Have you ever wondered how to create beautiful black and white photos? Well, there's good news and bad news. First of all, shooting in black and white is still photography. This means that if the image is unsuccessful, then no amount of black and white magic will save it, that’s a fact. But the good news is that by following a few rules when creating black and white photos, you will have a lot of control in post-processing. Here are three that you might find useful.
№1 Initially do correct settings
Let's get started. There is only one requirement for creating black and white photographs - raw format. If you can't shoot in raw, shoot JPG in color. Ironic, I know, but I'll explain why later.
This is not an ironclad rule, but it is better to lose detail in the shadows than in the highlights. This means that it is better to underexpose than to overexpose, as this will greatly damage the black and white photo. But this of course remains at your discretion and intention. If you want to overexpose for a specific reason, then do it! Depending on the image below, you may want the highlights to be blown out.
Most modern cameras can shoot in pure RAW and display the image on the screen in black and white. If this is possible in your camera, then take advantage of it! This way, when you shoot, your image will be closer to the final result you had in mind.
#2 Two things to look for
Black and white photographs are usually considered last. If the image doesn't look good, convert to black and white and get a good frame. But it doesn't work that way. If an image looks good in black and white, it means all the necessary elements were there to begin with. In any case, intentional black and white photographs will always be superior to those taken as such as a fallback option.
When you shoot black and white photography there are two things to look for, contrast and shapes.
Contrast in light and color
Look for contrast in highlights (light versus dark) as well as contrast in color (ironic again!). Once again, these rules are not mandatory. But if you are just starting out, it is better to first understand the rules and then break them.
Let's look at the graphs:
On the color wheel, shades that are close to each other will tend to look flat (like the two orange shades above). And colors that are far apart, like opposite sides of a circle, will appear more contrasty (blue and orange).
Search forms
In black and white photography, objects are reduced only to their essence, since there is no color to distract attention from form. This means that the composition must be strong as the elements of the photo become more obvious. Black and white photography doesn't seem so simple anymore, does it? Let's look at another example using the colors above.
The blue bunny stands out more than the dark orange one due to the color contrast.
INLightroom
This is where black and white photography really comes to life. First, I'll explain why I recommend shooting in color (or raw). The thing is, if you shoot straight in black and white, you'll get many shades of gray that the camera captures. But if you're shooting in color initially, you'll have much more control over tones in post-production. See below:
One stripe of color creates three different stripes of black and white (gray shades). The black and white shades you get are malleable. See how the red spot gives you three different shades of grey.
When shooting in color, you can say "red becomes very dark and blue becomes very light." You can do the opposite and say “the blue becomes very dark and the red becomes very light.” Now do you understand why it's so important to shoot in color? You lose these options when shooting in black and white.
PanelB& W VLightroom
In Lightroom, go to the Adjustments module, scroll down and click on B&W (right in the HSL/Color/B&W panel). All the color sliders are at your disposal here. Take the first slider. Moving red to the left will make all shades of red darker. The same goes for the rest of the sliders; orange, yellow, green, cyan, indigo, violet and magenta.
The good news is that you can work directly on the image. See that weird circle in the top left corner? If you click on it and hover over any part of the image, click and drag up, down, left or right, it will automatically sample the color and allow you to edit the black and white mix from there. You will see the corresponding sliders move and all similar colors (shades) in your image will be adjusted.
The image on the left is straight from the camera in formatRAW. On the right, all I did was darken the blues using the blue slider.
Once you've completed the black and white conversion, tweak the clarity and contrast. Again, this won't magically make the image beautiful, but if the composition is right, you should get a good result. Here's the final image:
Conclusion
As you can see, good black and white photography is based on the same rules that make a good photograph. But other than that, this special black and white aspect is about understanding how color transforms into monochrome. A good exercise is to convert color images and experiment with conversions to better understand how it works. Be yourself, stay focused and keep shooting.
Black and white photography gave rise to all modern photography and, despite the fact that it appeared in the century before last, interest in it does not fade to this day. Digital cameras have eliminated the need to worry about having two types of film, so we can take both color and black and white photography. However, the question of which scenes look better in monochrome mode has not lost its relevance. Anna Togg shares the simple method she uses to give her black and white photographs the most flexibility.
Back in the heyday of film, I, like many photographers, used two cameras. One was loaded with color film, the other with black and white.
I like to think about what I want to do with an image at the very beginning of shooting, before I even look through the camera's viewfinder.
Even so, when I set out to take a black and white photo, before I pressed the shutter button, I had to decide whether I wanted to take the photo in color or monochrome.
I admit, there were several times when I filmed the same scene with both cameras at once. But if you paid for the film out of your own pocket, you were unlikely to spend double the amount on one frame.
These days, digital cameras allow you to capture an image in color and then do whatever you want with it: invert it into monochrome, bicolor, or apply a cross-processing effect to it.
But I still prefer to think about what I want to do with the image at the very beginning of shooting, before I even look through the camera's viewfinder.
I think this helps me make monochrome photos (or any other photos) that are a little better quality than those that come out of post-processed images, because I can see, or at least try to imagine, the image that will come out.
I also have special days when I decide that I will only shoot in black and white. And I purposefully look for shots that will look most advantageous in monochrome.
For monochrome photography I always use RAW -format, and when converting to black and white, I pay close attention to color information. In the camera settings I use the recording format mode RAW+JPEG . So when I take a picture, I immediately have the opportunity to see it, and if necessary, I always have a copy of it at hand in RAW.
I also change the camera’s shooting mode to black and white, so that when converting in-camera to JPEG monochrome photographs were obtained.
The beauty of this method is that I see the scene I'm shooting on the camera's LCD screen in monochrome, and this allows me to more confidently judge how successful the shot is.
If you're shooting with a compact rather than a DSLR, you'll be able to see the scene in monochrome before you even take the photo.
It seems that most cameras render black and white images rather washed out, so another camera adjustment I make when shooting in black and white is to increase the contrast in the menu Picture Style to get a result closest to the original.
For me, black and white photography is one of the most interesting and inspiring areas of creativity, it is what people call a hobby or passion. It is rough and refined, naturalistic and unusual, powerful and sophisticated, mysterious and open, emotional and calm, simple and complex, it contains all shades from black to white. Black and white images are linked to the origins of photography, but what was once just a way to capture images has evolved into something deeper over time.
Practice, practice and more practice
Experienced black and white photographers may see the world as colorless. They train their minds to perceive contrast and tones while ignoring distracting colors. This is not a skill that you can acquire in a short time, it is something that will come to you with experience. I can't say that I'm good at black and white, but I can spot some scenes and objects that require black and white.
One way to prepare your brain is through conscious effort, or in other words, practice. Trevor Carpenter gave us a great example with his October Challenge. He decided to limit himself to only black and white photography for a month. This allowed him to experiment in this medium and learn from his own work. Summarizing his project, he said: “I have noticed, especially in recent days, that when I take or think about a photograph, I sense in advance the potential impact of a composition in black and white.”
Focus on contrast
Black and white photography is black, white and all the tones in between. The human eye, by its nature, is designed in such a way that it perceives two things - the intensity of light and color. When we remove colors, our eye becomes more sensitive to light intensity. A person perceives zones of contrast, thanks to this he can distinguish one thing from another.
When shooting in black and white, your main goal will be to frame your subject through the shades of gray. Use contrast to show your viewers what is important and what is not. Look for scenes that themselves contain high contrast, this will help your black and white shots stand out more from the start.
When processing black and white photos, using Photoshop features such as levels, curves, and layer blending will give you a wide range of options for achieving the final image. You can also use the dodge and burn technique, which is an effective technique for increasing contrast. This technique works well because it allows you to focus on processing certain elements of the image without affecting surrounding areas.
Focus on texture
In reality, texture is nothing more than a manifestation of contrast, but it is perceived completely differently. If you think about it, texture is a constant or variable pattern of shadows and light of varying degrees of intensity. Black and white photography largely depends on texture.
Colors add an extra layer to a human-perceived image and therefore mask the most subtle textures. Look for areas with interesting textures where the surface can be photographed in a way that highlights the specificity of the surface and brings out the contrast.
The decisions you make during processing can also have a significant impact on the texture. When processing a black and white photo, you have the opportunity to extract texture from a flat surface thanks to the technique you choose. In digital photography, blue and red channels tend to contain more noise than green channels, so tools like the channel mixer and black and white adjustment layer in Photoshop will allow you to bring out the textures contained in your photo.
Shoot in color
This mostly applies to digital photography. If your camera gives you the choice of taking color or black-and-white photos, never choose black-and-white mode. In reality, the camera first takes a color photo and then converts it to black and white.
Photo processing software can make the translation much better, and you will have more flexibility in producing the final image. It's incredible how different photos can be when you edit them yourself, so it's best not to limit yourself before the image even comes out of the camera.
The only exception to this rule is if you are using the camera's black and white mode to get an idea of how the scene might look in the final black and white photo. This trick can help you find good black-and-white scenes faster, but after you find them, return the camera to color mode and take another shot.
Use color filters
In order to change the shades of photographs, photographers who shoot black and white film use filters. Have you ever seen black and white photos with dark skies and snow-white clouds? This is not the result of natural conditions; for this, color filters are used to achieve the desired effect. Using color filters like this with a digital camera is perfectly acceptable, it's not necessary, but it can give you some benefits.
Software like Photoshop allows us to apply filters without altering the original image. Thanks to the program, the same results can be achieved when converting from color to black and white images. Those using Photoshop CS3 will notice that the black and white adjustment menu gives you the ability to customize and apply several filters.
So if you decide to practice a little black and white photography, you should definitely think about these things before and after shooting. Anyone can take a black and white photo, but you will need a little more skill and knowledge to create a good black and white photo.
Why shoot in black and white?
We know that it all started with black and white, since color photography was not available to the first generation of photographers. Later it was associated with improvisation. The second generation of photographers tried out their fresh ideas on film. But black and white images will never lose their charm. It has an exceptional style and, most importantly, color photography sometimes loses to black and white in expressiveness and symbolism.
In the modern world, many people still enjoy filming in black and white because it opens up a deeper understanding of the nature of the scene. And monochrome images evoke additional sensations.
You should resort to shooting in black and white when colors have no significance in depicting the character of the picture, when there is a sense of mystery or a special mood or strong emotion, when color can distract attention from the essence of the picture or does not fully reflect the essence of the photograph. In this case, it is better to neutralize the colors of the scene into one monochromatic image. In other words, it may seem like a compromise to get a better result. Some photographs require this approach, while other photographs have no choice. There are professionals who shoot in monochrome on digital cameras to enhance their vision of the black and white area.
Band system (Adams band theory)
One of the pioneers and great masters of landscape photography, Ansel Adams, came up with an incredible system for presenting a photograph with a finished image. This concept of pre-visualization keeps the photographer moving forward. Although the system may seem mathematical and complex at first, it will allow you to technically master the art of photography.
Using the zone system, you will take a scientific approach to creating art. It's about controlling light, calculating variables, and understanding the subtleties of changing light. The division into light and dark tones provides an explanation of the zone system.
Light quality
It is important for any artist to understand the concept of light and how it integrates with the environment or subject. Various physical properties are responsible for what is recorded by the sensor when the camera passes light. More often than not, reflected light, depending on the intensity and contrast of the edge, adds more dynamic range to the final image.
Let's remember the difference between specular and diffuse (scattered) light. It can help you produce wonders with black and white photography. In simple terms, specular light usually occurs when the light source is far from the subject. There is high contrast and, as a result, bright highlights and sharp dark shadows. On the other hand, diffuse is a soft light that does not produce harsh shadows or overwhelm the highlight areas. Mastering these easy variations can help you create wonderful black and white images, whether outdoors or in your photography studio.
Exposition
Any professional photographer will agree that black and white photography is all about light plus exposure. The approach from an exposure point of view (projecting an image onto a light sensitive element) remains the same whether it is film or digital photography. As mentioned in the zone system, changing the aperture can certainly bring changes to any part of the frame.
During the exposure process, the film version and the digital version will differ. In the first case we observe an S-shaped curve, and in digital we see a straight line throughout the entire image range. Finally, never darken overexposed areas, as this won't add any detail and will result in unpleasant gray tones.
Post-processing
It is better to pay attention to photo editing, since many photographers do not consider a picture that has not been processed to be finished. At this final stage of photographic formation, visualization plays a primary role.
There are various techniques for processing black and white images, the application of which depends on each individual artist and their vision of the final masterpiece.
Most likely, you are already familiar with the basic nuances of using the Photoshop editor. Ultimately, you need to understand when your product is ready. Note that adding a color tone can be related to the core of the photo, such as mood or emotion. And understanding color theory and experimenting with different shades can greatly enrich your black and white image.
Color photography has existed for more than 80 years, but black and white photography not only does not lose its popularity, but on the contrary is gaining more and more fans. How can we explain this phenomenon?
A beautiful photograph often attracts attention due to interesting lighting, rich tonal range, unusual shapes, patterns or textures. And it is in black and white photography, when color is not a distracting factor, that we can observe art in its pure form. In this article I want to give you some tips on how you can achieve beautiful black and white photography.
Preparing for shooting
The challenge with black and white photography is that you can't hide behind the bright colors. Your visual aids will be lighting, outline, texture and tonal range. Having imagined the photographed object in black and white, pay attention to the following:
- How light falls on subjects
- What shapes and outlines are included in the frame?
- Which shadows and penumbra will provide a rich tonal range
- Really, would this photo be more beautiful in black and white?
Most often, photos with high contrast and rich texture look best in black and white. By converting a photo to black and white, you can give your photo a different mood: for example, portraits in black and white are more dramatic.
Shooting
Nowadays, most digital cameras can take photos directly in black and white. I do not, however, recommend using this property, as it will leave you with no choice between leaving the photo in color or converting it to black and white. In general, the same universal rules of photography apply to black and white photography. You need to choose a good photo composition using , and the correct one. I also recommend taking photographs in , which will greatly facilitate your subsequent photo processing. If you have a lot of shiny, glare objects, I would recommend using a polarizing filter (polarizer). It eliminates unwanted glare and also reduces brightness while increasing the saturation of the sky or water.
Processing
All types of photo processing in editors such as Photoshop can be divided into destructive and non-destructive. The first, as the name suggests, changes, destroys pixels, and because of this they are difficult to correct. One example is direct conversion to "Greyscale". I recommend using non-destructive methods that allow you to make adjustments to the processing until you achieve the desired depth of shadows and tone. The easiest way is to use the Hue/Saturation/Luminosity tab in Photoshop.
The program will show you eight color scales. By changing the position of the slider, you will see how these changes affect the colors of the photo. For example, the yellow color scale, when changed, will make the gray shade of a color that was originally yellow darker or lighter.
Some tips for black and white portraits: Increasing the red scale results in lighter, smoother skin. Freckles can be made more visible by increasing the percentage of the green scale. Increasing the blue scale makes the skin darker.
There are many more ways to convert color photography to black and white, which I will certainly tell you about in future articles. In the meantime, discover the world of black and white photography, don’t be afraid to be creative and share your black and white photos in the comments.
