
Of course, there are lots of apps and plug-ins that can apply these effects for you (a few of which are listed here), but you can also do it manually in Photoshop, Lightroom or any competent image-editing app. Silver Efex offers a whole host of presets, film stocks and contrast controls. First there’s the removal of colour then there’s the control of contrast and tonality and finally there’s the addition of monochrome tropes like film grain, vignettes or split toning. As such, if we want to replicate the characteristics of black & white film then it’s helpful to think of it as a combination of three image-editing tricks. Granted, it’s probably the most universally accepted of all image effects, but in the digital age it’s an aesthetic choice rather than the practical necessity it was in the early days of photography.

But an effect is exactly what a black & white conversion is. When it comes to image editing, the term ‘effect’ is sometimes seen as a dirty word. These days there are lots of tools and techniques for achieving that classic black & white film look, from Lightroom tools to in-camera tricks and plug-ins that replicate particular film stocks, right down to the specific grain structure. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that, as a medium, black & white photography is as strong today as it’s ever been. Or maybe it’s because the absence of colour can draw attention to other things, like the stark shape of a building or the texture of a person’s skin. It creates an aesthetic link to an earlier time and a rich heritage of film photography.


Why is the appeal of black & white photography so enduring? Perhaps it’s because a monochrome treatment lends our photos a nostalgic, timeless feel that’s difficult to achieve in this pristine, high-resolution digital age.
Topaz bw effects presets free skin#
Alien Skin Exposure offers a variety of film presets – this one is Ilford Delta 3200.
