For years I processed my black and white landscapes the same way — Nik Silver Efex, careful dodging and burning, trusting my eye. The results were good. But I kept wondering whether I was missing something. Whether real film — genuine photographic paper and chemistry — actually looked different. So I tested it.In this video I take a single shot of Cauldron Falls in Wensleydale, Yorkshire Dales, and process it through Dehancer Desktop’s film and paper emulation and compare it to my usual Nik Silver Efex workflow with manual dodging and burning, and I put both versions on screen side by side. The differences are subtle but significant. If you’ve ever felt your black and white work looks digital — technically correct but somehow flat — this might be the comparison you’ve been waiting for.
🔗 USEFUL LINKS:
Dehancer Desktop — film and darkroom emulation software
https://www.dehancer.com/shop/desktop
10% Discount Code: NIFTYFIFTY
Free B&W Photography ebook: https://niftyfiftyphotographers.com/product/the-art-of-intentional-black-and-white-photography-ebook/
🔍 Find out what’s blocking your photographic voice
Take the free 2-minute Photography Scorecard and discover the one thing stopping your work from cohering into something recognisably yours:
👉 https://niftyfiftyphotographers.com/photography-scorecard
AFFILIATE LINKS (I earn a small commission if you purchase through these links)
DXO Software & Nik Collection – Use code RICHARD15 for 15% discount: https://www.dxo.com
Dehancer Plugin (retro/film looks) – Use code NIFTYFIFTY for 10% discount: http://dehancer.com/
K&F Photography Products – Use code RICHARD20 for 20% discount: https://www.kentfaith.com/
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