Understanding B&W Conversions (Jul 16)

Date: July 16, 2025

Meeting: Wednesday, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM CST

Location: Houston Center for Photography

Cost: $95 (HCP members can receive a 10% discount)

Instructor: Austin Cullen

Skill Level: Intermediate

While photography has now fully embraced color, the beautiful tonality and rich history of monochromatic imagery has kept this aesthetic treatment incredibly relevant in today's photographic landscape. In this workshop, students will learn about and creatively apply various methods of digital Black & White conversion to their photography through the use of editing software such as Photoshop, Camera RAW, and Lightroom. Students can expect a healthy mixture of practice and discussion from this course, including an introduction to various working B&W photographers of different styles, methods and processes for identifying potential B&W photographs, and the various tools that can be used to refine and elevate monochromatic imagery (& more).

Objectives:

• Create a process for identifying potential B&W photographs

• Learn about the various aesthetic styles of B&W photography

• Practice B&W conversions in Photoshop, Camera RAW, and Lightroom

• Refine your B&W editing skills and develop B&W photographs using masks

• Consider the aesthetic strengths and weaknesses of monochrome imagery

• Familiarize yourself with leading B&W photographers’ work

Prerequisites:

Lightroom I or Photoshop I or practical experience using Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom Classic.

Course Prep:

Students should bring digital color photographs on a flash drive or hard drive.