B&W and its importance
B&W started as the only way of taking photos for the longest time. It became the default way photographers thought about the world. Turning it from the colour you see every day into a more abstract scene. This became so important to some photographers that they rejected colour when it was introduced. Slowly colour became the more popular choice for photographers as it was easier to get beautiful results with expressive colours. Digital was also a big reason colour became so prominent as it’s the default setting.
B&W remained important in the world of photography for a few unique attributes. First, it’s less distracting so you can focus on the important parts of the image. The context, composition and subject is more important than a lot of the distractions colour images can have. Colour still has those principles, but B&W relies on them for a good image. It has also been described as more documentarian as the subject loses a lot of the dramatic flair. Not to say that B&W isn’t dramatic, but it has a different style which can add a lot to documentary photography. Colour can be a very powerful tool and is used in making amazing photos. They both have their place and B&W has an acquired taste - it can change the way you see your environment and reduce your scene to its tones, textures and shapes. I’ll cover those more in-depth soon. Viewing the world in this completely abstract way changes the viewers expectations and view of the subject.
So why do I care so much about B&W photography. It’s mainly about how I see the world. How often do you see the world and the colours it has and take it all for granted? All the time you see every colour and every colourful detail which merges into one. It’s changing my perspective on a lot of things I’d normally look over. I started by using it to visualise the end product. With colour you see close to the end product when you take the photo but by making it more abstract you have to engage your brain and make it focus on what the results will look like. By doing this I’ve been visualising images far better than I ever have and it’s improved my colour photos.
A few ways I’ve learnt to improve my B&W photography is looking at these three main aspects of a B&W image. First the textures in the image as this adds more visual depth to your image, adding detail in a way that transforms flat areas into objects. For example, shooting through glass that is perfectly clean is barely noticeable, but smudges and marks make it into a layer. Having that layer helps the readability of the image. Even marks on a wall change it from a white square into a beautiful wall. Next, it’s shape - because every shape has a unique feel to it. From squares boxing people in, to the flowing lines of a mountain range expressing freedom. Shapes used in conjunction with texture can tell millions of different stories that you just have to see. Try working with shapes and seeing how you feel about each shape. Lastly tone is a massive factor to your work - the only thing that you can see in B&W photography is tone. There are no bright reds on bright greens that give you shape and texture. It’s just how much light is being reflected. Look at how colours with the same amount of light have different tones, look at reflected light compared to direct light and just look at shadows. The main way to get better at B&W photography is practice. You have to just shoot a lot and try lots of things out.
