September 19, 2011
Nigel Creek Cascade in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada, and Enhancing Color Images With A Black-And-White Layer

It was completely overcast yesterday in northern Banff National Park, so that meant good conditions to photograph waterfalls and cascades. I went to Nigel Creek and had a blast. My favorite composition involved a small detail, and the rock in the foreground filled in the area downstream of the main cascades wonderfully.

Enhancing Color Images With A Black-And-White Layer

I processed the image above using a technique inspired by Darwin Wiggett, namely using a B&W (black-and-white) layer to enhance the local contrast of a color image. Note that I actually developed and applied my own technique because I relied on memory and didn't actually use Darwin's technique.

Image Processed Without a B&W Layer

Image Processed In B&W

The first step is to process a color image using your normal workflow (above left). The second step is to create a B&W version of the image (above right), and I used NIK Silver Efex Pro 2.

The third step is to combine color and B&W versions. Put the B&W image on a layer on top of the color version. (Silver Efex Pro does this automatically in Photoshop.) Then change the blend mode of the B&W layer to Luminosity to put the tonal effects of the B&W layer onto the color layer. Then adjust the opacity of the B&W layer to get the desired amount of the B&W tonality effects.

Before: No B&W Layer

After: With a B&W Layer

The before (no B&W layer) and after (with a B&W layer) images are shown side by side above to make it easier to compare them. The differences are subtle with the small images side by side, but they are substantial when viewed larger and the effect is toggled off and on.

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