Colourful photos show the beautiful colour, but there is something unique and magical about black and white photography, isn’t it? Black and white photography shows the genuine emotion and moment behind the photo. The black and white photography brings the moment back with the different lighting contrasts. For an extended period, black and white photography was not popular as colourful photography. Some people might think that the black and white photos are not beautiful and memorable as colourful photos, well that might be wrong.
Indeed shooting the photos in colour is great, but the black and white images can bring memories and perspective, which colourful photos can not. Thousands of artists create black and white images that are very beautiful and show the real emotion behind the picture.
Black and white photography seems to be easy, but let’s be clear that black and white photography is difficult to master. There are several things to follow and remember while creating black and white photography. In today’s article, we have made a list of tips and ways to follow while creating black and white photos.
Table of Contents
Get inspiration from others.
Starting without any idea can be difficult. That’s why taking inspiration and ideas from others is very important. You must look at other black and white photos and videos for ideas. There was little colouring in the back days, and people used to create some fantastic black and white shots. You can also look at some old vintage photos and videos for ideas.
Getting black and photos are not that difficult; you can google “old black and white photos” in Google; it’s just a Google search away. You will get thousands of beautiful black and white photos to take ideas from.
Moreover, you can also check out several sites with black and white photos. One of the best recommended to look for black and white photos is photoAC. In photoAC you will find thousands of the best black and white photos to take inspiration from.
Use the contrast in black and white photos.
Black and white photos are just about playing with black and white and shades in between. That’s why to try using contrast in your images while taking a snap. Before taking any picture, think how it will look when you turn it into black and white. If you take an image with a bright sky, it will look beautiful with dark objects if you use contrast. If you place someone or something in front of the light background, it will make a great contrast.
Not only with the sky, but contrasts can also be used while doing black and white fashion photography. There are thousands of ways to experiment with the contrast with black and white photos. You can take some pictures and find contrasting things. This will help you in taking a perfect snap.
Shoot in RAW
If you are a professional photographer, taking photos in RAW format is very important, especially shooting black and white images. Taking a picture in RAW format will allow you to edit and tweak the photo more efficiently while editing in black and white.
Looking at your camera options, you may also find the black and white options. It will give you a better knowledge of how people or things will look in black and white. Likewise, if you are doing black and white flower photography, this option can help better understand how shape and light are coming out.
Experiment with exposure
Playing around with exposure is always a good idea, and black and white photography is an excellent place to experiment with it. You can add some dramatic effects in your photos with over or underexposure. That’s why exposure can also be one of the best things to try out while shooting black and white images. You can try out with different exposure for the perfect shot. Moreover, look for natural lighting too. Flat light can also help enhance the image quality where there is insufficient exposure.
Black can make a white pop
The dark can not be too dark while shooting black and white photos in most cases. If you are shooting black, dark and darks, you can make the white pop out more later. The grey and white will pop out even if they are hardly seen.
It is essential to make your photos pop. Pop outed things are caught by the eyes very fast. So making a colour pop in black and white images is necessary. , make the colour pop at the beginning and look for the best part of the image if any detail is missed. Black and white photos can easily be popped; you need to take care of them.
Look for the available patterns
You may have noticed patterns in most of the black and white photos. Well, patterns can be excellent in black and white images. Patterns catch viewers’ eyes very quickly and make them look for more. Patterns can be cars going from one direction to another, blades of grass, repeating objects, rocks on the ground, design or texture.
Let’s take an example. If you capture the street black and white photos with patterns, it can make the main object grab the attention quickly. There will be no colour that can distract in black and white images, and thats’ why patterns can look good in black and white photos.
Next time while taking a shot, try finding a pattern. If your eye sees away, it can be a good sign to take a picture.
Try different filters
Filters can help control the amount of light that enters the camera. Because of that, using a filter in black and white photography can help make a picture darker can add more contrast. For example, if you use a polarizer on the camera while shooting black and white, the bright part will become darker, adding more contrast. The partial filters available on camera can also work well while taking black and white photos.
Try darkening the corner of the frame if it is bright. You can also experiment and test with filters and without filters. This will give you a better knowledge of either to use the filter in that situation or not. Photography needs experiment; make it happen.
Use software
You need to think about post-production while taking black and white photography. Photoshop and Lightroom are some of the best software that can help enhance the black and white photos, but some of the software is specifically designed for black and white images.
One program is named “Effex Pro 2“. This plugin is for Lightroom and Photoshop to make your black and white photography better. It makes it easier for the photographic process in post-production can be more accessible in making good photos with little effort.
Not only on pc but smartphones can also be used for photo editing today with the help of the apps like Instasize. Instasize can be used in adjusting the level of shadows and lights in black and white photos. This app has a free black and white filter, while you can take a subscription for complete access.
Use flash if necessary.
Flash is not that necessary while doing a photo shoot in nature. Well, it might be wrong to think that. While taking photos outdoor, flash is needed, especially if you are doing black and white photography. Flash helps create shades of grey when you post-edit the image into black and white. Because of that, more contrast can be used.
Flash doesn’t seem to be necessary while doing a photoshoot in nature, but that flash can add contrast in post-production, which can help show the shades of grey. You must give it a try once.
Use the rule of thirds.
Whether you are taking colour or black and white images, using a rule of thirds can be very helpful in getting attention. The rule of thirds makes a grid of three vertical and horizontal lines, which you can see through the viewfinder of the camera screen. Interest is the point’s meeting point. You can place the subject to one of those lines. For the rule of thirds, you can put the subject in the left third line or right third line of the frame.
When to Use Black And White Effects
Distracting Color
Sometimes bright colours around the subject can make a subject less critical. If you feel like the subject’s environment is distracting the importance of the subject, using black and white will be best for eliminating the distraction.
Photos With Texture
If you have taken a shot with a high texture, removing colour can force people in noticing the texture of something that might not be visible in the colour image.
High Contrast Photos
If you have taken a shot that has a lot of contrast between dark and light, using black and white can help in making the image more interesting
Portrait Photography
Portraits photos usually involve so many emotions and beautiful moments. Using black and white in portraits can show off the emotions hidden in the image, which might not be seen in the color image.
Shooting in Black and White vs changing into black and white in post-production
Today’s days, most of the camera comes with the black and white mode. This brings a critical question: Is taking black and white photos good during photoshoots, or is it better to take colour photo and change it into black and white in post-production?
In our opinion, taking pictures in colour first and converting it into black and white in post-production will be best. We don’t mean that taking black and white photos during the photoshoot is not a good idea, but if you want a colour photo by the change of mind, you can get it if you take it in colour.
Moreover, if you take a picture in colour during the photo shoot, you will get more access over editing while changing it into black and white in post-production. You can play around with colours while converting images into black and white.
For example, you can make the sky appear darker by creating the blue channel dark in your monochrome image, but it will not be possible if it is taken in black and white.
If you are confident that you can take the best shot, then taking a black and white photo during a photo shoot will be best, but if not, you can go with a colour photo and change it into black and white later.
Why do black and white photos need special attention?
No distracting colours
The colours are great, but at the same time, colours can add distraction to the photos. The benefit of using black and white photography is that it does not contain colour distracting. Because of that, you can easily see the patterns and contrast, which can not be seen easily in colour photos.
It can reflect emotion
You can identify the exact date of the photo taken by looking at the black and white image. That photo could have been taken currently or 20 years ago; it will be challenging to identify. When the photos are taken, black and white photos can reflect emotions that might not be seen in colour photos. Awe, happiness, bleakness and many more emotions can easily be identified in black and white images.
Extra equipment
If you are trying to take a good shot, black and white photos will need extra equipment. You can check out the equipment online if you are just a beginner. Using flash can also be one of the best things in black and white photography.
Experimenting is the key
Taking out the camera and taking a shot is not enough to be called a photographer. Knowing doing the right thing in the right place is essential. That’s why experimenting is the key.
You can do several experiments with the filters; lighting and exposure can benefit post-production. You will also need to experiment while taking a color photo, but black and white photography needs more experiment.
How can a black and white filter be used in digital photography?
You can find the grayscale monochrome filters in both native and DSLR cameras. You can easily find these tools in the setting with other photo effects, including sepia. If you don’t want to take a black and white photo at the moment, you can take the colour photo and turn it into black and white in post-production. Digital photography processing has been so advanced that it becomes nearly impossible to identify whether the picture is taken black and white during the shoot or turned into black and white in post-production.
Conclusion
Black and white photography is not just taking a picture; it is also expressing the emotion of the moment. To date, artists of black and white photography have created several photography genres. There are several blacks and white photography genres like black and white animal photography, black and white portraits photography, black and white erotic photography, and black and white street photography. Photographers shooting black and white photos from different prospecting have enriched all these photograph genres.