Why Black & White
Televisions have evolved from black & white to OLED colour screens of today and the world has not looked back, yet In photography the same can not be said. In the world of photography colour photos are definitely the preferred choice, however knowing the power of black & white editing provides an alternative option that can be a powerful tool.
The essence of a black & white photo is to emphasise the relationship between darkness and light. Although this relationship does exist in a coloured photo , it becomes diluted due to the array of beautiful colours that steals the spotlight.
The main benefit of a black & white photo is the dramatic effect it creates. Imagine a world with no colour, looking around noticing every object has shades of black and white, this might not sound very cheerful but I'm sure it would be an interesting sight on the odd occasion. Time to step into the world of black & white!
Shadows
Light and shadows are the perfect example of opposites attract, think of black & white as the cupid that allows the magic to happen. Once a black & white preset/filter is applied the lights and shadows are allowed to fulfill their natural beauty. The key here is to create a photo has a nice balance of casted shadows while simultaneously dancing with the light.
This reimaging effect shows how shadows are taken for granted it's natures way of balancing out the light much like night and day. The light allows us to be productive and complete tasks, yet the shadows of night time allows for rest and recovery.
Photography is a matter of perspective and the photographer is in charge of selecting the perspective for the audience, a light & shadows photo casted in a black and white filter provides a unique perspective that is well rewarding.
Contrast
The contrast between two objects that have a stark difference creating this juxtaposition effect. For instance fire and ice co-existing, the confusing yet joyful feeling of eating a sweet & sour candy, or the simple difference of night & day. The detailed dark bird in contrast with the simple light background produces and opposites attract effect. Adding a black and white edit to the photo will help to accentuate the contrast between the light and darkness areas of the photo further telling a beautiful story.
This contrast technique will create a new narrative in the photo that is shaped between the two contrasting objects.
Colour Accent
A colour accent edit can produce a powerful visual effect when successfully applied, the persona of the photo transforms and becomes a completely new image. The colour accent can be either a particular colour or subject with one or multiple colours as the focal point. There are 2 main factors responsible for the success in the reimagined visual.
Juxtaposition: a black & white background can create a dramatic effect and by pairing this with for instance a pink ballon that is the only coloured object a strong juxtaposition is created between the coloured balloon and colourless background. This sharp contrast can leave the viewer bewildered and amazed.
This would be the equivalent of eating something that is sweet but also sour and the colliding of the two worlds creates a new atmospheric flavour.
Retelling a story: picture an action movie where the hero has saved the city from destruction and the civilians are applauding the hero for his/her efforts, now if we remove all the colour and apply colour to the little boy who is now happy his fears are in the past, the focus shifts from the hero and the narrative redirects to putting ourselves in the boy's shoes and how he feels. This visual edit has created a new story through the power of colour.
Texture
Objects that have a interesting or sophisticated textured surface make for great black & white photos. The bark of the tree becomes more pronounced and televises the scales along with the random markings in the bark. The tree itself becomes more wicked and dangerous adding further drama to the photo.
Dramatic
If you want a nice relaxing moment on the beach surrounded by turquoise water then look the other way, however if it's drama you seek than this is the epitome of black & white. What was once an innocent photo in a parking lot featuring a family of pigeons playing in a puddle of water, has suddenly transformed into small Jurassic creatures surveying the landscape for their next meal. The colourless puddle now displays a more detailed ripple motion along with the fierce seagull that's responsible for it.
Thank you for your time and effort :)
Comment below to share your opinion or ask a question.