Photography Tip

Black & White: What to look for

Black & White Photography. It’s a mystery we’re all hoping to solve… Sometimes it works! Sometimes, it really doesn’t. So what actually makes a great black and white photo?

Here are a few things you should be looking for when deciding which photos to convert to black and white:

• Look for contrast: Some of the best black & white photos work because of great light contrast. Look for a photo with dark darks and bright brights. Remember that all colours are reduced to grey scale so where you would normally see a great contrast between reds and greens, you don’t have that luxury in black & white. Go for contrast in brights and darks instead.
• Look for patterns: Consistent and simple patterns make for great black and white shots. Keep it simple, and remember that a good contrast in light (not colour) is best.
• Try it on a cloudy day! Black and white photographs are a great way to overcome flat light on a cloudy day. Generally your backgrounds are too bright (clouds) and your foregrounds are too dark – so you have great contrast for black and white (but terrible light for colour).

Use an ND Filter & Try a Long Exposure: Long exposures can work very well in black and white, especially when you have cloud or fog movement, or misty seas. To help, a Neutral Density filter could be used. ND filters cut the light to your camera lens like a pair of sunglasses. This means that you can extend your shutter speeds to capture more movement.