The Timeless Art of Stunning Black and White Photography

By habit, I have a tendency to take a lot of color photos. It’s just so easy to point, shoot and click then do a little post processing. Though black and white prints are not my forte, I still can not deny the magnitude of their visual presence. Many times, I think that black and white prints get relegated to the art world and we forget that they can also have a place in our memory keeping. Black and white prints ensure that our focus is directed to the subject of the print. In some cases, we can see and feel the emotion within the photo without being distracted by color.

Black and White or Color Prints- Which is Best?

There area  few options in getting a black and white print. You can shoot with black and white film or change your digital camera to shoot in black and white only. You can also use post processing tools such as filters to get a black and white image. The second option gives you a bit more flexibility if you aren’t a strong photographer. You can edit a photo for a more dramatic effect or use black and white filters to compensate for poor lighting situations. It is of course, the most desirable to have a good shot to begin with, but I sometimes use black and white filters to edit bad photos from my very beginnings as a very photographer.

Black and white photos can also be useful in storytelling. You can change to color to bring the focus on your subject and also to keep your photo from competing with elements from your layout.

Tween by Christy Strickler Supplies| Patterned Paper, German Foil, Stencil, Stamp: JBS Mercantile; Letters: Heidi Swapp; Ink: Jenni Bowlin Spiced Tin by Ranger; Modeling Paste: Liquitex; Tag: Elle’s Studio( See the original post with this article here.)

I chose a black and white photo for this layout about my son as a Tween. I used an edge burn to frame my son’s face and add more drama. The photo is part of the page and doesn’t compete with any of the designs. I could have used a color photo but I doubt it would have had the same dramatic appeal. I am struck with the way it highlights the subtle smile on my son’s lips. I love the hint of catch lights in his eyes. You can get a sense of his personality from the photo. All of these subtle details would have been present in a color photo but perhaps not as evident as I would have liked.

There isn’t necessarily a right or wrong answer as to whether you should use a black and white or color photos in your memory keeping. In many cases it is a preference. However, knowing how to leverage the use of black and white images can be a powerful tool for you.

While using filters is an easy route, it can be more rewarding to shoot black and white images from the start. In many cases, black and white prints can also benefit from post processing( as most photos can)

Here are a few articles to get you on the right path:

5 Black and White Photography Tips

Black and White Photography:How to Make Monochrome Stunning

15 TIPS FOR STUNNING BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY

10 Things You May Not Know About Black and White Photography

Experimenting with black and white photography doesn’t have to be stressful. Playing around with a photography challenge cane be fun while also enabling you to get a few extra photos for your Project Life spreads. Here are a few examples of my personal experiments with a black and white photo challenge:

Taking on the Black and White Photography Challenge

While Stopped In Traffic

“When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in Black and white, you photograph their souls!”
― Ted Grant

Looking at the photo of my son above, I am struck by how much emotion and soul shines through. I invite you to experiment with black and white photography as well. Perhaps, you will find many of your own photos have more depth within them then you could ever imagine.