Tried a slightly different post processing procedure. I started by converting the image to B&W in Nikon Capture 4.2 via the Photo Effects option. Then in Nikon Capture, I changed the White Balance setting from sunlight (where it was set when this image was shot) to shade - which gave a better light/dark contrast. I then further increased the contrast via the lightness channel. Finally, I brought the Capture output jpeg file into Picture Window Pro and extended the levels to full scale (even after all of the white/black contrast adjusting in Capture the resulting black & white points were a hair less than full scale). I did a small adjustment of the dark area (using curves) to regain some shadow detail in the trees on the left. Last, I sharpened via USM in PWP and what you see is what I got. I like this much better than what I got originally (click previous to see the original) - the whites are whiter, the blacks are blacker and the mid-tone grays remained about the same which is just what I wanted to accomplish. The big lesson for me is to shoot in RAW otherwise you're stuck with whatever WB you got when you pressed the shutter. Oh, yeah - I cloned out a branch just for the fun of it.

Shooting IR - With both the D70 & the Coolpix 5700 I use a Harrison & Harrison 88a filter. My camera settings are the same as for a normal shot EXCEPT the exposure compensation. For the D70 I use an EV = +2.7 and somewhat less but still way positive for the 5700. You may have to experiment with this by taking a shot and examining the histogram. The big thing is to get the histogram off the left edge - which is where it will be if you don't dial in a + EV. Beyond that I don't change anything from where it would be for the same shot done in non-IR. (In fact, I shoot a non-IR shot *before* shooting every IR shot, just to have a normal color version for whatever reason may arise. After getting a good non-IR I simply dial in +2.7 EV, screw in the IR filter, and shoot - off a tripod with the remote release). Shooting with the D70 is easy because you can - and should - shoot in RAW. If you shoot in RAW then the solution is in the post processing - just follow the steps outlined above. For more on IR techniques Google IR techniques & tips - and be inundated with hits.