In a world of vivid color, black and white seem obsolete. However, a growing number of photography enthusiasts are taking notice of black and white photography. This technique can be viewed in a variety of ways: returning to old-fashioned ways, a learning tool for beginners, or an attempt to go artsy. It is true that you cannot be good in color photography without having to learn how to take pictures in black and white. Here is what you need to know when it comes to black and white photography.
Choose your subject – One of the main considerations in black and white photography is to know what to shoot. Choosing the right subject is important. Black and white photos have way of displaying an old-world, sentimental feel that isn’t possible in color pictures. For starters, you can choose landscape or landmarks. These scenes seem bland and minimalist in color, but in black and white they look absolutely stunning and compelling with its accentuated lines, textures, and edges.
Choose the right film – Do not choose a film that has too low grain. A minimum of 400iso is the standard in black and white films.
See what works in B&W – It’s always good to understand how color versus gray tones work. Think about what you want to capture in your photo. If the colors in the scene are turned into shades of grey, other aspects like lighting, shape, contrast, texture, and tone become the dominant elements.
However, you have to take note of the color contrast, which is usually a hit-or-miss among photography beginners. For instance, a red mailbox against a green background would have almost identical gray tones when converted to black and white.
Play with lines – Black and white photography can be useful in emphasizing and strengthening perspective in a picture which color may not be able to achieve.
Consider the lighting – In black and white photography, lighting takes on a pivotal role. It can wither create or obscure the mood of the photograph. You can convey a dreamy and romantic feel to the pictures if you use the soft lighting of an overcast or foggy day. The gentle light that the sun throws when it’s setting will accentuate the shadows of the picture and evoke a totally different mood.
But what’s great in black and white photography is that it’s easier to mix various light conditions. For instance, a room with green neon, yellow-orange halogen, yellow-white sunlight, and add your blue-white flash, would look washed-up in color; but a black and white image can still give enough grays to keep the image readable.
Consider contrast and key – High key means there are predominantly light tones in the picture while low key is where the photo comprises mostly of dark tones. These determine the contrast level of the photo. A high contrast has an extreme range between the bright and dark and this will steer the viewer to pay more attention to a particular subject within the picture. On the other hand, a low contrast image has a limited range of brightness and this can come in useful when you wish to convey a particular mood such as tranquility.
Use filters – Shooting in black and white becomes more interesting when filters are used. By absorbing its complementary (or opposite) color, a filter can improve both contrast and detail in black and white photography and may even provide some interesting effects. Just attach the filter on your lens using its lens thread or by putting on an inexpensive adaptor ring.
Manipulate digitally – Even black and white photography adapts to advancements in technology with fair results, since it is best to shoot using a black and white film and develop the roll on your own. However, if you are interested in black and white photography but you do not have the right equipment, you can just take pictures using your handy digital camera and adjust the color settings using a graphic program like Photoshop.
One way to do it is to use the grayscale conversion, making all three color channels (red, green, and blue) are averaged. Another way is to adjust the RGB (or the three color channels) separately using the “Split Channel” option. When doing this, just try to keep the “red” setting and tweak the green and blue channels. The result could be much better than the standard grayscale.
Try experimenting on your program to know the best way to achieve great black and white photos.