Black & White Photography

As you know, if you’ve been reading my blog this year, I have been experimenting with different types of photography and techniques with my camera and in post processing. Black & White photography is something that, for the longest time, I didn’t understand. Why would you want to take a picture in black and white when there is color available now? I thought it was just outdated. Now, I understand differently.
 
One reason you may want to take pictures in black and white is to actually remove color from a scene—to simplify the scene. It may not need the color. The color may detract from the subject. Removing the color may get your audience to focus on the subject in the photo. For instance, in the picture I’ve posted, if the trees in the background were flowering and the weeds in the foreground had flowers, they would draw my viewers attention away from what I want them to notice (which is the abandoned train). Having the image in Black & White, fixes this issue. You can’t notice any flowers. Nothing distracts you from the train.
 
Sure, there are many other reasons to photograph in Black & White, but I thought I would just give an example in this blog entry. Perhaps, in the future, I’ll discuss other reasons.
 
Although this is a Black & White image, I encourage you to take the image in color. Then, convert it to a black and white image in post processing. You can always change your mind, if you have the color version available, and go back to it. You have a lot of flexibility when you start with a color file. In post-processing, you’re able to adjust the “colors” –even after you’ve converted the image to black & white. For Instance, you could darken/lighten the green channel to make the color of the trees change in a monochrome image. You wouldn’t be able to do that if you shot the image in black & white. So, shoot your images in color—with the intention of processing it as a Black & White Photo.
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You have to train your eye to see differently to do black & white photography. Some cameras have a setting to let you see in black & white, while shooting in color. It can help you see your images. Give Black & White a try!

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