I also have blue and green filters which I haven’t really used yet, but I will do at some point. Helps me in post 🙂

[@RubenRobles]

Thanks for sharing your process! This look reminds me of shooting black and white film through a red filter. Dark skies and lots of contrary. Looks ominous! 👍🏽📸

[@davidmullinphotography]

Thank you so much, Ruben!

[@gusatvoschiavon]

absolutely amazing

[@soyomarlr]

I enjoyed the process, thanks!! 🙌

[@davidmullinphotography]

Thanks so much! Appreciate it.

[@weedrunkglasgowman]

Very very interesting to watch your process. Thank you for the inspiration. 👍

[@davidmullinphotography]

Thank you so much!

[@AnthonyJGianotti]

KZbin is very hard and for being new to the platform you did very well, keep it up 👏 . I didn’t even realize Leica had a monochrome sensor digital camera, I might have to give rent one when I go to Italy next year. Great job on the edit/tutorial btw, Lightroom really has come so far the past few years.

[@davidmullinphotography]

Thank you so much for your kind words!

[@jonassekondi931]

The Leica brand currently has several models of digital monochrome cameras, namely: Leica M Monochrom-2012, Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246)-2015, Leica Q2 Monochrom-November 2020, Leica M10 Monochrom-2020, Leica M11 Monochrom-2023. The production and release of the Leica Q3 Monochrom is also expected in the next few months.

[@davidmullinphotography]

@@jonassekondi931 thank you for this. This is actually a much more helpful reply than mine was! Lol. I’m seriously going to be looking at that Q3 with tilt screen

[@phillipallaway7306]

Thanks for the helpful video David. Have just bought the M11M so I might have to invest in Silver Efex Pro (and some colour filters)

[@davidmullinphotography]

Congrats on the purchase! I highly recommend getting a yellow and a red filter (I rarely use my orange one). Let me know how you like the M11M. I'm jealous!

[@philipculbertson55]

Hey David, this video was chock full of good editing tips for BW. I did have one question if you don't mind answering it. I think when you added the Norton effect, you then added a mask and painted in black over the bright clouds. Is that correct? The reason I ask is that I typically see it the other way around where people add the mask over the darkest areas and let the orton effect glow be seen primarily in the brighter areas. I wondered if you might tell me about that? I'd like to incorporate some of your tips into my on BW editing.

[@davidmullinphotography]

Thanks for the question, Philip. After applying the Norton effect, I use Lumenzia to select the dark areas of the picture and then mask those so that when I reduce the opacity, it only affects the shadow areas. I do not do any painting of the clouds in Photoshop.

[@larrycloetta9816]

Thanks, that was helpful.

[@davidmullinphotography]

You're very welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@drc4563]

How much do you need too underexpose to protect the highlights? I find this true even on the normal Leica M cameras relative to others.

[@davidmullinphotography]

My exposure compensation is almost always at -0.3, but you can definitely go higher and still preserve lots of shadow details. -1.0 EV is still a safe bet, IMHO. Matt Day has a recent video concerning this topic using his new M11M. I think he took it up to -2 or more and still retained details in the shadows.

[@MykeWinters]

Personally I set my exposure comp in camera to -1 and always underexposed by a stop or even two. Even so, I don’t mind a tiny bit of over exposure. By that I mean Ansel Adams always had pure white and black in his images. I tend to follow his zone system and have blacks and whites and I’m a big fanboy of his, lol. Sorry, can’t help it, mind you, he is a master Edit: sorry, I forgot to mention the camera model, Leica typ 246 M - great camera, great rendering

[@MarkNF1]

Hi, I enjoyed seeing your process, thanks. I'm wondering which paper you would print this image on?

[@davidmullinphotography]

I’m glad you enjoyed it. I would print this out on Hahnemuhle Fine Art Baryta paper. In fact, I did print this image out using that paper on my Canon Pro-300

[@MarkNF1]

@@davidmullinphotography Thanks, that's what I would have done also (although I use Canson papers). I did not realize that the HSL section would not be available and I assume the color filters in Nik would similarly not be available. Back to film days - either it's in the capture or it's not.

[@PedroLeitao]

interesting video!

[@davidmullinphotography]

Thank you!

[@richardnoll7119]

I heard it said the same way about horse drawn covered wagons and cars. Each has its place

[@bahsa]

wonderful, its a bit hard processing monochrome images

[@davidmullinphotography]

Thank you. BW can definitely be a challenge to post-process

[@Francois15031967]

Nice to see that images coming out from a several thousand euros holy grail has to be de-shitted, too 😂

[@stephanedubarry8624]

The distribution of highlights in the sky and on the ground is not consistent with the unique source of light which is the sun. The picture is so artificial. This is beyond the limits of what should postprocessing achieve to me

[@myoung48281]

It's amazing how people will buy expensive monochrome cameras and then use apps to make the images look like BW film using simulations. I omit the middleman and use BW film.

[@davidmullinphotography]

I would submit that using the film simulations does give the photos a certain look, but it certainly doesn't match film. When I want a true film look, I'll take out my M6 or Fuji GW690III and shoot a roll with those. And most importantly: to each his own.

[@richardnoll7119]

I’m surprised you didn’t mention the lack of dead fish, beings the scene is normally underwater.

[@earvinquero2037]

People Who dont understand what a monochrom camera is capable or Never tried one. Will Comment against it and pull the film debate. Man I started with film Bnw printing in the darkroom. But once I embrace the digital Monochrom it changes the whole perspective of photography. You will Get it. Probably your in a honey moon phase on film photography.

[@rolandrickphotography]

I have no Monochrome yet myself and I'm thinking of getting an M11 Monochrome. May you please post a link to download some of the raws to follow up what you're doing here? That would be a great help. 🫶