Silver Efex Pro 2 Workflow

[Mike Buckley]

There have been recent discussions about converting to black-and-white in general and also specifically to using Silver Efex Pro 2 to make that happen. I thought it would be helpful to consider the workflow I use with that product. Others are encouraged to add their comments.

Workflow is important when using SEP2. Though that's true of using any post-processing software, it is especially important to consciously think through the workflow when using SEP2 because the order of the panels from top to bottom does not comply with best-practice workflow. As an example, the very odd location of the Levels & Curve tool makes absolutely no sense to me.

Notice that the workflow indicated below involves only the panels located on the right side of the image that are used when custom post-processing an image. I never use any of the presets located on the left side of the image except the default preset that automatically displays the image in black-and-white upon opening the file in SEP2.

1. Before using SEP2, fully post-process the color version as if you were not going to make a monochrome version.
   
2. Once in SEP2, open the Loupe & Histogram panel and display the histogram (not the loupe). Always keep your eye on the histogram throughout the remaining steps.
   
   Also get used to using that panel's display of the system of 11 zones developed by Ansel Adams. Hovering over the histogram displays the zone numbers beneath the histogram. Hovering over a particular zone number displays the tones in the image that correspond with that zone. If the check mark on the left is enabled, clicking any zone number(s) will automatically display the corresponding tones in the image without having to hover over the zone numbers. (I often configure the simultaneous selection of Zones 0, 5 and 10 to display where the darkest, brightest and mid tones are located in the image.)
   
3. Apply the adjustments in the Color Filter panel.
   
4. Apply the Global Adjustments panel in order of each item within the panel. If you are used to controlling Levels and Curve tools, instead of using the Brightness and Contrast sliders in the Global Adjustments panel, use the Levels & Curve tool located in the Film Types panel.
   
5. Use the Selective Adjustments panel's Control Points mostly to darken and brighten selected areas and perhaps to finely tune other parameters listed on the Control Points. The goal is to lead the viewer's eye through the image on a path you want the viewer to take.
   
   While doing this, you will occasionally come upon selections (masks) that will be easier to make if you had made those changes in the color version. If that's the case, make them in the color version now. (With experience, you'll eventually know how to spot those situations while working with the color version before converting to monochrome. The moral of that story is that there are certain times the color version will be prepared differently knowing it will become a monochrome version than if you were only making a color version.)
   
6. Optional: Apply the Film Types panel in the order of each item within the panel except don't use the Levels & Curves tool (because those adjustments will have already been made in Step 4).
   
7. Optional: Apply the Finishing Adjustments panel in the order of each item within the panel.

Hope this helps! Looking forward to reviewing other ideas, clarifications and the like.

EDIT: I highly recommend Jason Odell's eBook, The Photographer's Guide to Silver Efex Pro 2. Several times a year he puts his eBooks on sale, so consider waiting for that to happen.

[Shadowman]

Thanks for the write up, still getting the hang of the software.

[ST1]

Thanks very much for creating this write up Mike, I hope you don't mind but I've added it to my little black book of processing tips. I shall give it a run through.

[Mark von Kanel]

Thanks Mike, well worth a read, how much do i owe you

[Mike Buckley]

how much do i owe you

You don't want to know.

[Mark von Kanel]

You don't want to know.

Bugger, now you sound like my wife......

[Donald]

Good one, Mike. My workflow varies very slightly, but not so as you'd notice. Useful thread for newer SEP2 users to save and refer back to until you get comfortable with your own workflow.

[Polar01]

Mike I have been using Silver Efex Pro 2 when is was just Sliver Efex, my workflow is a little different, however the first step is very important. As for your number 2 point that is visible when it opens up, however I do not look at it until I am almost finished working the image. For me your #3 item is something I almost never use. This is when the big difference comes, I do your #4 before #5. I do this because by placing a control point I lock down what is there. Lets say I know that in the edge I am going to do a global increase by increasing brightness, without that control point locking down that area I would have to add one now to decrease that increase in that area caused by the global adjustment. By using the global adjustment last, you can if see by way of the loupe how your zones are spread and if you have a good tonal range and if a global adjustment is needed.
I have found this is good for images displayed on a monitor/TV or web, but problems arise if printing. Now if may look good on screen, you can see say blacks in Zones 1,2,3,4, and upwards, however when you print, your printer blocks up the blacks thus only printing the tonal changes starting between Zones 3 and upwards. What to do, well increase the global until you push the Zone 1 black up to Zone 3. Now this is why if you are using Adobe Photoshop that the image you took into Silver Efex is done as either a smart object or as a smart layer, this will allow to be able to get back into Silver Efex to make adjustments. Now if you feel that you may have blown the highlights use a control point to bring them down or by using a adjustment layer in Adobe Photoshop by dropping the density to about 250 output. Remember that Zone 10 is pure white (255) no stock is that or printer able to print, most people would be hard press to tell the difference between Zone 8 and 9 besides most printers are not able to print the tonal difference between a zone 9 and 10.
As for the last two items I very rarely use then so they would be best left until last and used if needed.

Cheers: Allan

[Mike Buckley]

All of that makes sense, Allan. I'll clarify my thinking about a couple points that you made.

For me your #3 item is something I almost never use.

That being the case, you are almost always accepting the color filter automatically applied by the software as part of the preset being used to display the image even if it is the default preset. That's fine if doing so works for you. However, anyone using the custom approach that I use would be advised to use different color filters depending on the situation. As an example, the classic filter to use on a portrait of a Caucasian displaying a lot of skin tones would be a green filter whereas using that filter can produce horrible results in other situations.

I do your #4 before #5. I do this because by placing a control point I lock down what is there. Lets say I know that in the edge I am going to do a global increase by increasing brightness, without that control point locking down that area I would have to add one now to decrease that increase in that area caused by the global adjustment. By using the global adjustment last, you can if see by way of the loupe how your zones are spread and if you have a good tonal range and if a global adjustment is needed.

Your helpful, detailed explanation makes me think you meant to write that you do my step #5 before my step #4. Your reasoning makes a lot of sense to me.

I think the decision regarding which of those two steps to use first probably has most to do with how each of our brains works; we can first make a global adjustment and then perhaps revert a selected area to the way it was before the global adjustment, or we can lock down as you say the selected area and make the global adjustment so as not to affect relatively the selected area.

I mention for those not used to using the software that when using a control point first and then making a global adjustment, the area affected by the control point will also be affected by the global adjustment. It's the relationship between the areas affected or not by the control point that will remain unchanged. I'm not sure I explained that well or that I'm capable of doing so. Sheesh!

I have found this is good for images displayed on a monitor/TV or web, but problems arise if printing.

I do very little printing and I don't think I've ever printed a monochrome image larger than 5" x 7". Even so, I've read a lot of posts written by people who do at very discriminating levels including one person with prints owned by museums. I don't remember any of those people professing to be able to get everything just right in the print without making at least one test print and then modifying the file to overcome the deficiencies of that print. Many times several prints are made before being happy with the final print.

[Polar01]

Sorry Mike my mind jumps around a lot. Your first point back to me is correct I use the default filter, as I have used the program for some time, however I agree with you that it should be looked at to see what it can do, I have used it and still will if needed however as a general rule I let it sit at the default setting. I do often use the pre-sets on the left to sometimes give me a possible starting point.
Yes again in your reply back to me, I do what is your step 5 before your step 4, to my mind getting all the small fine points done with the single control adjustment points is better, than using global adjustments first. Another reason to do this first is in the sky, by adding a single control point into a large area of sky adjusting a little -structure to it locks it so if you add + structure through global it will not affect the sky as greatly as if there was no control. I do this as a number of videos by NIK before it became Googles' stated this and it seems to be correct when I worked this way. It than could be just my mind.
Again I agree with you last reply back to me. Printing monochrome can be such a pain. Especially the sky, banding can be a big problem as it is only 8 bit of info where as a colour image can be 16 bit ripped to 8 bit, the B&W is only 8 bit to begin with and if it is not right than when you print you will find out. That is why I like smart objects or smart layer and using Silver Efex as it lets me return to the original image and adjust it. I had one 13"x34" that took me 15 prints to get right, I would have liked to print is smaller but I would not have been able to see to tonal changes in it, that is almost 29 feet of stock and the roll only has 39 feet on it. Some of those people's 1st run proofs are better than my final print, not because their printer is better, but because they give their printer better data if work with.
It is all about knowledge and applying it, the more I or anyone can get, the better we can get.

Cheers: Allan

[Cliff Roamer]

Very interesting to read through your workflow Mike, I've used SEP1 for a while and I must confess I don't have any routine that could be considered a workflow

For me SEP is all about experimenting, so when I find an overall look I like I then tend to tweak anything and everything to see if I can improve it a bit more, I guess this is because of my lack of experience with the program and I'm often not really sure what I'm trying to achieve or what can be achieved until I see it.

I really like SEP and through using it I've become more aware about what images are more suitable to b/w, I read an article about working in b/w and it described the basic elements necessary as, contrast, shape and texture, which I've found to work most of the time and also it gives me an understanding of what to look for when shooting something I might convert to b/w.

Any idea if there are many differences between SEP1 and 2? I watched this video but can't see any new features or did I miss something?

[Mike Buckley]

Sorry, Mike (Cliff Roamer), I never used SEP1 so I have no thoughts about improvements that were made with SEP2. You might be interested in the capabilities explained here that were added to SEP 2.

[Cliff Roamer]

Thanks for the link Mike, not sure it's worth the upgrade so I'll stick with SEP1 for now

[Polar01]

Mike I would see if you can get newer version from Google or maybe the whole set as you did purchase it (SEP1) so you are a registered owner, I found their help deck very good if you already own Nik products, other here have also found that to be true. Worth a try can not lose anything, only gain.

Cheers: Allan

[Cliff Roamer]

Good idea Allan, I couldn't find SEP2 for sale anywhere and could only find SEP1 available as part of the Google Nik collection, I've emailed Google via their Nik collection web page, I'll post any reply from them here.

[Donald]

Good idea Allan, I couldn't find SEP2 for sale anywhere and could only find SEP1 available as part of the Google Nik collection, I've emailed Google via their Nik collection web page, I'll post any reply from them here.

Mike

I don't wish to seem to question what you write, but are you sure about that? If so, then Google has done a major turnaround. When Google bought Nik and decided to bundle all the plugins, SEP2 was already in existence and SEP1 was no longer available.

[Cliff Roamer]

I didn't know that Donald, I'm only going by what is on the Google Nik webpage which only says SEP, it doesn't actually mention if it's 1 or 2, so maybe SEP2 is what's bundled with the collection?
If/when I get a reply from Google, hopefully, it will clarify which edition it is, I post any reply I get.

Mike.

OK, I've just noticed two videos on the Google Nik webpage and they refer to SEP2 so I would assume you are correct and SEP2 is what is bundled, that's good, all I need now is a free/cheap way to upgrade

[Mike Buckley]

I'm only going by what is on the Google Nik webpage which only says SEP, it doesn't actually mention if it's 1 or 2,

Though that detail is displayed at the website, it is very well hidden. Once you are at the web page devoted exclusively to Silver Efex Pro, click the "Tutorials" link or the "Troubleshooting & FAQs" link. You'll see reference to version 2 of the product.

[Donald]

Ah hah. What they've done is drop the '1' and '2' descriptors. What's in there is SEP 2, but it's just us old-timers who refer to it as that nowadays!!

[davidedric]

Thanks, Mike, very interesting - I shall bookmark that.

A question. A tutorial I was following (don't know if I can find it again) suggested that it is often better to keep the contrast below optimum (for viewing, that is) in the colour version before converting. Has anyone heard that, or think there could be any merit in it?

Dave