Five ways to see in black and white
I built these five presets in Lightroom from my own black and white edits, the same starting points I use for street, concert and portrait work. Each one gives your picture a different mood in one click:
- 01 Soft Matte. Bright and gentle, with softened blacks and a light grain.
- 02 Faded Film. Low contrast and faded, like an old print.
- 03 Bright Detail. Open shadows and crisp, punchy texture.
- 04 Grit & Grain. High contrast with heavy, film-style grain.
- 05 Low Key. Dark, moody and dramatic.
They're a starting point, not a finished edit. Apply one, adjust the exposure and the Amount slider to suit your picture, and you'll have a black and white edit you're proud of in seconds.
They work in Lightroom Classic, Lightroom desktop and Lightroom Mobile.
Mark Kaye
Founder, Perfect Picture Academy
WHO IS MARK KAYE?
Mark Kaye is a tour, concert, portrait and street photographer, and the founder of Perfect Picture Academy.
His work has been recognised at the International Photography Awards, with Official Selections and Honourable Mentions in recent years. After the pandemic, he photographed Virgin Radio's concert tour for emergency workers, from Scotland to London, and Virgin Radio has featured his work online many times since.
Mark created the SIMPLE system to take the guesswork out of photography, and to help beginners take pictures they're proud of with the camera they already own.
Ready to try them?
Enter your first name and email, and I’ll send your five free presets straight to your inbox. Plus one practical photography email a month.
By signing up, you agree to receive emails from Perfect Picture Academy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
