Black and white conversion

Clickinmoms.com had a photoshop tutorial on black and white conversions.  I muddle through conversions but it's not often I am really excited about how a conversion comes out.

I did something stupid with this effort and started with a photo I wanted to "save"  It was a cute expression and I knew mom and dad would like it.  But it took cloning and fussing and I couldn't really get it all right.

Start: 

So,  I did what I could with the back blurred it out a little and just went on with the conversion.  The conversion part was simple,  but new to me.

1. desaturate the image completely
2.  add a "soft light" curve
3.  Add a level adjustment ( 20/.80) to darken the midtones/shadows
4. Add a level adjustment (10/1.4) to then brighten the midtones for contrast.

Then because every image is different,  I played with the opacity of the layers.   Then I did a quick eyeball sharpen.  I liked the outcome for this one (at least in terms of the BW conversion.  The background is another story.):

 

Do you have a "go to" process for BW conversions?

More backlighting

Ok,  so the ever patient Lucy was a trooper again today.  I should mention that I am really looking at exposure and not composition...  Today I really wanted to see what it would look like if I exposed to capture more details in the sun-lit hair.  My goal is to love what I get sooc.  Then use Photoshop to enhance it.

Here's what I started with...

 

f/5.6 1/160 ISO 200  My focal length was 130,  so maybe if my ss was 1/200 then it would have been sharper.  Or maybe there was camera shake.  Or maybe the sun flare.  

Ok,  so what I like about this is that the highlights aren't completely blown.  Her messy hair still looks like hair.  What I don't like is that its so dark on her face and in her shirt that it's just not working.  Her eyes are flat with no catch-lights to speak of. 

What could/should I have tried?  Maybe a touch of fill flash-  or maybe hanging a big white blanket behind me.  Or maybe my reflector.

What did I do?  I photo-shopped it.  Of course my goal is to be way closer to this IN CAMERA,  so I don't have to tweak so much to "save" it.

  Finished image:

And,  the before and after: