It is not my intention to say one way is better than any other - people must decide for themselves by looking at full size images on screen and in print which method they prefer. The main point is the blend mode which is an improvement over using 'normal' blend for the reasons I gave if you are using the desaturation or channel mixer method. Jeff - It is usually preferable to convert to b/w in postwork because you have got more options to control the process, plus you have a colour image too. If you shoot in b/w with your camera it takes a colour image and converts it to greyscale based purely on the lightness value of the individual pixels. But it is a big advantage if you are using a compact/prosumer camera that does have a b/w mode, because most of them display what you are about to shoot in b/w on the live lcd display. It is not easy to visualise scenes in b/w and takes some practise, the display is very valuable, but then change to a colour mode for capturing the scene. Pascale - On the layers palette - highlight the adjustment layer and just above under the word 'layers' is a drop down box where you can select the blend mode. You will see the image change as you do it. (It also apperas on the window when you first choose layer adj and defaults to 'normal')

And every one said, 'If we only live,
We too will go to sea in a Sieve,---
To the hills of the Chankly Bore!'
Far and few, far and few, Are the lands where the Jumblies live;
Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, And they went to sea in a Sieve.

Edward Lear
http://www.nonsenselit.org/Lear/ns/jumblies.html