The fallen trunk of a tree, with all its contorted branches.

[phoenixvision]

This really works, you caught a nice moment with the light play ...

[olegp]

Forest near Mordor
I would like to increase conrast on this photo...

[LensBeginner]

Forest near Mordor
I would like to increase conrast on this photo...

Believe me, I jacked up contrast and clarity a lot compared to the same picture in color...
I tend to go for subtle effects when I can, but I could try to put your suggestion to work, who knows?

[flaviopetrone]

Believe me, I jacked up contrast and clarity a lot compared to the same picture in color...
I tend to go for subtle effects when I can, but I could try to put your suggestion to work, who knows?

In my (little) experience, I almost never go with the contrast and clarity more than +30. If it is not enough, I try to adjust the HSL panel. In this shot, maybe with yellow and orange you have place to play...

[LensBeginner]

In my (little) experience, I almost never go with the contrast and clarity more than +30. If it is not enough, I try to adjust the HSL panel. In this shot, maybe with yellow and orange you have place to play...

I always try to do B&W in the HSL panel.
In color shots, I normally start from a baseline of +10 Contrast and +15 Clarity (depends on subject, lens etc. for instance when using the teleconverter I often jack the Clarity up to 100 without all that grungy look, because RAW is soft as hell).
But when doing B&W I often find that the image lacks "pop" unless you raise those two values... which makes sense because you lose the color factor which helps you differentiating nearby areas of similar luminance.
This was +20 contrast, +15 clarity for color and +50 contrast, +50 clarity for B&W...

[flaviopetrone]

I always try to do B&W in the HSL panel.
In color shots, I normally start from a baseline of +10 Contrast and +15 Clarity (depends on subject, lens etc. for instance when using the teleconverter I often jack the Clarity up to 100 without all that grungy look, because RAW is soft as hell).
But when doing B&W I often find that the image lacks "pop" unless you raise those two values... which makes sense because you lose the color factor which helps you differentiating nearby areas of similar luminance.
This was +20 contrast, +15 clarity for color and +50 contrast, +50 clarity for B&W...

Yes, definitely with the BnW you need to push contrast and clarity, I was just giving you an advice but for what you said, it seems that you didn't need it.

[olegp]

I always try to do B&W in the HSL panel.
In color shots, I normally start from a baseline of +10 Contrast and +15 Clarity (depends on subject, lens etc. for instance when using the teleconverter I often jack the Clarity up to 100 without all that grungy look, because RAW is soft as hell).
But when doing B&W I often find that the image lacks "pop" unless you raise those two values... which makes sense because you lose the color factor which helps you differentiating nearby areas of similar luminance.
This was +20 contrast, +15 clarity for color and +50 contrast, +50 clarity for B&W...

Thanks for discussion
You're absolutely right... but it works when details have a meaning or you want to separate the main subject from the detailed background and so on...
I think it's more important to show the mystery and anxiety of this place...
If you allow, I'll show how I see this picture... What would you say about it?

[LensBeginner]

Thanks for discussion
You're absolutely right... but it works when details have a meaning or you want to separate the main subject from the detailed background and so on...
I think it's more important to show the mystery and anxiety of this place...
If you allow, I'll show how I see this picture... What would you say about it?

Interesting... the work of an illustrator, almost.
A cell-shaded-like, lithographic-looking, dark-themed comic picture...

[flaviopetrone]

Thanks for discussion
You're absolutely right... but it works when details have a meaning or you want to separate the main subject from the detailed background and so on...
I think it's more important to show the mystery and anxiety of this place...
If you allow, I'll show how I see this picture... What would you say about it?

I think that with this extreme edit it stops to be a photograph and start to be graphic.

[olegp]

I think that with this extreme edit it stops to be a photograph and start to be graphic.

Maybe...
This border is very smooth Yes, it's abroad of RGB#000000-FFFFFF, but nobody knows exactly where it starts, I think