The Beauty of Black & White Photography
Oh how I love black and white portraits! They just seem a little more dramatic… or do they? That would depend on the photo itself, I think. There are some photos that I’ve turn black and white and it just seems to make the photograph more calming, less distracting I’d say. Without color there is most certainly less distractions allowing the eye to go directly to the subject. Then there are photographs that are just meant to be black and white ya know, the ones we can really bump up the contrast allowing more textures to appear making them more DRAMATIC… yeah, that’s what I’m talking about! Ahhh and here’s a little trick… Have you ever been caught off guard and had to snap a picture real quick just to capture that once-in-a-lifetime moment and YES!!! You caught it perfect…. well, not so much! You were a bit over exposed or just a touch out of focus, it just wasn’t perfect! Never fear, turning it to black and white seems to be my saving grace, it turns a not so great photo into a masterpiece… okay, maybe not a masterpiece but a pretty darn good photo! Working with black and white can also allow you to get creative because there are so many different shades of black and white…. You didn’t know that? Oh you’ve been missing the boat! Try it, it’s so much fun seeing how a little change in tone and adding a splash of color can change the whole look of a photo! Most computers come with a simple photo editing program that allows you to adjust the brightness and contrast as well as the colors hue and saturation. Try adding a little contrast and then turning the saturation WAY down, it’s that easy! Wahooo…. Happy shooting!
Ughhh... That blue ball in the sky, it's just so, so distracting!! Ah.... now the focus is on the bride and groom and their beautiful cake!
Here's a black and white with a hint of bronze... Sweet! Now that's one good looking guitar player!! (Of course I'd say that, that's my son who's going to Berklee and I'm one proud mama!)
OH the power of flash (freeze) photography! For me, this photo was meant to be black & white, it just makes it so dramatic!
Nothing says old fashion love like Sepia!
This photo was just as cute in color but I loved it in black and white as well so I presented my client with both options.
I believe this photo speaks for itself! I just love the soft look of this black and white amber image!
What else would you expect, of course I had to turn one of these photos black and white. It was perfect for this old farm house setting!
Black and white just gives a whole different feel to photos... which do you like better?
Making this photo black and white with a splash of color in the glasses brings attention the bridal party!
These are an example of why photographers are called artists! We just love getting creative with our photos!
And last but not least... a black and white with a neutral wash filter.
Feel free to comment and give your two-cents worth on black and white photography!
