The case of the black and white image

Monochrome or Black and White photos have been in existence ever since photography was invented. It was easiest to formulate an emulsion that displays an image in shades of grey in the beginning. Colour came substantially later because the mechanism to sense and render colour images is quite a bit more complex.

But in these days of the digital mobile phone, our scientists and engineers have already overcome the difficulties and easily render colour. Except for the odd camera (the Leica Type 246 Monochrom), the digital sensor is invariably a colour mosaiced sensor.

I once encountered someone on G+ who wondered whether there would be any need to make black and white images at all. In the ensuing discussion, I highlighted the ideas that the removal of colour from the image allowed shapes and texture to be presented.

Another angle that modern photographers encounter is that the capture of the image in raw and subsequent processing of said raw into the final output is all important. In which case, it's not necessary to set the camera to render in black and white, all that can be done in the post processing.

That runs counter to visualisation in-situ - we now have cameras that can render an image in front of our eyes, near instantly, as opposed to the film cameras of old which would require some delay before you can see and produce a different iteration. Photographers have the choice of going down the rabbit hole of creating ever more complex and detailed demands in the workflow to push away the immediacy of visualisation or to revel and embrace it.

The majority of photographers, although using digital cameras, still use DSLRs with Optical View Finders (OVF). They often spend a lot of time peering through the OVF because that is the most natural way of using the camera. Unless they shoot and chimp, shoot and chimp, rinse and repeat, the OVF is a tunnel to seeing colourful reality.

But if you are using a mirrorless camera, the natural way to use this camera is to aim and compose using LiveView - regardless of whether it is looking through the Electronic View Finder (EVF) or the back LCD screen. You can switch to a Monochrome Picture Profile. Often you can add a colour filter not to colour the image but to apply a colour mask to the input. If the depth of the black tones is not to your taste, you can apply tweaks in contrast, sharpness, sometimes even curves of shadow, mids and highlights.

Some people are of the opinion that they could enhance the result more, working from raw. There is no inconsistency with that workflow and setting the camera to a Monochrome Profile - if you shoot raw and set a Monochrome Profile, the Liveview and Preview would show you the black and white image, the raw would still contain the full colour information for post processing. If you shoot raw + jpeg, you get jpegs which (if you like) can be immediately posted to social networks or given as the end result. You have not lessened your options, you have increased them.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark 1. Color Creator with red filter, desaturated and shadow curve tweaked for darker shadows

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark 1. Color Creator with red filter, desaturated and shadow curve tweaked for darker shadows

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark 1. Color Creator with red filter, desaturated and shadow curve tweaked for darker shadows

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark 1. Color Creator with red filter, desaturated and shadow curve tweaked for darker shadows

Being One with the OM-D EM-1

Preamble

Although I'm quite used to the Olympus line of E-series cameras, each time I buy into a new model (usually several years in-between), I'm pleasantly surprised with the modern conveniences and technology improvements give me.

This time, it's the OM-D E-M1 - the top of the line Olympus. I've not ever had a top of the line Olympus - I was too late to appreciate the E-1, the E-3 felt old, the E-5 I dreamed about but could not afford. There was no E-2 or E-4.

Two things I really like - the feature of having a creative Photo Studio within the camera, in the field. I shoot both raw and JPEG - I prefer the immediacy of the JPEG and I like the Olympus JPEG signature - warm, yellow friendly, nice blues in the skies, highish in contrast, fairly reliable automatic White Balance. I like having the raw for tough shots or shots that need creative post processing.

The Photo Studio

Olympus has been evolving their Photo Studio idea with a strength of purpose. 

One feature I like, is the ability to tailor the gamma transformation curve (a.k.a. The Curve) with several degrees of Highlight and Shadow Adjustment.  This feature first saw the light in the OM-D E-M5 and it has been implemented in all subsequent PEN and OM-D models. It's definitely available on the lowest model E-PM2 (although it took a non owner on G+ to tip me off).

The new feature, first implemented on the E-M1 is the Color Creator - it has been subsequently implemented on the E-M10, E-P5). 

Using the features

Note:

These adjustments only affect the standalone JPEG and/or the embedded JPEG in the raw file. The raw file will contain metadata about the adjustments you have chosen so that you can run Olympus Viewer software on the computer to cancel or further adjust.

This is a pink rose on a cold, overcast Melbourne winter's day. Yes, the highlights have a soft pink hue, but that empathic vibe, to me, complements the rose.

My +David Washington moment - the browns are anemic without some Color Creator warming.

You could throw more light on these leaves, to darken the background. Or you could post process a vignette and darken the background. Or just use the Shadows Curve Adjustment in the Camera.

 In closing

My early experiences with the combination of Color Creator and Shadows / Highlights Adjustment are simply that - early experiences. On the E-M1, there buttons and dials to access these two features without making Magnify and Depth of Field Preview difficult.

The amount of adjustment can be more dramatic or more subtle - there is a fair amount of control for most tastes.