Digital photographers can now attain the enduring beauty of black-and-white photography in their own work! There’s more to monochrome than just discarding the color in Photoshop, but many books simply treat it as an afterthought. Not this one! John Beardsworth teaches every major method of making a color picture black and white, and explains what kind of images are best, and why. Both ambitious newcomers and advanced enthusiasts will learn how to achieve the richest tonal depth and balance, use black and white to interpret the subject for the viewer, reproduce historic and darkroom processes, add creative and special effects, and produce exhibition-quality prints.
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61 reviews for Advanced Digital Black & White Photography
4.3out of 5
★★★★★
★★★★★
9
★★★★★
2
★★★★★
1
★★★★★
1
★★★★★
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★★★★★
Timbus –
This is an impressive book despite some editorial flaws. While many other digital photography books focus on the “colorfulness”, this book shows to how to create black and white photos. It shows you how to use tools (i.e. software) to post-process the photos so they look professional. Sure some pros such as Ken Rockwell hate post-processing and even go as far as shooting JPEG only, and I respect that. But as a beginner, I think post-processing is a necessary learning step. Another good thing about the book is that it not only shows you the final publishable photo, but also the original and intermediate versions as well, so you know how to go from an “okay” picture to a “wow” picture.
But the book is not without flaws, of course. Aside from the minor editorial errors, the book is tightly coupled to Adobe Photoshop, which is an expensive software package not everyone could afford. Not only that, it is also coupled to Adobe Photoshop on a Mac, which again, is an expensive piece of hardware. Many times, the author shows you how to do certain things in photoshop by showing you only the shortcut keys – now that, is a bit annoying, because unless you are a photoshop guru, most people would prefer going through the menu instead, and if you need to read this book, chances are, you are probably not a photoshop guru yet. And for windows users like me, I will have to look for the same features and functions from the shortcut key for Mac.
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★★★★★
Graphic Guru –
This is a great book for the advanced PS user who wants to compare the best techniques for conversion to black/white, and see examples of them compared.
However, to get the full benefit, you MUST have at least version CS-3 of Photoshop. I wish I would have known that before I purchased the book! The first half of the book covers black & white conversion techniques using earlier versions of PS. This is was OK but I already knew those techniques and was looking for some additional tips. There really was no new information for me there.
The last half of the book had many good new techniques featuring only CS-3. Useless to me until I upgrade my software. In general, I was disappointed. If I was using CS-3, I would have rated it one star better.
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★★★★★
David Greaves –
Great book, full of useful information written in an easy to understand way. Great value
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★★★★★
Kindle-klant –
De bladzijde nummering klopt vaak niet. Foto’s vallen daardoor soms weg. De tekst is soms niet te begrijpen.. ik snap niet wat ze met dit boek hebben gedaan. Zonde van mn geld.
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★★★★★
jirka –
I would like to share with another (even potential) customers my experience from the first reading of this book. It is very good and well positioned essential of everything most important about B&W photography, very transparent and helpful. Thanks Jiri Pavel, Czech republic
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★★★★★
CCRacer –
I’ve looked at many books recently and found them quite vague on the whole. Usually they are too advanced or too basic for the average person on the street but this book is a breath of fresh air. Not only does it explain things in good detail it conveys the workflow easily and not too technically. This book is also bang up to date with techniques not only for older versions of Photoshop and Elements but the latest CS3 version. Methods for bettering my B & W pictures using CS3 alone are worth more than I paid for the book. I would recommend this book to everyone except those that live and breath Photoshop in their everyday working or private life as I feel you may be far ahead of it.
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★★★★★
Mr. J. W. Wiltshire –
I am not a photographer by any stretch of the imagination, but I do enjoy photography. I am fascinated by some of the photos I see that are shown in magazines and elsewhere. I just wish I could do the same. Photography is an art that can be very rewarding and black and white photography, even more so. This book gives many tips and much advice as to how to get that good black and white photo. If you are considering black and white, I would recommend this book, you will not be disappointed.
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★★★★★
jhnptrk –
The best book on Black and White conversions I have found.
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★★★★★
Jack –
Finalmente un libro non da principianti. Scritto molto chiaramente con un sacco di immagini stampate a regola d’arte, fin dalle prime pagine spiega con cura la conversione da colore a bianco e nero. Illuminante sotto molti punti di vista.
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★★★★★
Scott –
In the past 6 months I have read over a dozen photography and photoshop books. I would rate this amongst the best of the latter. The instructions for creating different techniques within photoshop are well illustrated in step by step fashion (a big plus for a newby to photoshop). It was definitely a little light on the overall theory behind B&W photography, so I would only rely on it if you have photoshop.
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
Lawrence D. Hicks –
BRAND NEW BOOK ARRIVED PROMPTLY. ENJOYING READING IT , A LITTLE BIT EACH DAY. THANK YOU.
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★★★★★
Sammantha Aus –
Got the book 5 days later, in perfect time. The book shows no wear which is great, as product states, used like new just shelf wear which is basically a new book. I’ve been wanting this book for a couple years now and I finally decided to get it. Thank you for selling it! Also, this book is a great, I highly recommend anyone to read this should they want to explore into more digital black and white photography. Even if the photos inspire you to take certain photos that the photographers have provided, it has nothing to do with it digitally if inspiration is what you are looking for. This book has it!
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
XboxOZ360 –
What a great book for a first-timer into the wonderful realm of beautiful B&W imagery. The layout of the book is designed with simplisity in mind, yet it actually goes quite deep into several applications and their use with the conversion of colour images into B&W. Each page is well presented so that the reader can follower can the simple guide into how to create excellent images. From beginning to end, the book is full of details that can help any photographer, novice or professional, in producing images that will stand out amongst the ‘average’ B&W image. If you want a book that delivers what it says it can, then this is the book for you . . it’s definitely money well spent.
Timbus –
This is an impressive book despite some editorial flaws. While many other digital photography books focus on the “colorfulness”, this book shows to how to create black and white photos. It shows you how to use tools (i.e. software) to post-process the photos so they look professional. Sure some pros such as Ken Rockwell hate post-processing and even go as far as shooting JPEG only, and I respect that. But as a beginner, I think post-processing is a necessary learning step. Another good thing about the book is that it not only shows you the final publishable photo, but also the original and intermediate versions as well, so you know how to go from an “okay” picture to a “wow” picture.
But the book is not without flaws, of course. Aside from the minor editorial errors, the book is tightly coupled to Adobe Photoshop, which is an expensive software package not everyone could afford. Not only that, it is also coupled to Adobe Photoshop on a Mac, which again, is an expensive piece of hardware. Many times, the author shows you how to do certain things in photoshop by showing you only the shortcut keys – now that, is a bit annoying, because unless you are a photoshop guru, most people would prefer going through the menu instead, and if you need to read this book, chances are, you are probably not a photoshop guru yet. And for windows users like me, I will have to look for the same features and functions from the shortcut key for Mac.
Graphic Guru –
This is a great book for the advanced PS user who wants to compare the best techniques for conversion to black/white, and see examples of them compared.
However, to get the full benefit, you MUST have at least version CS-3 of Photoshop. I wish I would have known that before I purchased the book! The first half of the book covers black & white conversion techniques using earlier versions of PS. This is was OK but I already knew those techniques and was looking for some additional tips. There really was no new information for me there.
The last half of the book had many good new techniques featuring only CS-3. Useless to me until I upgrade my software. In general, I was disappointed. If I was using CS-3, I would have rated it one star better.
David Greaves –
Great book, full of useful information written in an easy to understand way. Great value
Kindle-klant –
De bladzijde nummering klopt vaak niet. Foto’s vallen daardoor soms weg. De tekst is soms niet te begrijpen.. ik snap niet wat ze met dit boek hebben gedaan. Zonde van mn geld.
jirka –
I would like to share with another (even potential) customers my experience from the first reading of this book. It is very good and well positioned essential of everything most important about B&W photography, very transparent and helpful. Thanks Jiri Pavel, Czech republic
CCRacer –
I’ve looked at many books recently and found them quite vague on the whole. Usually they are too advanced or too basic for the average person on the street but this book is a breath of fresh air. Not only does it explain things in good detail it conveys the workflow easily and not too technically. This book is also bang up to date with techniques not only for older versions of Photoshop and Elements but the latest CS3 version. Methods for bettering my B & W pictures using CS3 alone are worth more than I paid for the book.
I would recommend this book to everyone except those that live and breath Photoshop in their everyday working or private life as I feel you may be far ahead of it.
Mr. J. W. Wiltshire –
I am not a photographer by any stretch of the imagination, but I do enjoy photography. I am fascinated by some of the photos I see that are shown in magazines and elsewhere. I just wish I could do the same. Photography is an art that can be very rewarding and black and white photography, even more so. This book gives many tips and much advice as to how to get that good black and white photo. If you are considering black and white, I would recommend this book, you will not be disappointed.
jhnptrk –
The best book on Black and White conversions I have found.
Jack –
Finalmente un libro non da principianti. Scritto molto chiaramente con un sacco di immagini stampate a regola d’arte, fin dalle prime pagine spiega con cura la conversione da colore a bianco e nero. Illuminante sotto molti punti di vista.
Scott –
In the past 6 months I have read over a dozen photography and photoshop books. I would rate this amongst the best of the latter. The instructions for creating different techniques within photoshop are well illustrated in step by step fashion (a big plus for a newby to photoshop). It was definitely a little light on the overall theory behind B&W photography, so I would only rely on it if you have photoshop.
Lawrence D. Hicks –
BRAND NEW BOOK ARRIVED PROMPTLY. ENJOYING READING IT , A LITTLE BIT EACH DAY. THANK YOU.
Sammantha Aus –
Got the book 5 days later, in perfect time. The book shows no wear which is great, as product states, used like new just shelf wear which is basically a new book. I’ve been wanting this book for a couple years now and I finally decided to get it. Thank you for selling it!
Also, this book is a great, I highly recommend anyone to read this should they want to explore into more digital black and white photography. Even if the photos inspire you to take certain photos that the photographers have provided, it has nothing to do with it digitally if inspiration is what you are looking for. This book has it!
XboxOZ360 –
What a great book for a first-timer into the wonderful realm of beautiful B&W imagery. The layout of the book is designed with simplisity in mind, yet it actually goes quite deep into several applications and their use with the conversion of colour images into B&W. Each page is well presented so that the reader can follower can the simple guide into how to create excellent images. From beginning to end, the book is full of details that can help any photographer, novice or professional, in producing images that will stand out amongst the ‘average’ B&W image. If you want a book that delivers what it says it can, then this is the book for you . . it’s definitely money well spent.