If you are new to photography, you may think that taking photos in black and white is rather old-fashioned and out of date, especially in today’s modern, digital world. The reality is that black and white photography is just as popular as it ever was, and can make for some stunning images.
While colour photos can be extremely powerful and effective, black and white photos can often enhance certain elements of an image, including textures, shapes, tonal contrast and the quality of light. Black and white photos can also be useful in situations where colour may be a distraction from the main subject of your photo.
One of the key things to consider when taking black and white photos is the contrast of the tones. Since there is no colour, you should generally look for a contrast between the light and dark tones. This helps to enhance the shapes of objects in the image, as well as adding interest.
Black and white photos can also work well for landscapes. Some of the most renowned photographers have taken landscapes in black and white, such as Ansel Adams.
When taking black and white photos, there are two ways you can do it. One is to set your camera to Monochrome, the other is to convert the image to black and white on your computer during post processing. If you are shooting in RAW, your camera will show you the black and white JPEG preview, but the file will still retain the colour information. This can be useful if you are trying to decide between the colour and black white version of an image.
So try taking some photos in black and white or perhaps convert some of your existing photos to black and white and see the difference it can make to your photography.
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