Split Toning Images in Adobe Lightroom

With this photograph, I used the split toning controls within Adobe Lightroom’s Develop Panel to make a different looking image.  I converted the image to black and white then used the split toning section to set the colours that I wanted to use to tone the image (a grey-blue for the shadows and a grey-gold for the highlights).  Using the sliders to tweak the hue and saturation of these tones, I was able to bring a subtle, metallic sheen to this monk’s skin.  I had this look in mind recently which has a very different feel from the original, colour image which has warm earthy tones.

Here is a more typical look that I like in my black and white work

In the original, the dust in air has warmed the light and given a glow to everything.

I like how you can use great light to create different versions of the same image.  I’m still not sure which one I prefer.  Colour is pretty consistently a main theme in my images but I like the glow and the slightly metallic look in the split toned edition.