Reinventing time

The questions my friend Totomai asked from the previous blog got me thinking of writing further why I have been posting B&W images here. So, I took a quick view of all my posts and this was what I noticed. The B&W posts started in Transitory, a May entry, then followed by A Tribute to Change the following month. In July, after the Amateur Talk entry were three: First round: A night photowalk, Yurakucho nights and Dawn at Tsukiji. And in August, I posted "half-breds" B&W and coloured shots. It was not until September that I went B&W all the way. Now I do not want to point out the obvious but the coincidence is uncanny. Perhaps it is time for me to reinvent myself again.

It was my initial thought to write my enthrallment to B&W images. But with the rate of my thought to keyboard coordination I may end up finishing this entry by month's end. So, I decided to share my basic post-processing workflow in Lightroom which is quick and simple. Opening Lightroom > Develop under Basic, first, if needed, I add some Fill Light around 10 - 25 and Blacks around 5 - 15. Then check the Brightness and Contrast and add 5 or subtract 5. Next is Clarity. Here I go from 30 all the way to 100 and just see what is suitable for the image. I have not played much with the B&W Mix all I did was when I see a very distinguished colour I subtract 5 to keep it down. I also have not played with Split Toning. The final touch is Post-Crop Vignetting -15 to -25. Sometimes I add something like this in Photoshop. I duplicate the image, add High Pass Filter : Radius 80 pixels then 15 - 20% Hard Light. Like I said, very quick, simple and amateurish if I may add. Reason for me to look for a better "complicated" workflow at Piet Van den Eynde's Craft & Vision eBook - The Power of Black & White In Adobe Lightroom & Beyond. I hope my workflow will improve after reading it and have the chance to apply it in my future B&W images on this blog.  

I love photography. It is my way of making use of my extra time. It is inevitable that me and this hobby will be together for life. The long term plan would be in documentary and fine art photography. My choice of medium would have to be B&W film and a personal darkroom to process it with. It is also possible for me to go commercial in the coming years. And with it the choice of contemporary clients, coloured images. Now enough with the glimpse of what I have in mind for the future. In the meantime, I will be indulging in culture, travel, landscape and family photos in both B&W and coloured.