Exercise - Colours into tones in black and white

 The original colour photo

2013.01.05.ColoursIntoTonesInB&W
f/6.3  1/30  ISO-2500

Neutral tones in black & white

2013.01.05.ColoursIntoTonesInB&W-neutral

"Red filter" in black & white

2013.01.05.ColoursIntoTonesInB&W-"Red filter"

"Green filter" in black & white

2013.01.05.ColoursIntoTonesInB&W-"Green filter"

"Blue filter" in black & white

2013.01.05.ColoursIntoTonesInB&W-"Blue filter"

This exercise really showed me how much control you can have over adjusting tones in an image.  Unfortunately, Adobe Photoshop Elements 8.0 does not have a 'yellow filter' slider in its grayscale converter, so I was unable to create an image with a higher relative amount of yellow.  However, I did notice while creating the 'red filter' image that the tones of the lemons were also lightened as more red was added.  Similarly, with the blue and green filters they were less effected by alteration of the independent filters than the red and yellow subjects.  Each colour filter slider has an effect on all of the colours, lightening the tone of the corresponding colour and darkening the others. 

Different moods and impressions can be achieved through variation of each colour slider.  The image in neutral tones is the least dynamic in this exercise.  In my view, the most interesting images are the 'red filter' and 'blue filter' photographs.  The stronger contrasts are quite eye catching and bold.  The simplicity of fewer, bolder tones works rather well.