How is black and white photography done with digital cameras?

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Question by Replicant: How is black and white photography done with digital cameras?
I’m new to photography and just received a camera as an Xmas gift. In this digital age how is monochrome photography done (I prefer the look of black and white for a lot of subjects).

Do some digital cameras have a monochrome mode (I’ve yet to find one on mine) or is filters on SLRs or photoshopping these days?

Best answer:

Answer by Mere Mortal
A serious camera will not likely have a monochrome mode. Check this tutorial for converting picture files to monochrome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f6auNupB7o

What do you think? Answer below!

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4 Comments

Pooky on May 21st, 2011, 6:24 am

You would use a program, for this example, Adobe Lightroom, to convert your color shot, into a black and white one.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/little_pooky/3071950233/

See two different screen at the link above? I had better control of [green] color (yes, in black and white] so the background of the young man looks darker and lighter.

This was converted from color http://www.flickr.com/photos/little_pooky/2523440530/ Malibu State Park.

This, too http://www.flickr.com/photos/little_pooky/5172776157/

word on May 21st, 2011, 6:49 am

My camera has a monochrome option that I change through the menu, but I never use it. I prefer to take my pics in color then edit it to black and white later… so I have the option

Sophia Reed on May 21st, 2011, 7:05 am

play around with it and you might be able to find a “black and white” mode. if not, you can always use photo editing programs to desaturate the image. not even necessarily spending $ 200 on photoshop, but things like Preview on mac have small picture edits mode that can help you get the look that you want on a photo.

Bob on May 21st, 2011, 7:57 am

Worst way – use b&w mode on the camera if it has one.
Best way – take normally and then convert it properly in post processing.

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