After creating a cross processed image in the first week and an X-ray image for the Second week of the One Four Challenge, I decided to try Black and White infrared for the third week. I have never been one to take a knife to my camera and although I have old bodies kicking around, sending them off to be converted to be able to capture infrared images has always felt a bit strange. Alas I use digital methods to get me there. I have a really nice method that I use in Photoshop and while flipping through one of my Lightroom books I came across a method to convert an image to Black and white infrared in Lightroom.
I started with my colour image that had been through Photoshop’s shake reduction filter, as Capture sharpening. In Lightroom I set the temp and tint to -100 and then clicked black and white. In the black and white mix I set yellow and green to 100 and aqua to 50, everything else was set to 0. In the basic panel I set highlights and whites to -100 as well. I then used three radial adjustments on the flower. The first was to reduce the exposure and darken the petals as well as increasing clarity to bring out the midtone contrast. This radial adjustment I then duplicated to intensify the effect. The third adjustment was just on the centre and was to sharpen and reduce the exposure was well to create a contrasted point for the flower.
Many comments this month have been about cropping the image to a square format. I have been against this but have decided instead of cropping my image, I will offer the cropped and uncropped versions of the images in the gallery below. Decide which you prefer.
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- Week 1
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- Week 2
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- Week 3
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- Week 1 Crop
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- Week 2 Crop
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- Week 3 Crop
Let me know in the comments what you think of the image or anything else you have on your mind.
Remember to check out Robyn’s post as she is the creator of the challenge.
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I like the processing. Very cool! I am still not a fan of the square format
I cannot agree more, I also am not fan of the square crop. I added the square crop for those who wanted to see it.
This effect has produced a beautiful image, Ben, great work! The whites of the flower are so delicate, they look like bone china. As far as the cropping issue goes, I’m with you on the rectangular crops for weeks one and three, the background is a feature of the image and the square crops look a little cliched. Although I think that week two does look better with the square crop, maybe it’s due to the black background providing a better frame around the square crop.
Possibly your right that week 2 can take the crop because it does have more negative space. The whites are very nicenin this shot, I think the softing of the blacks with the split toning really helping the whites.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
I was about to mention the same preferences, but Katie, you beat me to it (by a few hours apparently 😉 ) Square crop doesn’t need to be avoided like the plague 🙂 but it also doesn’t need to be applied just because that’s how everyone does it. If the background doesn’t add much at all to the scene, I wouldn’t mind cropping.
Love the new edit. I personally prefer the regular crop. The square crop is fun, but I am more drawn to the regular rectangular shot.
I too prefer the regular crop for the smae reason.
Glad you like the new edit.
Week two (which I missed last week; sorry!) and week three are both great. I especially like the x-ray work on last week’s. Both styles are well-suited to the flower. For week two, I like the crop (I like the 1×1 format generally) because there it’s all about the flower. For weeks one and three, I think I prefer the original crop.
Interesting, it seems this is the general opinion. I like the x-ray effect as it makes you study the tones and details more.
Like this week’s processin g, and no square crop for me!
I think this is my favourite version so far, Ben. And I too prefer the rectangle – the square crop crowds the image and doesn’t let it just ‘be’.
Thank you Lynne. I am glad this is your favourite so far. For me the square crop crowds the flower too much.
I agree
This is a nice transformation that changed the whole flavor of the bloom. It feels more delicate though I’m still in favor of week one. For me I think this is the one best served by the square crop as what brightness exists in the background takes away from the already bright flower, IMHO. 🙂 Well done.
I am in the opposite mind, the negative space forces you to focus on the flower. With a square crop you are forced to look at the flower as well but with less impact. This is an interesting debate that is really makng me thing a lot about my composition and framing.
Yes I think in these cases the negative space works for most of them. 🙂
Interesting, it has kind of a high-key look. 😀
With the brightness in the flowe and the black of the background it does I can’t remember my curves setting but I may have added a slight high key styled curve.
Hi Ben, this is a wonderful process. I love the detail it brings out in the flower, but also the interest it creates in the background.
I definitely prefer the original ratio to the square crop, but Im glad you showed us what it looks like 😃