Black & white photography is one of the most interesting and inspiring aspects of this art form we call our hobby and passion. It’s raw & refined, natural and unusual, bold and subtle, mysterious and open, emotional and indifferent, simple and complex, black & white & everything in between. The monochrome image has been practicing photography since the beginning, but what began as the only way to capture images is turned into something much deeper.
Here are the tips :
1. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE
An experienced black & white photographer can see the world without color. They’ve trained their mind to pick up contrast and tone while blocking the distraction of colors. This isn’t a skill that you can pick up in a short amount of time; it’s something that comes naturally in time. I can’t say that I’m gifted enough to have monochrome vision, but I have been able to notice certain scenes and subjects that would lend themselves to black & white.
One way to help train your brain is to make a conscious effort — in other words, practice. Trevor carpenter gave us the perfect example when he started his October Challenge. Basically, he decided to limit his photography to black & white for an entire month. This gave him a chance to experiment with the medium and learn from his own work, and in his project recap he states “I have found, especially in recent days, that as I’m shooting and conceiving a shot, I see the potential impact of the composition in black & white.”
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