Black and White Photography Using Color Film

The question of whether to develop photos in color or blackness and white (or even both) is an interesting one. Whatsoever photographer who uses a digital camera tin can easily create 2 or more than versions of the same photograph. This is a big change from the days of picture show photography because yous no longer take to commit to ane or the other through your choice of film.

With film, the main choices were betwixt color negative, color slide or black and white negative movie. The deed of committing to either color or black and white helped you concentrate on finding subjects and compositions that worked in that medium.

With digital you can accept the photograph and decide afterwards. But it's more helpful to know in advance if you intend to work in black and white and then that you can concentrate on the elements that brand interesting black and white images – light, texture, contrast etc. Merely equally y'all can work in color and convert it afterwards.

One advantage of this is that you can go back over onetime photos and select the ones that would work well in black and white.

But there are also times when you may be better served past deciding whether you're going to work in black and white or colour (or fifty-fifty a mix of the two) earlier you kickoff a shoot, so yous tin can commit to ane fashion of seeing and composition.

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The boxing between color and black and white

There have been many times when I've taken a color photo many times and realized later that it would look good in black and white. I remember it's because I expect for stiff shapes and textures and simplify the composition – something that works well in both color and black and white photos.

In my ebook Mastering Composition I wrote about an interview I once read with American landscape photographer David Muench who works predominantly in colour but describes his photos as blackness and white images with a layer of color on top. I interpret that as meaning that he composes using tonal contrast and texture exactly as he would if he were shooting in black and white, except that he chooses to work in color.

I sometimes discover myself getting caught in a boxing between black and white and color, moving between the 2, developing 2 versions of the same photograph. This battle has always existed, merely now we take the luxury of making the conclusion later in the photography procedure, afterwards pressing the shutter button rather than earlier.

Await for themes

At the offset of this yr I committed to working more than in black and white. Function of that process has been going back over older photos and re-developing the best ones in black and white. I've also done near of my shoots this yr in black and white.

If you were to ask me whether you should do the same, my advice is to take a relaxed approach and accept that some photos piece of work better in blackness and white, and others in color. Sometimes you'll prefer to work in black and white, and others in color, especially if you like variety in your photography.

But over time y'all'll see certain themes sally in your piece of work. One of them is color versus black and white. If you discover that most of your favorite photos are color ones, for instance, then that's a sign that color is your affair. On the other mitt, if your favorite photos are generally black and white, information technology'southward a sign you lot should concentrate on working in monochrome. That's what happened to me, and it took me a few years to realize information technology.

All-time photos simply

Equally a guide, it's best to convert only your best photos to blackness and white. One mistake I've seen photographers make is convert photos that don't work well to black and white, as if that solves the problem. Yous're unlikely to get adept black and white images that way. It's better to direct your energies into trying to work out why the colour photograph didn't piece of work in the starting time place.

Color or blackness & white – some things to recollect nearly

Hither are a few things to think virtually when you lot're trying to decide whether to develop a particular photo in color or black and white. Recall that in that location's nothing to finish yous developing a photo both means and making up your mind subsequently. Yous might fifty-fifty decide you like both versions, only for different reasons.

Does removing color have abroad whatever mood or feeling from the photo?
Does converting to black and white add mood or emotion to the photo?
Does the photo have interesting textures or tonal contrasts that expect good in black and white?
Is the black and white version more timeless?
Is the subject interesting plenty to stand by itself if you remove all the color?
Does the black and white version testify the character of your subject better? This applies to whatsoever subject, not just portraits.
Is the photo part of a series, or potentially part of a serial? If it is, would the series as a whole work ameliorate developed in color or black and white?
What do you want to do with your photos when they're finished? If you want to make a photo book from your best photos, print them out on fine art newspaper, or print them and frame them on a wall, and then will the end result work amend in color or black and white?

Color or blackness & white – which do you prefer?

I thought it would be interesting to show you both blackness and white and color versions of some of my favorite photos and let you brand up your minds as to which handling works best.

Which do y'all prefer? Did I lose annihilation by converting to blackness and white? I've deliberately picked photos that piece of work well in both colour and black and white to make the exercise more than interesting. You can use the above ideas to add some objectivity. Feel complimentary to share your opinions in the comments. If you find this exercise useful yous tin try information technology with your own photos.