Bradley points out that when simply converting to black and white in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, you get a very thumbnailed view of your picture, one that doesn't grant you a good look at how sharp it will turn out, or how the newly limited hue will look in certain corners of the image. By setting up a bottom layer of the image and tweaking its saturation, shadows and highlights, and other elements, you'll get a lot more control over how good your finished product turns out.
Photo gurus, what steps do you always take when you're converting a shot to black and white? Share the knowledge in the comments.
