After last week’s chat about the power of the presets you can discover in your photo software, and the exciting effects these can have on your cat photos, I want to share one simple shot, in a super short post, that has been adjusted using a single monochrome preset.
- A good photograph is important to convert to black and white so I have included some monochrome tips here.
This image is also a tribute to Honey who passed away after an attack similar to Miranda’s.
A Simple Preset Recipe
Your own software will probably have a Black and White, or Monochrome, preset option as these are something everyone wants to try.
But there is one thing you might not realise about images you want to convert from colour to black and white.
A black and white preset is also much more effective than quickly converting your cat photo to what is known as ‘greyscale‘.
Greyscale may be faster as a ‘one click trick’ but often removes a lot of the subtle nuances, shades and character that make your cat photo special.
Here are a few simple actions I took to turn my colour image into a dramatic and ferocious shot. Different software may have slightly different actions but this gives you a good idea of the steps to take.
- Select and open your image.
- Navigate to your preset tool.
- Select your preset. I chose ‘Monochrome’ – Low Key option [Luminar Neo]
- You can ‘audition’ presets to see which you prefer by moving the cursor over your list.
- Assess the image then adjust as necessary. I decided on a little brightening for my photo.
- Add a subtle Vignette to add a finishing touch.
I suggest you try and find your own presets for some creative eye-opening inspiration. It is a cool way to enhance or transform an image!
This is such an inspiring look at using monochrome presets for pet photography! The tribute to Honey is beautiful, and the tips for creating dramatic, emotive images are really helpful. It’s amazing how black and white editing can bring out a cat’s personality in such a unique way. Thanks for sharing this creative insight!
Exquisite picture!
I didn’t know that, I often look to see what my image would look like in various versions of B & W, but didn’t know I could use a preset. If you do that, will your images always use that preset when you yse the b & w unbtil you change it?
I knew there were differences, but was no sure what they were. I really appreciate how you explained them in a way that makes perfect sense!
I always forget about monochrome but it always looks so cool.
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