Black and White photography

In the early days of photography, photographers had no choice but to shoot in black and
white, as it was the only available medium. Then the invention of Kodachrome gave colour
photography to the world. But black and white photography didn’t die off, instead it
flourished. Modern black and white photography at its best is art, and many photographers
regard it as the purest form of photography.
So why is black and white photography still so popular with 'purists'? Is it better than colour?
Does it provide something that colour cannot? One reason is that colour is a distraction. It
takes attention away from the visual building blocks of a great photo; texture, tonal
contrast, shape, form and lighting. A photographer shooting in black and white has to
learn how to use all these elements to create a memorable image. Taking a perfectly good
picture in colour and then just converting it to black and white usually just doesn't do it.
Another reason is that colour photography, much of it mediocre, is so abundant that black
and white makes a refreshing change.
From an artistic viewpoint; colour depicts reality. Black and white is an interpretation of
reality.

1. Learning to See in Mono

The key to successful black and white photography is learning to see the world in
monochrome. It’s important to understand that not all subjects are suitable for black and
white. There are certain types of photo that rely on colour for impact.
The successful black and photographer recognizes this, and searches out subject matter
that looks better in black and white.
As you’re evaluating your subject, try and imagine how it will look in black and white. Pre-
visualise the result after you’ve post-processed the image using your favourite techniques,
such as adding textures and toning. With practice, your vision will become very accurate.
A good tip for digital SLR users is to shoot in the RAW format (which you should do for the
best quality colour to black and white conversions anyway) but set the Picture Style (this is
Canon’s term – check your instruction manual if you have another brand of camera) to a
black and white mode. The photo will be displayed in black and white on the camera’s LCD
screen, and you’ll have all the colour information in the RAW file for your conversion
afterwards. What you see in the 'playback' LCD is actually a Jpeg version of the picture in
B&W. You won't use that technique for long, as you get used to visualising scenes in B&W.
2. Texture
Imagine the wall of an old building, or rusty metal, or weathered wood. Anything old
normally has lots of texture, and textures look great in black and white.
Texture is affected by the lighting conditions. Low raking light, typical of the golden hour of
light near sunrise and sunset, makes texture stand out sharply. The soft light of an overcast
day can also bring out texture, though it may need some help in post processing by
techniques such as increasing contrast.
The worst light for photographing texture is harsh midday light. The flatness of this type of
light hides texture.

This photo of a statue has great texture. The light is very soft, so the contrast was raised
using the Curves or Levels tool in Photoshop CS or Elements to bring out the texture. 'Levels'
is the most important editing feature.... you'll find other references to Levels in the
Learning page > Digital Editing. One other useful thing about B&W photography is that
White Balance is irrelevant.... light is light – temperature is not involved. So you could
light a subject with a spotlight, studio light, flash, daylight – anything. Quality of light is
important, though – particularly softness or diffusion.
3. Tonal Contrast
We’re used to seeing in colour. When colours are converted to black and white, they
become shades of grey. Light colours become highlights, and dark colours become dark
tones. The differences between these shades is called tonal contrast.
Black and white photographers utilise tonal contrast to make good photos.

The photo above, another doorway in northwest Argentina, uses tonal contrast to create a
dramatic scene. The light tones of the door frame and the paintings have created an
impressive image, though in this case the image may need to increase Brightness.
4. Shape and Form
Shape and form are two very important visual elements. Every object has both shape and
form. Shape is how the subject looks in two dimensions. A silhouette, like this photo of tree
branches, is an example of shape in a photo.

Form is how the subject looks in three dimensions. Photos are two dimensional, and like
painters, photographers have the challenge of depicting three dimensional objects (their
subjects) in a two dimensional form (the photo).
Black and white draws attention to the shadows and flowing lines that depict form. Use
lighting to make your subject look three dimensional. Side lighting reveals form by casting
shadows. Front and backlighting obscure it.
The form of the body of the old car in this photo is revealed by the shadows and the
reflections on the metal bodywork.
5. Lighting
The word photography derives from the ancient Greek for ‘painting with light’. Photography
is light, and the quality of the light determines the quality of the photo.
Black and white gives the photographer freedom to take photos in all sorts of lighting
conditions. The best light is still created by the sun when it’s low in the sky. But with black
and white you can also take photos during the middle of the day and on overcast days,
which are difficult lighting conditions for colour photography.
The secret is to make sure the light suits the subject. Midday light, for example, can be
great for architecture but poor for portraiture. An overcast day is ideal for taking portraits,
but poor for landscapes.
When talking about light and shadow, check out “Chiaroscuro” on Google – it literally means
“Light and Dark” and this, essentially, is what B&W photography is about. But that could
mean 'soot and whitewash' – only Black and White – or a gentler tonal range, with all the
shades of grey between black and white covered. Sometimes, what is often referred to
(probably wrongly) as 'Fine Art B&W' has little or no true black or true white – it tends to
use just the grey tones and give a much softer contrast.

This portrait was taken at the end of an overcast day. The soft light is very flattering.
6. Subjects for Black and White Photography
There are certain subjects that are ideal for black and white photography:

Portraiture
Without colour, attention is focused on the eyes and face, and the textures of the subject’s
clothes. Sepia toned photos, such as the one below, are very flattering and often used by
commercial portrait studios.

Elderly people, with wrinkled and time worn skin, are wonderful subjects for black and
white. The above photo is of an elderly indigenous lady in Bolivia. Her weathered skin and
hat, modelled on the style of helmets worn by the Spanish conquerors, make an evocative
and timeless portrait.
Both of these portraits were taken outside on cloudy days. This type of light is very
flattering for portraits. Direct sunlight creates harsh, ugly shadows across the face, and
should be avoided.
Landscapes
Black and white is a very effective medium for landscape photography. It draws attention to
the shapes and forms of the components within the landscape, and the quality of light.

This photo, taken on the Bolivian altiplano, is reduced to a series of shapes and blocks of
light and dark tones in black and white.
Architecture
Our towns and cities are full of modern architecture constructed from metal and glass.
Look for the shapes these buildings make against the sky.

Old buildings have beautiful weathered surfaces full of texture. Ancient castles, cathedrals
and churches also make great subjects. The photo above was taken in Oxford, England. The
university’s ‘dreaming spires’ reach into the sky.
Travel and Street Photography
Travel photography is about capturing the memory and emotion of a place that you’ve
visited. Black and white photos have a timelessness that is suitable for travel. This photo,
taken a few years ago in Argentina, could nearly have been taken a hundred years ago.
Still Life
Black and white works well for all sorts of still lifes. Without colour, the emphasis is on the
shapes and forms of the subject, and the quality of the lighting.

Black and white emphasises the shapes of their wings and the textures of the background.

Nudes
Nudes are recognised as one of the oldest subjects for artists and photographers. Black and
white nudes are timeless, and by removing colour, help elevate the subject matter from
something that is potentially smutty by treating the naked body as an art form. This is one
of those genres where the mid-tones become more important than having full black and/or
a full white in the image.
7. Some Great Black and White Photographers
All photographers need inspiration. Here are some of my favourite black and white
photographers, past and present:

Ansel Adams
[Link]
Perhaps the world’s best known black and white landscape photographer, Ansel Adams is
remembered for his beautiful photos of the American landscape. Adams was a master of
black and white printing processes and pioneered the zone system, a method of analysing
exposure to produce high quality black and white prints.

Martin Chambi
[Link]
A Peruvian photographer based in Cusco who photographed the beautiful Andean landscapes
and the indigenous people of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Karsh
[Link]
Karsh was the pre-eminent portrait photographer of his time. His subjects include Winston
Churchill and Ernest Hemingway.

David DuChemin
[Link]
(See the Ladakh and Classic India galleries)
Travel photographer David DuChemin has a beautiful portfolio of black and white photos
taken in Nepal and Tibet. His images of Buddhist monks are timeless and evocative.

Andrew Farrington
[Link]

Nick Brandt
[Link]
Fine art photographer Nick Brandt is famous for his black and white photos of African
animals and landscapes. Absolutely superb images – probably my favourite photographer.
Lara Jade Coton
[Link]
Flickr
(Mixture of colour and black and white images).
This young English photographer has created her own unique black and white style.

Zoriah
[Link]
Zoriah is a photojournalist who travels to the world’s conflict zones and troublespots,
recording the stories of the people whose lives are affected by political and economic
turmoil.

Further Reading....
Time for some serious browsing in the Library. I was there a few days ago and, at first
sight, the photography books are looking quite old and out of date. For techniques, they
are very dated but for examples of early photography, mainly in B&W, they are well worth
reading. I'd particularly recommend....
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Edwin Smith
Eugene Atget
Brassai
Bill Brandt
Ansel Adams: his books about 'The negative' may refer to film but they also give the secrets
of exposure, especially the fabled 'Zone System'.

Magazines

Check out the magazines in Chapters or Indigo..... one excellent mag is called (oddly
enough) 'Black and White Photography'. A British publication, regular reading is highly
recommended. I've seen other magazines that also specialise in B&W.... or look out for
photography magazines that have features on B&W mentioned on their front covers – the
articles are short but can help you to learn one step at a time.

Good Luck.
See also B&W – Northlight images