Dates: January 30 - February 6, 2027
Meetings: Saturdays, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM CST (2 sessions)
Location: Houston Center for Photography
Cost: $195 (HCP members can receive a 10% discount)
Instructor: Joshua Mokry
Skill Level: Intermediate
The full expression of a black-and-white photograph often emerges through the printing process, where tone, surface, and depth become part of the image. In this two-session workshop, participants will learn how to translate monochromatic images from screen to print through a focused workflow of tonal preparation, local refinement, and iterative printing. After a brief review of black and white conversion and global adjustments, students will progress from freehand Dodge and Burn to increasingly precise local adjustment techniques for controlling tonal relationships within the image. Through demonstrations, guided printing, test prints, and group discussion, participants will evaluate tonal separation, overall tonal balance, print neutrality, intentional toning, and paper response. Participants will also compare glossy, luster, matte, and metallic papers before refining and producing two finished black and white prints.
Objectives:
Develop a focused workflow for preparing black-and-white photographs for fine-art inkjet printing
Use Photoshop’s Dodge and Burn tools for precise local tonal control, progressing from freehand adjustments to tonal-range and selection-restricted techniques
Use RGB channel and luminosity selections to create targeted adjustments in specific tonal areas
Evaluate and refine test prints based on shadow, midtone, and highlight separation, and overall tonal balance
Assess print neutrality and use intentional toning to influence the character of a black-and-white print
Compare how glossy, luster, matte, and metallic papers influence black density, tonal range, surface quality, and the visual character of a black-and-white print
Produce two highly refined final black-and-white prints with intentional tonal control and paper selection
Prerequisites:
Photoshop I or equivalent experience using Adobe Photoshop. Participants should be comfortable opening and editing files, working with layers, making basic selections, and performing basic tonal adjustments. Completing the Understanding B&W Conversions workshop is recommended but not a must, as the workshop will include a brief review of black-and-white conversion and global tonal preparation before moving into advanced print refinement.
Course Prep:
Students should bring 4–6 high-resolution photographs they would like to develop as black-and-white prints, from which two final images will be selected during the workshop. Original RAW files or high-resolution color RGB files, such as TIFF or PSD files, are recommended. Students who have already created black-and-white versions should also bring the original color files so the workshop can make use of RGB channel information for targeted local adjustments. Images should be brought on an external hard drive or flash drive.
Dates: January 30 - February 6, 2027
Meetings: Saturdays, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM CST (2 sessions)
Location: Houston Center for Photography
Cost: $195 (HCP members can receive a 10% discount)
Instructor: Joshua Mokry
Skill Level: Intermediate
The full expression of a black-and-white photograph often emerges through the printing process, where tone, surface, and depth become part of the image. In this two-session workshop, participants will learn how to translate monochromatic images from screen to print through a focused workflow of tonal preparation, local refinement, and iterative printing. After a brief review of black and white conversion and global adjustments, students will progress from freehand Dodge and Burn to increasingly precise local adjustment techniques for controlling tonal relationships within the image. Through demonstrations, guided printing, test prints, and group discussion, participants will evaluate tonal separation, overall tonal balance, print neutrality, intentional toning, and paper response. Participants will also compare glossy, luster, matte, and metallic papers before refining and producing two finished black and white prints.
Objectives:
Develop a focused workflow for preparing black-and-white photographs for fine-art inkjet printing
Use Photoshop’s Dodge and Burn tools for precise local tonal control, progressing from freehand adjustments to tonal-range and selection-restricted techniques
Use RGB channel and luminosity selections to create targeted adjustments in specific tonal areas
Evaluate and refine test prints based on shadow, midtone, and highlight separation, and overall tonal balance
Assess print neutrality and use intentional toning to influence the character of a black-and-white print
Compare how glossy, luster, matte, and metallic papers influence black density, tonal range, surface quality, and the visual character of a black-and-white print
Produce two highly refined final black-and-white prints with intentional tonal control and paper selection
Prerequisites:
Photoshop I or equivalent experience using Adobe Photoshop. Participants should be comfortable opening and editing files, working with layers, making basic selections, and performing basic tonal adjustments. Completing the Understanding B&W Conversions workshop is recommended but not a must, as the workshop will include a brief review of black-and-white conversion and global tonal preparation before moving into advanced print refinement.
Course Prep:
Students should bring 4–6 high-resolution photographs they would like to develop as black-and-white prints, from which two final images will be selected during the workshop. Original RAW files or high-resolution color RGB files, such as TIFF or PSD files, are recommended. Students who have already created black-and-white versions should also bring the original color files so the workshop can make use of RGB channel information for targeted local adjustments. Images should be brought on an external hard drive or flash drive.
Images:
Joshua Mokry, The Prisoner
Joshua Mokry, Caves on Electrical Box
Joshua Mokry, Drip
