Digital BW, The Print

Steve,

I have Photoshop CS so I don't know how much of this applies to 
Elements, but I will share my observations on color vs B&W.  Take 
what I say with a grain of salt because I will be putting in a plug 
for the color-to-B&W method I devised.

A true grayscale image only has one channel of information whereas a 
color image in the RGB mode has three.  What is stored in these 
channels is not only color information, but also tone information.  
And tone is what B&W is all about.  Therefore, a RGB image has the 
capability of storing more tonal information than a single channel 
grayscale image.  In fact, I have read recommendations that B&W 
negatives should be scanned as color so the scanner can pick up all 
the information it can.  This may lead to a color cast in the scanned 
image, but the cast will be removed when converted to B&W.

I know many photographers who shoot in color and then convert to B&W 
in the computer.  When converting to B&W in the full version of 
Photoshop, there are a number of ways of doing so.  (Here comes the 
plug).  On my web site, www.zuberphotographics.com, I discuss several 
of the customary methods of converting from color to B&W and I also 
discuss a method I devised called the Tone Management System (there 
is no fee or charge to use it).

I do not know if you are trying to use a Hue/Saturation adjustment 
layer to remove the color by desaturating the image.  If so, and 
Elements supports it, change the blending mode to Color.  If left to 
Normal, the resulting B&W image will be flat indeed.

Whatever method you use, I suggest you not convert to grayscale and 
reduce your image to one channel.  (Unless you want to create true 
duo/tri/quad tones, then you have to.)  If you want to work in 
grayscale tonality, my web site shows you how to keep your image in 
color yet still work in true grayscale tones (it is the grayscale 
section under Tone Management System).

Hopefully, I did not waste your time because I do not know what you 
can and can not do in Elements.  But keep in mind that Light is 
Information and it is the channels where this information is stored.  
And in a lot of cases, three channels are better than one.

Thomas

> 
> I don't have photoshop cs, but I do have elements 2.0.
> 
> I have read that it is better to shoot in color, then convert to 
> greyscale, as opposed to using the b&w camera setting.
> 
> Should I shoot in color, then convert to greyscale in elements?
> 
> Additionally, most of the conversions are very flat looking with 
very 
> little contrast.
> 
> Any help would be greatly appreciated....thanks for being so 
patient 
> with a novice.
> 
> Steve