How can I create a sharp, high-contrast black-and-white portrait with a Nikon D7000?
Asked 8/27/2012
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2 answers
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I want to recreate a crisp, high-contrast black-and-white portrait look on my Nikon D7000. I currently have a 50mm f/1.2, an 80-200mm f/2.8, and the 18-105 kit lens. I’ve tried the camera’s built-in monochrome mode, but the results don’t have the same sharpness and texture. Is this mainly about lens choice, or do lighting and post-processing matter more? What should I do in camera and during black-and-white conversion to get this look?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
11
The look you are after is dependant on lighting and post processing rather than lenses.
You want to shoot with soft but directional lighting so create strong textures within your image, directly sunlight through hazy cloud is good for this. As is the "magic hour".
In post you need to blend the colour channels looking for the most contrasty mix. Then its a case of boosting local contrast, e.g. with a wide radius unsharp mask, then apply sharpening to taste.
Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1375
14y ago
0
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This look is mostly about lighting and post-processing, not the camera or lens alone.
Start by shooting RAW rather than using the D7000’s built-in B&W mode. RAW gives you much more control over how different colors convert to gray tones. In B&W conversion, adjusting color channel mix—or simulating a color filter, especially green—can greatly increase facial contrast and texture.
Lighting is key: use soft but directional light so facial features and skin texture are defined without looking harsh. Hazy sunlight or late-day “magic hour” light can work well. Directional light emphasizes texture; flat cloudy light usually gives less of this effect.
In post-processing, aim for:
- a strong black-and-white channel mix
- added local contrast / microcontrast (often called clarity)
- sharpening to taste, sometimes after boosting local contrast with a wide-radius unsharp mask
Also keep the portrait simple: a clean background and relatively shallow depth of field help the subject stand out.
Your existing lenses are capable of this. Focus more on good light, careful exposure, RAW processing, and B&W conversion than on buying another lens.
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