Digital Light & Color

Ken Rockwell posted a simple, but interesting, black and white method for Photoshop using "calculations" (http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/photoshop/b-w.htm). Wonder how this might translate into PWP. Have tried the Red channel overlayed with itself in the "Composite" transformation, "filter" setting or "soft light" setting. Have also tried the Red channel as both input image and filter in the "filter" transformation, "additive" setting.

Any other possibilities?

Thanks,
Chris

I believe you have correctly intrepeted into PWP, K Rockwell's approach as Composite-Blend is nearly the same as PS's 'overlay' and the Composite-Softlight/Hardlight and Filter transforms are nearly the same as PS's 'multiply'...

Something you might consider is a less contrasty approach more along the lines of Greg Gorman:
http://www.gormanphotography.com/gorman.html

His suggested PS workflow is here:
http://www.gormanphotography.com/bw_conversion.pdf

Which I have intrepeted into PWP plus a few other suggestions here:
http://www.ncplus.net/~birchbay/tutorials/bw/bw01.htm

PWP5's Monochrome transform also offers a 'Channel Mixer' option that has good controls for mixing the R. G, and B channels to a preference from their Luminosity ratio's with the added ability to adjust exposure to reduce induced highlight clipping.

The conversion from color to B&W is highly subjective. With color, we can adjust H, S, and V (frequently, just to simulate reality). B&W is more abstract – all we have to work with is V. Most photographers have their favorite approaches, but many regard each image as a special case for which the tone distribution is to be customized for emphasis of the photographer’s interpretation of the subject. You’re on the right track in trying to understand the many ways this can be accomplished. If one of your goals is to simulate the classic film B&W’s, you might be interested in Norman Koren’s discussion (http://www.normankoren.com/digital_tonality.html) of the differences in response between film and digital sensors. [He does eventually get around to recommending a PWP curve for approximating film response.]

Den and Bob:

Thanks for your replies. Den, I have seen Greg Gorman's info and he has also produced a PS action for it. I have also read your info. Both are very informative. Bob, I completely agree with you about B&W. For many of my images, no one approach is satisfactory (as is also the case for color as well). This was just another PS method that I curious to see if I understood PWP well enough to translate it. Your replies have helped me confirm that my grasp of PWP is improviing.

Regards,
Chris