Seeing things in Black and White

I never tended to do black and white photographs.
I said things like "the world is in colour, why monkey with it?" or "monochrome is monotonous" or any of several other throwaway lines that really meant only one thing - I did not know how to create a black and white photograph that had punch, drama and flair in any measure or combination.
Now I have a clue (yes, a small clue, but a good start!) how to go about doing it - I am not there yet, but my B&W conversions are starting to look interesting, at least to me :-)

So, what changed?

I read this book - which, while interesting, was mainly using Lightroom (which I have never used - yet!) and so was not of immediate use to me - until I came across this blog post by Bob Rockerfeller which ties it all up nicely, and provides the Lightroom to Aperture mappings (where they exist) so you don't have to....

But the key to it all is experimentation. Consider this series of images


Above: The Original

Above: Just sliding the saturation slider all the way left...

Above: using the Red Preset in Aperture

Above: Using the Blue Preset in Aperture

Above: Using the Green Preset in Aperture

Above: Using the Yellow Preset in Aperture

Above: Using the Orange Preset in Aperture

Above: Using the Low Contrast Preset in Aperture

Above: Using the Higher Contrast Preset in Aperture

Above: Using the Highest Contrast Preset in Aperture

Above: After my experimentation...

You don't need me to point out the differences, ( but in case you do look at the white lanterns on the front of the engine, and the metal panel between the buffer stops).

The last one is the one I like best, and although a little dark, it does have detail in all the brightest whites (unfortunately the sky is beyond anything but major surgery in Photoshop) and the hills in the background have appeared, as have details in the houses to the left.

So, from a so-so colour original, I appear to have made an interesting (well, to my mind anyway!) black and white shot, using some of the techniques laid out in the book, translated into an aperture workflow via Bob Rockerfellers site.
It was actually easier than it sounds!

Hope you like it, and if you are encouraged to go have a look at the site selling the book, check out some of the others on sale there - they are cheap ($5), written by some people who really know their stuff and make great lunch time reading.
Bob Rockerfellers blog I am still evaluating, but the information given there seems accurate, helpful and worth at least a little of your time.

As always, comments, suggestions, critiques and emails always appreciated.