That way I get more “pop” with the contrast in those photos.
Pretty much every camera today will let you change how it initially processes the image. Some manufacturers call it something like “Picture Style,” but on my Nikons’ it’s “ Picture Control.” Since one of the hallmarks of a black-and-white “look” is contrast, I go to the “Monochrome” Picture Control and bump that up a couple of notches. That way I get more “pop” with the contrast in those photos. And, since I’m shooting RAW (NEF for Nikon), I can always change that contrast choice later, in software. I’ve used that setting for a while now, but this next one is a fairly new change for me, and it’s made a big difference!