01 Oct Black & White Image Development in Lightroom | Jan. 20th & 27th
Black & White Image Development in Lightroom | Jan. 20th & 27th
Date | Wednesday, Jan. 20th & 27th, 2027
Time | 6 – 8 PM MDT
Location | Online via Zoom
Cost | $108 Member and $120 Non-Member
Register early to help ensure your class runs. Courses that do not meet minimum enrollment may be cancelled.
Instructor | Eric Hagemann
Skill Level | All skill levels welcome
CPAC adheres to a strict payment, cancellation, and refund policy. Please review our Payment & Refund Policies prior to registration.
This is an online course taught via Zoom. Sessions combine slides, live demonstrations, and time for student questions. Minimum enrollment is 4 students and maximum enrollment is 12 students.
Objective:
Learn to create compelling black-and-white photographs in Lightroom by developing a thoughtful approach to tone, contrast, texture, and visual emphasis. Through two online sessions, students will explore how to evaluate an image, establish an editing direction, and use global and selective adjustments to shape the finished photograph.
Course Description:
Creating a compelling black-and-white photograph is about more than removing color. Without color to separate subjects and guide the viewer, relationships between light and dark, contrast, texture, shape, and detail become increasingly important.
Join award-winning black-and-white photographer and photo educator Eric Hagemann for this two-part online class exploring the art and craft of black-and-white image development in Lightroom.
In the first session, Eric will discuss what makes a photograph a strong candidate for black and white and demonstrate how to translate color into tone. Students will explore conversion techniques, the Black & White Mix, tonal range, contrast, and detail.
The second session moves beyond global adjustments to explore Lightroom’s masking tools. Eric will demonstrate how to selectively control light and dark, create separation and depth, emphasize important elements, reduce distractions, and guide the viewer through an image.
Working through multiple photographs, Eric will demonstrate why there is no single recipe for a successful black-and-white image. Different photographs require different decisions, and the goal is to develop the skills to recognize what each image needs.
TOPICS COVERED
Session 1: Building the Black & White Image
- Identifying photographs with strong monochrome potential
- Evaluating an image and establishing an editing objective
- Black-and-white conversion and the Black & White Mix
- Controlling highlights, shadows, midtones, and tonal range
- Using the Tone Curve to shape contrast
- Understanding texture, clarity, and dehaze
Session 2: Shaping the Black & White Image
- Moving from global adjustments to selective editing
- Using Lightroom’s masking tools, selections, gradients, and brushes
- Creating separation, depth, and dimensionality
- Dodging and burning in Lightroom
- Emphasizing important elements and subduing distractions
- Evaluating the finished photograph and knowing when to stop
Materials Needed:
If you have questions about camera equipment or resources, contact us at edu@cpacphoto.org in advance of the class. For online classes and workshops please register as you normally would, and CPAC will update you with the proper links. To participate in an online course, students will need access to a desktop, laptop, or tablet with adequate internet connection and storage space.
- Computer with Lightroom installed
- Reliable internet connection and Zoom access
- A selection of photographs to reference or edit (recommended; final requirements TBD)