More black & white photography
Photography is unreal. Black & white
photography is even more unreal. You can show the viewer something they've never seen
before. A new and unique way of seeing. This is why I like photographing in black and
white. You are less concerned with color and how it effects the final result. I shoot
majority of my still-life images on black and white film. I have more freedom to arrange
objects around and very little concern about their color. If I used color film, I must pay
attention to different colors and make sure one does not dominate the others or is not
distracting. Black and white gives me more options to arrange different settings.
Outdoors, most of my photography is done on color slides, but occasionally I come across a
scene that calls for black and white. Photograph an old church to tell about its history
with black and white film and people find it more interesting. They see black and white
pictures as something which belongs in the past. This is not to say that only older
buildings should be photographed in black and white. In photography every situation calls
for different techniques, equipment, and other considerations. I don't always use the same
lens or same color slide film. What I use depends on the subject. Black and white is
another tool for photographers to use and share their vision with others. Ask yourself
what you find interesting about a scene you are about to photograph. What do you want to
show? We use different lenses to change perspective; change position to show a deferent
view. Now think black and white to show a totally different image than what people are
used to seeing. A landscape in color shows colorful flowers and green vegetation with
mountains in the background under bright blue sky. The viewer sees a familiar scene and
can admire its color and perhaps wanting to be there. Same landscape in black and white
takes the viewer attention away from familiar objects. Details are now more dominating.
Shape, lines, texture are more visible. The background mountains and objects that once
dominated the landscape blend together in similar shades of gray.
A colorful bird such as a peacock draws
attention to its feathers when photographed in color. In black and white you immediately
see lines, patterns, and shapes. We are less concerned about the bird and its character
and more amazed by its design. I'm not saying one is better than the other, but each is
unique and interesting in its own way. Black and white photography is not as easy as some
may think. Mastering black and white will take many years. It takes great imagination to
produce a good photograph. True that color is not a major concern, but you still need to
understand how each color records on paper. Each color records as different shade of gray.
There are about 200 shades of gray from light to medium to dark. Perhaps the most
important part of making a black and white photograph is creating a balanced contrast
between those shades. You can use contrast filters to lighten or darken the grays. You
should run a test by photographing an object having different colors with black and white
film through different filters and record how each color is effected.
I must admit I don't use black and white films as much as I used to. Not many
photographers photograph in black and white. I am usually more concern about light,
composition, and finding the best camera position and don't stop and think how my subject
would appear on a black and white print. Many subjects I have photographed would have made
a great black and white photograph if I had simply stopped and tried to think how they
would appear on black and white print. Each subject requires careful approach and we need
to select the best possible photographic tools to produce the best image depending on the
type of subject we want to photograph. Black and white is another tool that can be used to
create images if we allow ourselves to see beyond what is visible to us, and show others a
new way of looking at even the most ordinary objects.
Recommended reading:
Black and White Photography : A Basic Manual
Synopsis
A photography instructor guides individuals in the mechanics of taking, developing, and printing black-and-white pictures.