You can make or break a black and white photograph. We have the tips to show you how to make it work for you.
There is a timeless flavour about black and white photography. You can evoke nostalgia and even antiquity when you choose to shoot a scene in shades of grey. However, it's not always easy to convey the right mood when it comes to black and white. You have to consider several factors, ranging from shape to lighting, contrast, tone and texture. Here are six pointers to help you get right into the picture you always wanted.
1. Choosing your subject
One of the main considerations in black and white photography is knowing what to shoot. Choosing the right subject to take is important. Black and white pictures have a way of conveying an old-world, often sentimental feeling that isn't possible in colour photos. In order to bring out the full flavour of a black-and- white shot, you should consider how apt your subject is. Take landscape. If your scene is already fairly bland and minimalist, then removing colour from your image can definitely spruce up your photo in a whole new way.
2. What works in b&w
It's always good to understand how colour v grey tones work. Think about what you want to capture in your photo. If the colours in the scene are turned into shades of grey, other aspects such as shape, lighting, contrast, texture and tone become the dominant elements.
Ask yourself if this works for the scene or subject you have in mind. For instance, if you are trying to capture the gothic feel or shape of some architecture, then black and white photography is a good choice. We all know how colour contrast can often help us draw emphasis to our subjects, for example, a red letterbox against a green background. If you want to minimise the emphasis, then use black and white because green and red, when converted via Photoshop, becomes almost identical grey tones.
3. Playing with lines
Black and white photography can be useful in emphasising and strengthening perspective in a picture which colours may not be able to achieve. If you are taking pictures of architecture such as arches of buildings, meandering fences or layers of rocks, you will find shooting in black and white most useful in bringing across such nuances and thus improving your pictures significantly.
4. Lighting
In black and white photography, lighting takes on a pivotal role. It can either create or obscure the mood of the photograph. You can convey a dreamy and romantic feel to the pictures if you use the soft lighting of an overcast or foggy day. The gentle light that the sun throws when it's setting will accentuate the shadows of the picture and evoke a totally different mood.
5. High keys or low keys
These are terms commonly used in black and white photography. High key means there are predominately light tones in the pictures while low key is where the photo comprises mostly dark tones. This is important as it determines the contrast level. A high contrast has an extreme range between bright and dark and this will steer the viewer to pay more attention to a particular subject within the picture. A low contrast image, on the other hand, has a limited range of brightness and this can come in useful when you wish to convey a particular mood like tranquillity.
6. Using filters
Shooting in black and white becomes more interesting when filters are used. By absorbing its complementary (opposite) colour, a filter can improve both contrast and detail in b&w photography. It may even provide some interesting effects. Your camera may come with a lens thread or you can obtain an inexpensive adaptor ring that lets you attach a variety of filters.
| Filter | Effect |
| Red | This tends to have a dramatic effect in that a red filter lightens the yellows and reds while darkening the blues of the sky. By doing this, a dull photograph jumps to life. Red filters are ideal for "moonlight shots" during the day and for clouds in an impending storm. But note that a red filter will not be appropriate for low-light conditions or active subjects because it blocks the light by three stops, making proper exposure difficult. |
| Yellow | Most popular type of filter for b&w, particularly for landscape photography. A yellow filter darkens a blue sky so white clouds appear with greater brilliance. |
| Orange | Darkens blue even more than yellow filters to create a very dramatic cloud atmosphere in landscape pictures. Orange filters are also the most popular for magical effects. |
| Green | Makes greens lighter and reds darker. Hence, in landscape shots or close-ups, leaves would look brighter while red flowers seem darker. |
| Sky light/Ultraviolet | This filter acts as an excellent lens protector and also as a transparent layer filter that will absorb ultraviolet light. |
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