The Basics of Black and White Photography

Black and White photography, it draws one's self into the detail of an image rather than the vibrant color which is absent from their eye. A color photograph draws one to a specific color. A black and white photo can draw one's self into the depth in which it captures. Depending on the style, a photo may encompass a shadow as the main subject or rather the lack thereof. Black and white develops into a pursuit of detail and majesty. I would like to share some tips on shooting the best possible black and white photos as possible.

I will refer to Black and White as B&W.

Tip #1 Shoot in RAW

It is obvious that most people are unaware of the now loved RAW setting on their cameras. All things considered I am aware that not everyone has a camera capable of shooting in this mode. Shooting in Raw offers more control not only in the post processing period but also when converting the picture to B&W. If your camera does support RAW, Use it! The normal JPEG format will work, though in the end RAW will produce a far superior photo. Once you become familiar with RAW you will never go back.

Tip #2 Do Not Use the Built in B&W setting.

Most people, when wanting to shoot B&W, flick their camera to this setting. Even though you are able to produce a black and white photo with no need of post processing, you lose the overall quality and control of the final outcome. If you do not have a RAW setting, shoot in color mode.

Tip #3 The Lower the ISO the better.

Turn your ISO down to the lowest possible setting. Most photographers understand the difference between 100 and 800 ISO. If not please stop and read my article "I don't know my ISO". This is an important step. B&W will show the grain and while sometimes a grainy B&W can be very stylish, it is not always wanted. B&W create more noise and grain. Turning down your ISO will make it less noticeable.

TIP # 4 Do not shoot when you would normally shoot a color photo.

LIGHTING! LIGHTING! LIGHTING!
A good photo is all about the lighting. Most of the time, a typical person would shoot a photo on a sunny day with a lot of light. B&W is opposite. For me, I choose to shoot when it is overcast creating a softer lighting effect. The best days to take B&W are the worst days to shoot color.

Tip# 5 it is all about the detail

When shooting B&W, one needs to understand that the goal is not to produce sharp bright colors but rather to capture intricate detail and ominous shadows. It is good to try different techniques and setups. Try shooting a scene at different times of day. A bridge that may seem plain and dull during sunrise may be a wondrous spectacle of lighting and shadows during sunset. Different lighting and shadows create different effects. A good way to practice is to pick an object outside and shoot it 4 times a day to find out what the best lighting is. Sunrise, early morning, late afternoon and sunset are a good starting point. Another element to and intrigue to your photo is shooting in different weather. A layer of fog can turn even the dullest of photos into a masterpiece of success.

Tip #6 Keep your focus on your subject

A common error in any form of photography is not drawing you viewer's eyes to what you had intended to. An all too common issue is when shooting a photo of an object is when there is another object in the background which causes the viewer to drift away from the subject being photographed. If the subject being photographed is movable, try moving it for proper framing. If the subject is not movable the moving your setup would be the next step. The idea behind capturing an image is to capture what you envision and what y0u want the viewer to see.

Another key difference when shooting B&W is that you use detail, shadows, and focus to draw the viewer's attention to the desired object rather than different color. Things to look at when shooting your photo are the different shapes, tones and textures. Be sure again to use the shadows and lighting available to create the desired image. Highlights may also be used as another source of framework for you image.

Tip# 7 Final thoughts to remember...

Be sure to be more thorough when choosing your subject matter to photograph. Objects which may look great in color will not necessarily look the best in B&W and may turn out dull or flat with no depth. One aspect of B&W is the ability to create and unexpected or dramatic portrait in that removing the color places the focus on the detail, lighting and shadows. When shooting B&W; remember that it is about the detail, not the colors