First, they generally have interesting patterns, textures, and shapes that become more obvious without color. Even a floating bubble has a pattern that may be unnoticeable in color, yet clear in black and white.īuildings like skyscrapers tend to look great in black and white for several reasons. This way, viewers will notice the pattern first instead of the colors.įlowers and winding stairways are common patterns shot in black and white, but you can find many more great patterns in nature and architecture. If you want to minimize this distraction and bring attention to a pattern, try shooting in black and white. While a sunbeam might seem subtle in color, it will become an obvious ray of light in black and white.įotis Mavroudakis – Seeking forrest silenceĪmine Fassi – Chefchaouen – The Kasbah Prison – 1471īright colors can be powerful – so powerful that they distract from other interesting subjects, like patterns. But even without these silhouettes, sunbeams can be lovely subjects for black and white photography because they stand out clearly in monochrome. Shooting portraits in a sunbeam is one easy way to create silhouettes. For instance, a dark bird like a raven may look like a silhouette against a light sky. With enough contrast, dark subjects can look like silhouettes against a light background. When you’re looking for silhouettes to shoot, remember that you don’t need perfect backlighting to get a lovely silhouette in black and white. The dark/light contrast will be clear, regardless of the surrounding colors. That’s because ignoring color is easy when you’re focusing on a silhouette. Silhouettes are the next step in learning how to envision photos in black and white. Then, simply choose a subject with the opposite tone (light subject with a dark background / dark subject with a light background), and you’ll be set for a nice black and white image.Īna GR - it may, or may not, be the right time Similarly, you can look for light or dark backgrounds for your photo shoot. Then, you won’t have to stretch your imagination as much. For this reason, it can be helpful to start off with subjects that have a strong dark/light contrast, like a white feather on the asphalt or black writing on a white page. One challenge of shooting in black and white is that you have to imagine how your subject will look without color. If you find yourself getting frustrated with one subject, there’s no shame in giving up and trying a different one! After all, you want to enjoy the process of taking photos, so you’ll stay motivated to keep going and developing your style. Some are excellent choices for beginners, while others require more technique and practice. The following subjects all look beautiful in black and white. Great Subjects for Black & White Photography Then, you can build up experience and confidence with less frustration and more success. If you’re new to black and white photography, start with easy subjects, then tackle more challenging subjects later. While nearly any subject could look nice in black and white, some subjects are easier to work with than others. Instead, you need interesting curves, curious shapes, and/or great texture. You no longer have color to guide the viewer’s eye. Like light and shadow, texture and shape tend to be more important in black and white photography. See the example below: Photo at Yosemite | Editing with Black and White Presets from Visual Flow 3. This gives you a chance to create really dynamic, impactful images. In your editing, you can increase the blacks and the contrast without having to worry about skin tones in black and white photos. With some planning, this contrast should be easy to create, as light and shadow are more obvious in black and white. One way to create clarity is to have a strong contrast between darkness and light. With too much gray, your image may end up looking vague or bland. While shades of gray can be interesting, too, they’re harder to pull off. Aim for clarity.Ĭolor photos can have a wide palette of shading, but the best black and white images often have a clear ‘black’ and ‘white’ to guide the viewer. Quick Tips for Beautiful Black & White Photos 1. To get the best black and white photos, consider the following tips. However, not every shot or technique will work well in black and white. Black and white photography can give scenes a striking, timeless quality when done well. The reason black and white photography appeals to so many people is because it can be used in many situations for impactful results. It has been around for centuries, with many of the great painters of all time using it to create their masterpieces. Black and white photography is a classic art form that has never gone out of style.
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