So this is how I've started doing all of my conversions to monochrome in Photoshop (CS4), and I thought I'd share:

1. Hit d to set the foreground/background colours to the default (black, white).
2. On the Adjustments panel, click on the Gradient Map icon (looks like a white to black gradient).
3. If you're not happy with the conversion, click on the gradient you now see in your Adjustments panel and you'll get a popup Gradient Editor.
4. Underneath the gradient you see there, there's a black box with an arrow on top at the left, and a white box with an arrow on top at the right. Slide those around to adjust the conversion shadow and highlights as you like (you'll also get a little grey diamond under the gradient once you click on one, which will adjust the 50%-grey point).
5. Click OK and you're done!

Sample conversions:












-A

thanks for taking the time but I haven't pirated CS4 just yet.

hmm... I'll give this a go when I get back to the desk.

Thanks A!

Anytime, A!


-A

Sweet! It's nice to know that there are about 20 different ways to convert an image (and do about anything else in Photoshop), it's just hard to remember all them.

Originally Posted by shelloflight

thanks for taking the time but I haven't pirated CS4 just yet.

In previous versions, use: Image > Adjustments > Gradient Map...

very good angelo, much appreciated

Grreat quick tip Angelo, hope you don't mind me expanding on it a little for people who might prefer more flexibility with the image.

One thing I like to do which takes this tip to another level is to apply the adjustment as a layer effect. What this means is that you are creating a new layer above your image for your black and white conversion. This means you aren't adjusting the photo layer and are preserving its integrity for anything else you'd like to do with it.

see here for a screen example -> http://cl.ly/64d37c3f5a2cb5b73720

This is more of a personal preference for me as I feel more comfortable with greater flexibility with my post processing than having 1 flattened layer. Its also good for saving your workflow in the process file so that you can opening it up in 6-12mnths and know exactly how you achieved effect A or tweak B.

Yeah, really good point. I'm used to doing everything for the web, so I always have the original Raw files to go back to, but honestly I really should start getting into the habit of working at full-size, with layers.


-A