Getting the B & W bug

I will confess to going through a bit of a black and white phase at the moment. Here are a few recent B & W shots that I have also applied some more extreme processing.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8375/8...23375d6f_b.jpg
St Peters Cathederal by runmonty, on Flickr

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8387/8...df0b672b_c.jpg
Window by runmonty, on Flickr

Purists look away now - as this one is a photo manipulation. This is a first for me, and I feel cheap and worthless, but in the original shot the women and child were facing left.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8251/8...e9069280_c.jpg
Melbourne Botanical Gardens by runmonty, on Flickr

That shot of St. Peter's Cathedral is gorgeous!

I like B&W when I feel the subject is right for it. That 1st shot certainly is although I think it could be slightly a stronger B&W if you went more extreme with the levels to get the whites a bit whiter and blacks a bit blacker. It feels just a touch on the muddy side to me. Just my opinion though.

Very interesting the effects different levels of contrast can give - fun play RM!

Great shots. I would have never known you fliped the woman and child if you didn't say.

Beautiful contrast. I love #1.

Thanks guys for looking and commenting.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mad Aussie

I think it could be slightly a stronger B&W if you went more extreme with the levels to get the whites a bit whiter and blacks a bit blacker. It feels just a touch on the muddy side to me. Just my opinion though.

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I hear ya MA. I normally do a curves adjustment, but I just looked at my PSD file and can't see a curves layer. It is strange too, because I added a coffee tone, and normally when I add toning the very first thing I do afterward is adjust the levels to restore the whites. I will have a play and see what I come up with.

The first shot is amazing, looks very fantastic!