Beauty in the Lack of Color

Be observant of Texture

Texture is really just a form of contrast, but it is perceived quite differently. If you think about it, texture is the regular or irregular pattern of shadows and highlights at various intensities. Black & white photos really lend themselves to texture because color generally add another layer of complexity, thus masking most subtle textures. Look for areas of interesting texture that can be photographed by zeroing in on specific surfaces and examining them for signs of patterned contrast.

Contrast is Key

Black & white photography is about the black, the white, and all the tones in between. The human eye is built to pick up two things: light intensity and color. When you remove the color, your eyes become more sensitive to the light intensity.

We naturally pick out areas of contrast — it’s how we distinguish one thing from another. As a black & white photographer, your main objective is to make your point with shades of gray. Use contrast to show your onlookers what’s important and what’s not. Seek out scenes that naturally show signs of high contrast, and your black & white photos will be more compelling right from the start.

Black & White photography takes Practice

An experienced black & white photographer can see the world without color. They’ve trained their mind to pick up contrast and tone while blocking the distraction of colors. This isn’t a skill that you can pick up in a short amount of time; it’s something that comes naturally in time. I can’t say that I’m gifted enough to have monochrome vision, but I have been able to notice certain scenes and subjects that would lend themselves to black & white.

More Tips and Ideas for Black and White Photography

Since the first film was shot and developed, black and white has been a favored choice among master photographers around the world. Why is it that this medium is preferred by so many fine artists and masters of the trade?

* It's classic and elegant, even romantic and special.
* When learning photography, the simplicity of black and white helps you focus on the important stuff.
* You can often turn a drab color shot into an amazing black and white.
* If you do your own darkroom work - traditional or digital - it opens up a world of magic and fun.

For more Thoughts and Tips on Taking Black and White Pictures visit:
www.betterphoto.com/exploring/bnw.asp

six reasons that I enjoy black and white photography

* Black and white photography is seen less frequently; hence it is rare - and for that reason alone... it is of interest

* When used "properly," black and white accentuates the depth of the photograph

* Black and white heightens emotional content

* Black and white photography has a tendency to make photos look more like works of art

* Produces a clean, crisp look

* Transforms a dingy or overcast look into a striking photo evoking emotion

Common Information on Black & White photography

Common Information On black and white photography

View more presentations from ralphoneday.

Masters of Black and White Photography

to see some example pictures of professional photographers click here

how to convert photos to black and white using photoshop

Black and White Conversions from Adler Photo Workshops on Vimeo.

Mr. Mielke's advice on black and white photography

Mr. Mielke is a professional photographer with his own web site for his photography at timmielke.efoliomn2.com
He also teaches photography classes at Maranatha Baptist Bible College.

Mr Mielke gave this advice/opinion on black and white photography.

-"with black and white photos you want to make sure you have a good amount of contrast."

-having a camera with better sensor quality and a better lens is more important than high megapixels, for any photos but especially for black and white.

- "digital cameras with noise is highly unrecommended for B&W photos but grain from a film camera can add an artistic affect."

Mr. Mielke recommends these black and white photographers for some inspiration on B&W photos:
Ansel Adams - landscapes. and Dorothea Lange - people, emotion
In conclusion Mr. Mielke stated "Black and white photography has its place without some of the distractions of color, black and white works great for portraits and landscape."

samples of well done black and white photos

sample pictures of black and white photography

3 helpful black & white tips

Darren Rowse points out a few good tips for black and white photos. For starters, If your camera doesn’t allow you to shoot in RAW (or you choose not to) - shoot in color and do your conversion to black and white later on your computer.

While most digital cameras offer you the option to shoot in Black and White (and can produce some reasonable results) you have more control over your end results if you have the color data to work with in your conversion on your computer

Shoot with the lowest possible ISO possible. While this is something that most of us do in color photography it is particularly important when it comes to black and white where noise created by ISO can become even more obvious. If you’re after this ‘noise’ (or grain) you can always add it later in your post production - but it’s harder to go the other way and take noise out.

Most of the general tips on how to compose or frame a good shot apply just as well to black and white photography as they do when shooting in color - however the main obvious difference is that you’re unable to use color to lead the eye into or around your shot. This means you need to train yourself to look at shapes, tones and textures in your frame as points of interest. Pay particularly attention to shadows and highlights which will become a feature of your shot.