You have before you the most complete guide on black and white photography that exists on the Internet. In this mega-guide I have proposed that no question remains unresolved. None? Yes, you heard right, none.
In it I will talk to you about everything related to the world of black and white photography, from technique, to equipment or composition, editing tricks, vision, inspiration and everything you can think of. Because, if you know me a little, you know that monochrome amazes me and, if you are reading these lines, I bet you are too.
Whatever your level, by the end of this article, you'll have learned everything you need to get not just beautiful black and white photos, but truly spectacular black and white photos. There is no more secret to success than training and practicing, especially the latest, that's all .
Very important! Before proceeding, bookmark this article so you don't lose track of it and have it handy whenever you need it. With that done, it's time for you to sit back and enjoy reading .
"When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothing. When you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their soul.» ted grant
WHAT IS BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY?: MEANING
Black and white photography is a photographic genre in which the image is characterized by the absence of color. This type of photography is based, on the other hand, on tones that go from white to black through medium tones (grays). That is why you can also hear about it as monochrome or grayscale photography.
A black and white photograph is therefore stripped of colour, making it rawer, straight to the point, based on light and form.
Black and white photography is instant, emotion and message. With little, we are able to say everything.
I invite you to take a look at this introductory article on black and white photography to whet your appetite.
WHAT DOES BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY CONVEY?
Black and white images convey drama and emotion, stripping us of the scenery and showing us what lies beneath the surface; the soul, the essence.
A black and white photo impacts us for the simple fact of showing us a different reality from what our eyes see.
A black and white photograph is, ultimately, the raw story, the timeless image.
LEARN TO SEE IN BLACK AND WHITE
But… «Mario, how do you know which image is suitable to be a black and white photograph?» You have to learn to see in black and white.
To do this, we must go beyond what our eyes used to color interpret, we must force the brain to imagine, to see the lines, shapes and balance. See the lights and shadows, the story that a scene gives off, its timelessness and its beauty in its rawest state.
Next, I show you some very simple tricks with which you will become an expert in capturing black and white wherever you look.
TRICKS TO LEARN TO SEE IN BLACK AND WHITE
I already warn you that the best trick that exists to work in black and white is practice, practice and more practice ? Although there are some tricks to photograph in black and white with which to accompany your learning process:
- Learn to translate colors to grayscale. Each color has its corresponding tone in monochrome.
- Pay attention to the shapes .
- In the lights and shadows and their contrast.
- Work the lines and patterns a lot.
- Find textures.
- Think before you shoot.
These 100 Express Tips for photographing in black and white (and falling in love) will help you a lot to train your gaze in terms of black and white photography.
WHAT PHOTOS WORK BEST IN BLACK AND WHITE?
The photos that work best in black and white are those that don't base their composition on color to begin with. That is to say, it does not make much sense to convert an image that has color as the main ingredient of the composition to monochrome, such as this one:
Rather, these are the type of images that work best in black and white:
- Compositions with lines.
- minimalist compositions.
- Images with high contrast.
- textures.
- Pictures.
- abstract shapes.
- Negative space.
- Cloudy days.
- High and low key (drama) .
- Images with marked timelessness.
- Street photography.
- Architecture.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT FOR BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY
The best equipment is the camera you carry with you, the one you have, the one you already use. To photograph in black and white there are no excuses.
CAMERA TO PHOTOGRAPH IN BLACK AND WHITE
That said, if you are thinking of buying your first SLR, bridge , mirrorless or compact camera , I would recommend that you look at the following:
- That you have the option of working in RAW format .
- Have a good dynamic range .
- That supports good ISO levels .
- That suits your budget.
- That invites you to use it; Don't buy an SLR if what you like is to go light;).
AIM
- Make it as bright as possible. Having a king of lenses (50mm f/1.4) or a prince (50mm f/1.8) regardless of the rest of the optics you have, is my personal recommendation.
- Choose a focal length that suits the type of photography you want to do.
BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY ACCESSORIES
- A gray card is a great investment for how little it costs. It will help you get a correct exposure in any situation.
- Neutral density filter or neutral density gradient filter to be able to take long exposure images during the day.
LIGHT IN BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY
When we strip an image of its color, light and composition take on an even more important role, if possible.
Lighting is the CHALLENGE of any photographer, regardless of the subject he wants to delve into. If you master the light, you will have 90% of the work done.
Next, I leave you some tricks so that you get beautiful black and white photos and full of meaning.
- Avoid underexposed areas: try moving the histogram to the right to avoid noise.
- Play with the shadows.
- With the backlights.
- With high contrast images .
- Look for interesting light situations (cloudy days, very punctual lights...).
- Choose an appropriate measurement mode for each situation.
- Activate the histogram and let yourself be guided by what appears in it and not by what you see on the screen.
If you are interested in delving into lighting, take a look at these articles with tips on lighting to improve your photographs , or 15 ways to master your raw material, light , and finally frequently asked questions and simple answers to master light and light. photography exhibition .
RECOMMENDED SETTINGS FOR BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY
To work in black and white and get the best results, there are several aspects that you should take into account:
- Configure your camera in RAW format : This format is the one that preserves the most information with which to work when developing your image. Unlike JPEG, RAW doesn't make any presets in the camera like JPEG does, which means that the JPEG camera is making decisions and throwing away information that will mean you'll have a much worse result in the final edit.
- In color better than in black and white : No, I have not made a mistake writing this. Forget taking the black and white image directly from the camera. If for whatever reason you don't have RAW, a color JPEG is always better than the black and white option of your camera directly. Why? For the same reason that we recommend working in RAW: you save more information in color and therefore have more freedom to edit and with better results.
- In black and white from the camera: It is the worst option in terms of final quality, because it is the method that preserves the least information of all. But it can help you preview the image you want before deciding on one of the two previous options (preferably the first one ? ).
- ISO : Always keep it to the minimum possible in each situation. It would be good if you knew the values in which your camera moves with acceptable levels and thus try not to exceed them.
- White balance : In this case, you can leave it on automatic.
- Adobe RGB: This color space is the one that stores the most information and with which you will get the best results.
- Work in manual mode: It will allow you to decide each of the aspects of the shot. If you still have a little trouble mastering it, try starting with a semi -manual mode with aperture or speed priority.
BLACK AND WHITE COMPOSITION
We have already said that it is an essential element when we eliminate the color of an image. A good composition is the foundation of any black and white photography .
The composition is part of the abstraction process that we do when we want to photograph in monochrome. It is very important to add a good dose of intuition and abstraction and, above all, try to think of the image in black and white before pressing the shutter.
Only then will we be able to see the compositional possibilities of the scene before us. For it:
- Identify a center of interest .
- Use the rule of thirds to position your protagonist within the frame.
- Look for the lines , they are powerful compositional elements to direct the viewer's gaze.
- Frame horizontally and vertically.
- Look for patterns, play with the rhythm and break the rhythm.
- Less is more, many elements are difficult to read and can divert attention from the main reason.
- Look for different and original points of view.
- Frame through natural frames (windows, doors, arches, trees…).
- Practice with negative space .
- Or with fill the frame .
- Play with lights and shadows as one more compositional element.
BLACK AND WHITE PORTRAITS
If there is a subject that goes perfectly with black and white, it is portraits. A portrait is, by itself, a type of photography full of feeling, so combining it with the use of black and white usually gives very good results.
- Look for plain backgrounds or with little information to highlight your protagonist.
- Use the aperture of the diaphragm to blur the background.
- Practice with the high and low key.
- Play with the lighting.
- With high contrast images.
- Double exposure.
- Etc.
BABIES AND CHILDREN IN BLACK AND WHITE
One of the star themes to work in black and white is everything related to childhood.
It may be because of its documentary style, or because of that ability to capture time and freeze it, but the truth is that black and white is capable of turning an everyday moment into an everlasting memory.
To get the best photos of children, here are some quick tips:
- Work at fast speeds.
- Let them play and be themselves.
- Photography the day to day, the everyday.
- Take advantage of the light.
- Play with the opening of the diaphragm depending on the result you want to obtain.
- An imperfect photo is better than losing an instant.
For this you will also need a good dose of patience and a left hand and some tricks for photographing babies , for photographing children , in express format and ending with a little inspiration .
BLACK AND WHITE LANDSCAPE
Black and white landscapes are real opportunities for stunning images. Perhaps it is not the subject that you would think a priori for a black and white photo, but the truth is that they can be great protagonists of your grayscale images.
Although they require a good dose of abstraction, you can get really amazing results by keeping in mind a few simple tricks:
- Textures are vitally important, keep them in mind when deciding what to photograph.
- The side light.
- Flee from dull skies.
- Cloudy days are great for landscape photography.
- The fog.
- And in general everything that evokes emotion in us.
Before continuing, I recommend that you take a look at this article with 12 tricks to capture impressive landscapes in black and white to delve into this topic.
BLACK AND WHITE DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY
You will agree with me that, if there is a subject that goes well with black and white photography, it is documentary photography . His raw style, without artifice, is often inseparable from monochrome.
We also have many visual references in this sense, photographers like Sebastião Salgadoor Cristina Garcia Roderoamong many other great references (many of which I will present to you at the end of the article).
ARTISTIC BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY
Although photography is an art, not all photography is artistic ? .
We have already talked about how photographing in black and white is itself an exercise in abstraction. Artistic photography goes a step further, it mainly seeks to convey an emotion.
Therefore, it does not reflect reality as we know it (as photojournalism and even documentary photography could do) but rather speaks to us about the reality of the photographer himself. Of his feelings, his fears, worries, obsessions, joys, his sorrows...
Do you need inspiration? You can do it through these 20 creative black and white photos to fill you with inspiration .
TRICKS TO PHOTOGRAPH IN BLACK AND WHITE
Although this mega guide is full of black and white photography tricks, I am going to concentrate the ones that we consider essential here:
- Learn to see in black and white.
- You can activate the monochrome mode of your camera, if you have it, to preview the result, but then it changes to RAW format or to bad color.
- Look for scenarios where color is not the main theme.
- Silhouettes and formal compositions work very well in black and white, open your eyes wide and try to portray them.
- Help yourself with the lines to compose.
- Run away from pasty images (better look for scenes with contrast).
- Establish a clear focus.
- Help yourself with the aperture of the diaphragm to blur the background and isolate your protagonist.
- Less is more, do not overload the image because it will be more difficult to read.
- Use as low an ISO as possible.
- Play with lights and shadows in your portraits.
- Compose through natural frames
- Look for scenes with textures.
- A black and white photo without emotion is an empty image. Shoot with your heart ?
Continue with this article to find out more: 12 Tricks to succeed with your next black and white photography .
EDITING AND PROCESSING OF BLACK AND WHITE
Transforming a photograph to black and white is an art and forms an essential part of the photographic process. Going from a color scene to another in black and white is a simple exercise but it has many nuances that you will learn as you practice.
Over time, you will see that the exercise begins already at the moment of taking the image, long before you open your reference editing program. In this sense, take a look at our article on how to shoot and process black and white to forget about washed out images.
I advise you to practice using your reference editor until you find the results that best suit your vision of the world, your style. Through adjustments such as lights and shadows, contrast, clarity or the color channel, give shape to your idea.
If you opt for Lightroom as a photo editor, I recommend our article how to convert your photos to black and white with Lightroom and our presets to apply to your image just by clicking a couple of buttons.
If you prefer Photoshop, then you have these 6 very simple ways to convert your images to black and white with Photoshop and I also recommend that, once you have your favorite settings, you learn to do actions with Photoshop, it will greatly simplify your life.
Finally, I would like to recommend this video where you will find very useful tips for your black and white conversions:
ANALOG BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY
I like to think that analogue photography never went away and will never go away, let alone black and white analogue photography.
Because, if digital has advantages that are difficult to beat on film, the truth is that the emotion of revealing an image the old-fashioned way, its magic, nothing can beat.
Luckily, there is still a market for second-hand analog cameras with their corresponding reels and developing centers with which to unleash your creativity. With those 36 images you will learn more than with 1,000 in digital. To think, to assess, to breathe before pressing the shutter.
In this complete guide to buying your next analog camera , you will find all the information related to the analog world, also in black and white.
From him I extract this list of black and white reels in case you want to get to the point:
- Kodak T-Max 400 (ASA): Soft tones and very fine grain, supposedly the best (less noise) in 400 ASA.
- Ilford HP5 400 (ASA): Very versatile, since due to its characteristics it is an "intermediate" reel, neither too much noise nor too much contrast, but with something of both.
- Ilford Delta 3200 (ASA) : It is the most sensitive black and white reel on the market today.
- Kodak Tri-X: It is one of the best-selling and most popular black and white films. More contrasted and grainier than its ASA companion at Kodak ; the T-max.
- Ilford PanF50: It is famous for its almost non-existent noise that allows you to make large enlargements without losing quality. Of course, the ISO (ASA) is very low, so it is only recommended in environments with sufficient light.
- Fujifilm Neopan Acros 100 Very fine grain and great detail and with one of the best ranges of grays on the market
PHOTOGRAPHIC MISTAKES TO AVOID IN YOUR BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOS
There are photographic errors that are recurring in black and white photography and that with time and experience you will learn to solve.
Not having a well-defined center of interest, dull skies, images with little contrast or a bad composition, are some of the scenarios that can “crush” your black and white image.
I recommend that you carefully read our article on 8 mistakes you should avoid in black and white photography to learn how to avoid them at all costs :).
THE BEST BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOS
The best black and white photos have been designed in grayscale and have years of practice and experience behind them. They are beautiful black and white photos, yes, but they are also so much more.
The best black and white photos transmit, evoke, tell a story, move us. That should be the goal behind every single image you make.
It is very important that you get inspired, that you see many images in black and white and, if possible, from the best.
THE BEST BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHERS
Luckily, there is a lot of black and white work that can serve as inspiration. Black and white does not go out of style, as I have already said, so you will find great photographers from all eras with whom you can be inspired.
I leave you some names with which you can open your mouth:
- sally mann
- Chema Madoz
- Sebastiao Salgado
- Cristina Garcia Rodero
- Ansel Adams
- Marc Riboud
- Munem Wasif
- Joana Biarnes
- Garry Winogrand
- elliot erwitt
- Dorothea Lange
- robert doisneau
- fan ho
- Vivian Maier
- Irving Penn
- Josef Koudelka
- diane arbus
- robert mapplethorpe
- Richard Avedon
Delve into some of them in our article on great masters of black and white.
RECOMMENDED BOOKS FOR BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY
In photography you have to train, no matter how self-taught you are, it is important to have one or more reference books that serve as the basis of your learning. It will save you a ton of time and headache, so I highly recommend that you back up your photography practice with some theory.
I leave you with a small list of books in case you are interested in delving deeper into the ins and outs of black and white photography, more specifically in its technical part:
- The secrets of black and white photography (BdF) : In this Ebook we talk to you in a fun and simple way about all the tricks of black and white photography. A book to initiate you into all its secrets. Because black and white amazes us ? .
- Black and white digital photography (FotoRuta)
- Black and White Photography: The Timeless Art of Monochrome (Michael Freeman)
And now some black and white photography books by great photographers, to learn, be inspired and enjoy:
- Peter Lindbergh. On Fashion Photography
- Sally Mann. A thousand crossings
- Vivian Maier: Street Photographer
- Sebastião Salgado. Genesis
- Ansel Adams: 400 Photographs(in English)
- Elliot Erwitt. snapshots
- Josef Koudelka: Exiles
- Joana Biarnes. shooting with the heart
- Robert Frank: The Americans
- Robert Mapplethorpe (PHOTOGRAPHY)
This is the end of our guide to learn how to photograph in black and white. Almost 4,000 words written with a lot of passion, enthusiasm and desire, because we love black and white, just like you do, so I hope I have transmitted it to you and that you can get the most out of it.
