January 7th, 2021.

#FFFFFF & #000000

7 elements to consider when producing Black & White images

Photo by Renjum Baker

Black and white (B&W) or monochromatic photography, is the art of using different tones of grey, ranging from white to dark, to create compelling images.
People use both terms interchangeably, however, a true B&W photograph only consists of three colours: black, grey and white (without a hint of tint).
Although technological advancement has made it extremely feasible to capture every colour on the spectrum (ever since the birth of mankind’s first permanent colour image in 1861), B&W photos remain forever in trend.
Images containing colour schemes produced by particular types of film or by trends in digital processing, sometimes suggest a specific era while a B&W image distils a scene down to its timeless essence.

You can enable the “monochrome” mode on most DSLRs to preview your RAW images in B&W on the LCD screen. However, if your camera does not shoot RAW images, experts highly recommend shooting in colour first before converting the image to B&W.

In any case, shooting RAW allows more flexibility than JPEG for more reasons other than producing higher image quality. RAW files contain all the colour information which will always be available to you whether you shoot in colour or B&W. The colour information might come in handy when you apply filters and adjust individual colour channels in post-processing.

Alfred Eisenstaedt / Time & Life Pictures / Getty Images

7 elements to consider

Shadow

Shadows have an out-sized impact which affects every aspect of how a photo appears. Your treatment of shadows can signal feelings and complexity of the photograph overall.

Contrast

Contrast is the difference between the darkest and brightest portions of a photograph. The proximity between such portions convey a sense of dynamic intensity.

Tones

Tones are the cornerstone of B&W images. It refers to the underlying brightness, darkness, and shades of grey that appear in a photo. Variation in the tones you capture can swing an image’s mood significantly. Dark tones suggest a mysterious and foreboding story while lighter tones suggest a more ethereal and happy story.

SHAPES

Shapes anchor and simplify an image. They are especially crucial in B&W images because they allow the viewer to see the “big picture”.

Texture

Textures have the power to affect an image’s mood and emotion while encapsulating time and movements.

Composition

Every great photograph has an underlying purpose, structure and order. However, in B&W images, the colour scheme is out of the question. Therefore, it is crucial to compose your photos well and it helps to adopt a monochrome mindset when capturing the image.

Emotion

Emotion is by far the most important element of photography. All six elements mentioned above are important tools to help you sculpt your emotional message in a way that resonates with viewers as well as showing them a story worth seeing.