{"id":983,"date":"2024-12-04T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-04T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/creditcardcanada.net\/?p=983"},"modified":"2024-12-17T13:24:15","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T13:24:15","slug":"how-to-convert-to-black-and-white-in-lightroom-quick-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/creditcardcanada.net\/index.php\/2024\/12\/04\/how-to-convert-to-black-and-white-in-lightroom-quick-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Convert to Black and White in Lightroom (Quick Guide)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/how-to-convert-photos-to-black-and-white-in-lightroom\/\">How to Convert to Black and White in Lightroom (Quick Guide)<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\">Digital Photography School<\/a>. It was authored by <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/author\/andrewgibson\/\">Andrew S. Gibson<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-236223\" style=\"width:1243px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:1243px;padding-top:90.27%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" width=\"1243\" height=\"1122\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Lightroom black and white conversion: a quick guide\" class=\"wp-image-236223 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digital-photography-school.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/how-to-convert-black-and-white-lightroom-1005.jpg?resize=1243%2C1122&amp;ssl=1\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>What\u2019s the easiest way to convert to black and white in <a aria-label=\"Lightroom Classic (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/5-lightroom-tips-tricks-beginners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">Lightroom Classic<\/a> and Lightroom CC? And how can you gain extra control over the conversion process so you can create beautiful <a aria-label=\"black and white photos (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/beginners-guide-black-white-photography\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">black and white photos<\/a>?<\/p>\n<p>In this article, I explain everything you need to know about Lightroom black and white conversions, including:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A simple, one-click method for quick conversions<\/li>\n<li>How to tweak your converted images using the B&amp;W panel for pro-level results<\/li>\n<li>How to batch-convert dozens (or hundreds) of images in seconds<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Ready to become a B&amp;W master? Then let\u2019s do this!<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"how-to-convert-to-black-and-white-in-lightroom-the-basics\">How to convert to black and white in Lightroom: the basics<\/h2>\n<p>In this section, I offer a quick method of converting your color photos to B&amp;W in both Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC:<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"lightroom-classic-bw-conversion\">Lightroom Classic B&amp;W conversion<\/h3>\n<p>Lightroom Classic makes black and white conversions incredibly easy.<\/p>\n<p>Start by opening your file in the <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/steps-for-getting-started-in-the-lightroom-develop-module\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Develop module (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">Develop module<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Then simply click the <strong>Black &amp; White<\/strong> option on the right-hand side, just above the Profile menu:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-236249\" style=\"width:654px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:654px;padding-top:114.37%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" width=\"654\" height=\"748\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"how to convert to black and white in Lightroom\" class=\"wp-image-236249 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digital-photography-school.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/how-to-convert-black-and-white-lightroom-1.jpg?resize=654%2C748&amp;ssl=1\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Your image will turn black and white, and \u2013 that\u2019s it! \u2013 you\u2019re done. This basic conversion process does a decent job, though I recommend you apply additional edits if you want the best possible results (as I explain below).<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"lightroom-cc-bw-conversion\">Lightroom CC B&amp;W conversion<\/h3>\n<p>Black and white conversions in Lightroom CC are similarly simple.<\/p>\n<p>Select a photo, then open the <strong>Edit<\/strong> panel.<\/p>\n<p>Tap <strong>B&amp;W<\/strong>, and your image will instantly convert. Again, for the best results, you should do further editing, which I explain in the next section.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-236251\" style=\"width:275px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:275px;padding-top:145.45%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" width=\"275\" height=\"400\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"how to convert to black and white in Lightroom\" class=\"wp-image-236251 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digital-photography-school.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/how-to-convert-black-and-white-lightroom-12.jpg?resize=275%2C400&amp;ssl=1\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"how-to-convert-to-black-and-white-in-lightroom-advanced-options\">How to convert to black and white in Lightroom: advanced options<\/h2>\n<p>Once you have a black and white image, you\u2019ll need to carefully apply adjustments to really make your file shine.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"exposure-and-contrast-edits\">Exposure and contrast edits<\/h3>\n<p>I\u2019d recommend starting in your program\u2019s basic editing panel; here, you can play around with the exposure, the contrast, the highlights, the shadows, and so on. (Note: These Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC edits are essentially identical, so my instructions apply regardless of your software.)<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-236253\" style=\"width:649px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:649px;padding-top:79.51%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"649\" height=\"516\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"how to convert to black and white in Lightroom\" class=\"wp-image-236253 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digital-photography-school.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/how-to-convert-black-and-white-lightroom-13.jpg?resize=649%2C516&amp;ssl=1\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Black and white images often benefit from a major contrast boost, so try increasing the <strong>Contrast <\/strong>slider until the different composition elements really pop. You might also try adding some <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/four-ways-improve-photos-clarity-slider-lightroom\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">Clarity<\/a> <\/strong>to enhance the overall crispness \u2013 this is especially useful when working with architectural and street images, though you should generally avoid the Clarity slider when editing portraits \u2013 and if you want an extreme result, try cranking up the <strong>Dehaze <\/strong>slider.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019d also recommend setting the overall <strong>Exposure <\/strong>slider so that your file includes plenty of detail. And move the <strong>Blacks<\/strong>, <strong>Whites<\/strong>, <strong>Shadows<\/strong>, and <strong>Highlights<\/strong> sliders back and forth until you get an effect you like. (A common edit is to reduce the Highlights and Blacks while boosting the Shadows and Whites, but it\u2019s really up to you and will vary from image to image!)<\/p>\n<p>At that point, you can call it a day \u2013 or you can continue down to the B&amp;W panel (Lightroom CC calls this the B&amp;W Mixer), which lets you do further fine-tuning. <\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"the-bw-panel\">The B&amp;W panel<\/h3>\n<p>The B&amp;W panel, also known as the B&amp;W Mixer panel, is located below the basic editing options:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-236255\" style=\"width:663px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:663px;padding-top:131.98%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"663\" height=\"875\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"how to convert to black and white in Lightroom\" class=\"wp-image-236255 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digital-photography-school.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/how-to-convert-black-and-white-lightroom-14.jpg?resize=663%2C875&amp;ssl=1\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Using the Mixer, you can increase and decrease the brightness of specific colors in an image. By boosting the <strong>Orange<\/strong> slider, for instance, you brighten up areas of the black and white image that were previously orange; by dropping the <strong>Red <\/strong>slider, you darken down areas of the image that were previously red; and so on. This is pretty powerful, because it offers a <em>ton <\/em>of flexibility for adjusting image tones.<\/p>\n<p>Now, I\u2019d recommend two simple approaches here:<\/p>\n<p>The first approach \u2013 and the most fun \u2013 is to simply move the sliders back and forth, one at a time, until you like the result. This is a great way to work as a beginner, and it can be useful for serious photographers, too.<\/p>\n<p>The second approach is to identify areas of the image that should stand out, such as a portrait subject, a tree in the foreground, or a person walking through a street scene. Determine the corresponding color sliders, then brighten up <em>those <\/em>colors. (You might also darken down the background colors while you\u2019re at it.)<\/p>\n<p>So if you were editing an image of a yellow flower on a green background, you might boost the Yellow slider while decreasing the Green slider. Make sense?<\/p>\n<p>Pro tip: If you want even finer control when working with color channels, you can use the targeted adjustment eyedropper (located next to the color sliders):<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-236257\" style=\"width:648px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:648px;padding-top:48.46%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"648\" height=\"314\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"how to convert to black and white in Lightroom\" class=\"wp-image-236257 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digital-photography-school.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/how-to-convert-black-and-white-lightroom-15.jpg?resize=648%2C314&amp;ssl=1\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Select the dropper, then hover over the portion of your image you want to lighten or darken. If you drag upward, the relevant color channels will lighten \u2013 and if you drag downward, the relevant color channels will darken.<\/p>\n<p>You can even see this reflected in the sliders, which you can further modify in the Mixer panel.<\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind, however, that you shouldn\u2019t push the sliders <em>too <\/em>far. Black and white images can generally handle pretty significant adjustments, but if you add major color shifts, you may introduce unwanted artifacts and halos into your files, like this:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-70476\" style=\"width:600px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:600px;padding-top:66.67%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"black and white conversion in Lightroom\" class=\"wp-image-70476 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digital-photography-school.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/black-white-lightroom-11.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The effect may be subtle, but it <em>does <\/em>matter, so I recommend you avoid it whenever possible. It\u2019s a bigger problem with JPEGs than RAWs, but it can happen to both types of files. Always keep an eye out for issues, and always be prepared to dial back your edits as required.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"how-to-convert-multiple-files-to-black-and-white\">How to convert multiple files to black and white<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019ve taken several (or several hundred) photos you want to convert to black and white, then you have the option to <a aria-label=\"batch-process the files (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/4-batch-processing-techniques-speed-workflow-lightroom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">batch-process the files<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Start by converting one file to black and white \u2013 you can make exposure, contrast, or even Mixer adjustments, too \u2013 then select <strong>Edit&gt;Copy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-236259\" style=\"width:594px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:594px;padding-top:102.02%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"594\" height=\"606\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"how to convert to black and white in Lightroom\" class=\"wp-image-236259 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digital-photography-school.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/acdsee-gemstone-photo-editor-12-review-0013-1.jpg?resize=594%2C606&amp;ssl=1\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>If you\u2019re working in Lightroom Classic, you\u2019ll see a Copy Settings window, where you\u2019ll need to select all the edits you\u2019d like to apply to your photos. If you only wish to do a simple black-and-white conversion, just check the <strong>Treatment &amp; Profile <\/strong>option; if you wish to copy over contrast or B&amp;W Mixer adjustments, check those boxes, too. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-236261\" style=\"width:709px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:709px;padding-top:84.49%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"709\" height=\"599\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"how to convert to black and white in Lightroom\" class=\"wp-image-236261 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digital-photography-school.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/how-to-convert-black-and-white-lightroom-16.jpg?resize=709%2C599&amp;ssl=1\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>If you\u2019re working in Lightroom CC, however, <em>all <\/em>adjustments from the first image will be copied automatically.<\/p>\n<p>Hold the Ctrl\/Cmd key on your keyboard and select the images you\u2019d like to convert. <\/p>\n<p>Finally, choose <strong>Edit&gt;Paste<\/strong>, and all the images will convert to B&amp;W!<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-236263\" style=\"width:590px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:590px;padding-top:97.63%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"590\" height=\"576\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"how to convert to black and white in Lightroom\" class=\"wp-image-236263 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digital-photography-school.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/acdsee-gemstone-photo-editor-12-review-0014-1.jpg?resize=590%2C576&amp;ssl=1\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"how-to-convert-to-black-and-white-in-lightroom-final-words\">How to convert to black and white in Lightroom: final words<\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-236265\" style=\"width:1500px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:1500px;padding-top:54.53%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"818\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"how to convert to black and white in Lightroom\" class=\"wp-image-236265 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digital-photography-school.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/how-to-convert-black-and-white-lightroom-17.jpg?resize=1500%2C818&amp;ssl=1\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Now that you\u2019ve finished this article, you\u2019re ready to quickly and effectively convert your files to black and white.<\/p>\n<p>So head over to Lightroom. And do some high-quality editing!<\/p>\n<p><em>What type of images do you plan to convert to black and white? Which adjustments will you make? Share your thoughts in the comments below!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/how-to-convert-photos-to-black-and-white-in-lightroom\/\">How to Convert to Black and White in Lightroom (Quick Guide)<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\">Digital Photography School<\/a>. It was authored by <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/author\/andrewgibson\/\">Andrew S. Gibson<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The post How to Convert to Black and White in Lightroom (Quick Guide) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":985,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/creditcardcanada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/983"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/creditcardcanada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/creditcardcanada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creditcardcanada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creditcardcanada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=983"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/creditcardcanada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/983\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":984,"href":"https:\/\/creditcardcanada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/983\/revisions\/984"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creditcardcanada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/creditcardcanada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creditcardcanada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creditcardcanada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}