Black&White photo techniques

I'm looking for websites or book recommendations for Black&White
techniques either taken by a DSLR or 36mm film. The books and webpages
I find always focus on darkroom techniques and that is not what I'm
after as I scan the negatives and handle them digitally.
Something like "Understanding Exposu How to Shoot Great Photographs
with a Film or Digital Camera" by Bryan Peterson but then for
Black&White. Any ideas?

"Hoshisato" wrote:
I'm looking for websites or book recommendations for Black&White
techniques either taken by a DSLR or 36mm film. The books and webpages
I find always focus on darkroom techniques and that is not what I'm
after as I scan the negatives and handle them digitally.
Something like "Understanding Exposu How to Shoot Great Photographs
with a Film or Digital Camera" by Bryan Peterson but then for
Black&White. Any ideas?

Although it's for film, I found "The Zone System for 35mm Photographers"
useful because it has very good descriptions and examples (although the
photographic reproduction leaves a lot to be desired) of what the different
zones are used for.

I've just ordered a stack of books from Amazon on this subject, but they
won't be here for a week, and it'll take me some time to figure out if
they're any good.

Edge of Darkness: The Art... $19.77 1 $19.77
Elements of Black and Whit... $20.37 1 $20.37
Digital Black & White Phot... $16.99 1 $16.99

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

Hoshisato wrote:
I'm looking for websites or book recommendations for Black&White
techniques either taken by a DSLR or 36mm film. The books and webpages
I find always focus on darkroom techniques and that is not what I'm
after as I scan the negatives and handle them digitally.
Something like "Understanding Exposu How to Shoot Great Photographs
with a Film or Digital Camera" by Bryan Peterson but then for
Black&White. Any ideas?

In my opinion the best books on B&W are those written by Ansel Adams. He
wrote a series of about five books. He is the father of the Zone system.
His info would be somewhat dated, so I would suggest a modern "zone
system" book after you read the Adams works. Adam's books are short, but
packed with info.

EJ in NJ

On 3 Aug 2006 01:54:04 -0700, "Hoshisato" wrote:

I'm looking for websites or book recommendations for Black&White
techniques either taken by a DSLR or 36mm film. The books and webpages
I find always focus on darkroom techniques and that is not what I'm
after as I scan the negatives and handle them digitally.
Something like "Understanding Exposu How to Shoot Great Photographs
with a Film or Digital Camera" by Bryan Peterson but then for
Black&White. Any ideas?


A few suggestions -- not about "basic photography" but
about using digital methods to make black and white prints:


1. Dan Margulis has written the books titled "Professional
Photoshop x" where x= the current Photoshop version.
(IOW, there are nearly as many versions of Dan's book
as there are PS/CS versions.) In any case, there is always
a chapter or two on duotones and on pulling the best
possible grayscale image out of an RGB image. For your
purposes, the info in that chapter will be worth the cost
of the book.

2. Look up Roy Harrington, and QuadTone RIP. Also
look up Jon Cone and Piezography.

www.harrington.com/QuadToneRIP.html
www.inkjetmall.com/

3. Join the Yahoo group "DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint"

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/

4. Dan Burkholder was a "pioneer" in printing from
digitally-printed internegatives onto real photo paper.
Get more info at www.danburkholder.com He's
published a couple of books.


rafe b
www.terrapinphoto.com

On Thu, 03 Aug 2006 01:54:04 -0700, Hoshisato wrote:

I'm looking for websites or book recommendations for Black&White
techniques either taken by a DSLR or 36mm film. The books and webpages
I find always focus on darkroom techniques and that is not what I'm
after as I scan the negatives and handle them digitally.
Something like "Understanding Exposu How to Shoot Great Photographs
with a Film or Digital Camera" by Bryan Peterson but then for
Black&White. Any ideas?
Why not try it and develop your own techniques?
--
Neil
Delete l to reply

Neil Ellwood wrote:
On Thu, 03 Aug 2006 01:54:04 -0700, Hoshisato wrote:

I'm looking for websites or book recommendations for Black&White
techniques either taken by a DSLR or 36mm film. The books and webpages
I find always focus on darkroom techniques and that is not what I'm
after as I scan the negatives and handle them digitally.
Something like "Understanding Exposu How to Shoot Great Photographs
with a Film or Digital Camera" by Bryan Peterson but then for
Black&White. Any ideas?
Why not try it and develop your own techniques?
--
Neil
Delete l to reply

Great idea! Spend a lifetime trying to figure out what is already
known, instead of building on the knowledge of geniuses like Adams.

Actually, I think that developing your own techniques is a great idea,
AFTER you've studied the masters. I don't know if Neil is one of those
people who think you don't have to understand the work done before you,
you can just jump in and be better than Adams because you're so damn
good. There seem to be a great many people around today who think you
can be great at something without studying what's been done by previous
experts who spent a lifetime learning to get to that level. "Don't do
the work, just jump in and be great!" I think they lack the discipline
to study and learn from others. I say, read some of the books
recommended here, and try things on your own. Don't be limited by what
they've done, but dont' ignore it either. I like Sir Issac Newton's
quote, "If I have seen farther than others, it's because I have stood
on the shoulders of giants".

Hoshisato wrote:
I'm looking for websites or book recommendations for Black&White
techniques either taken by a DSLR or 36mm film.

do you mean 35mm? Typo?

Something like "Understanding Exposu How to Shoot Great Photographs
with a Film or Digital Camera" by Bryan Peterson but then for
Black&White. Any ideas?

First off, consider composition - regardless of digital or 35mm film,
B+W or color - composition is composition. Now B+W comp is even harder
'cause you need to see and think in B+W. So get a comp book - I have a
great one - can't remember the name - front cover is mainly white with
a photo of a bird and the sun - break up into 6 quadrants - great book.

Other than that - can't help you. But when I need a book on a subject -
go to Borders or B&N - and I'll pull 10 books over to a table and check
them all out - table of contents, glossary or not, introduction, read
parts of chapters - I end up getting the one that makes most sense to
me and has the most info to offer. Lets face it, we all think and learn
differently. If you buy a book with great info, but you can stand the
writing style or presentation on info by the author, then you're not
going to get as much out of it as a writier whose words knock you off
you feet.

Jim

salgud wrote:

Neil Ellwood wrote:

On Thu, 03 Aug 2006 01:54:04 -0700, Hoshisato wrote:


I'm looking for websites or book recommendations for Black&White
techniques either taken by a DSLR or 36mm film. The books and webpages
I find always focus on darkroom techniques and that is not what I'm
after as I scan the negatives and handle them digitally.
Something like "Understanding Exposu How to Shoot Great Photographs
with a Film or Digital Camera" by Bryan Peterson but then for
Black&White. Any ideas?

Why not try it and develop your own techniques?
--
Neil
Delete l to reply


Great idea! Spend a lifetime trying to figure out what is already
known, instead of building on the knowledge of geniuses like Adams.

Which books did Adams write on B&W photography using a DSLR?

And FWIW, I expect Neil's answer came closer to what Adams himself would
have recommended.

no_name wrote in news:RulBg.102807$R26.43053
@tornado.southeast.rr.com:

salgud wrote:

Neil Ellwood wrote:

On Thu, 03 Aug 2006 01:54:04 -0700, Hoshisato wrote:


I'm looking for websites or book recommendations for Black&White
techniques either taken by a DSLR or 36mm film. The books and
webpages
I find always focus on darkroom techniques and that is not what I'm
after as I scan the negatives and handle them digitally.
Something like "Understanding Exposu How to Shoot Great
Photographs
with a Film or Digital Camera" by Bryan Peterson but then for
Black&White. Any ideas?

Why not try it and develop your own techniques?
--
Neil
Delete l to reply


Great idea! Spend a lifetime trying to figure out what is already
known, instead of building on the knowledge of geniuses like Adams.

Which books did Adams write on B&W photography using a DSLR?

And FWIW, I expect Neil's answer came closer to what Adams himself
would
have recommended.


Think of the time he could have saved writing those books if he'd
realized that sooner.


- Al.

--
To reply, insert dash in address to match domain below
Online photo gallery at www.wading-in.net

Al Denelsbeck wrote:

no_name wrote in news:RulBg.102807$R26.43053
@tornado.southeast.rr.com:


salgud wrote:


Neil Ellwood wrote:


On Thu, 03 Aug 2006 01:54:04 -0700, Hoshisato wrote:



I'm looking for websites or book recommendations for Black&White
techniques either taken by a DSLR or 36mm film. The books and

webpages

I find always focus on darkroom techniques and that is not what I'm
after as I scan the negatives and handle them digitally.
Something like "Understanding Exposu How to Shoot Great

Photographs

with a Film or Digital Camera" by Bryan Peterson but then for
Black&White. Any ideas?

Why not try it and develop your own techniques?
--
Neil
Delete l to reply


Great idea! Spend a lifetime trying to figure out what is already
known, instead of building on the knowledge of geniuses like Adams.

Which books did Adams write on B&W photography using a DSLR?

And FWIW, I expect Neil's answer came closer to what Adams himself

would

have recommended.



Think of the time he could have saved writing those books if he'd
realized that sooner.


- Al.


The 'develop your own technique' comes from Adams.