Black And White Photography Essay

If you only shoot a black and white image saved as a JPEG, however, the color information will be lost.Ultimately, the choice of whether to use color or black and white for an image is subjective.Opt for color images when color is a key element in the story your photo is telling.

A lack of color in a photograph often accentuates the light and shadows.

Backlit subjects and dramatic shadows are brought to the audience’s attention quickly in black and white images.

Images with a wide range of tonal values tend to work well for black and white imagery.

Most black and white images are most successful when there are definite blacks and whites–that is, the tones in the photo range all the way from the blackest black to the whitest white with lots of varying gray tones in between.

As evidenced by the color schemes produced by particular types of film or by trends in digital processing, color can sometimes suggest a specific era.

Removing the color makes it more difficult to put an exact date on a photo.Removing color from a picture helps the viewer to focus on a subject’s emotional state.Black and white portraiture lets the audience see the subject’s face and read his or her eyes without distraction.Try looking at your photos in both black and white and color to get a feel for what works and what does not work.No matter which option you go with, make sure you know why you chose it.Now, though color photography is clearly the standard in the modern world, photographers still face the dilemma of deciding whether to present their images in color or black and white.A photograph’s impact on a viewer can be aided or hindered by the choice of using black and white versus color.Shortly after photography’s monochromatic inception in the early 1800s, enthusiasts began experimenting with color photography.Once color film reached the masses, many photographers eschewed the new development and remained loyal to the black and white image.The color or lack of color in an image should contribute to its impact.If you want to learn more about photography as well as get the latest updates on new cameras and equipment, you need to subsribe to our newsletter.