Black & White Photography
Making and studying black and white images has always been my passion. I am working far more in mono at present, building up what I hope, will be a portfolio which I will be able to call worthy of being in the black and white genre of photography.
Images in mono appear so simple in their make-up, and yet are so intense and complicated in their conception and intention. Contrast, lighting and composition are laid bare, as there is no colour to hide behind. This said, there is thus no place for the photographer to hide either, and the compositions and tonal ranges have to be as perfect as the photographer can make them. Shadows, midtones and highlights must compliment each other in such a way that the image conveys the thought and passion behind it. Nothing must be left to doubt. Working in mono has the ability to transform a good colour subject into a truly exceptional black and white image. The subject, mood and thought process behind the image has to be spot on though, otherwise it will fail dismally. Unlike B&W television which was consigned to the scrapheap when colour arrived, black and white imaging has continued to flourish side-by-side with colour. The works of the Grand Masters in photography, like Ansel Adams, Man Ray, Edward Steichen, Edward Weston, and many others attest to the legacy that black and white imaging has given us. A legacy that must never be neglected or forgotten.
There is nothing like a stunning black and white image to convey to the viewer the mood in a scene in ways that colour never can. Click on the title of this post for some examples of truly brilliant black and white photography.
Images in mono appear so simple in their make-up, and yet are so intense and complicated in their conception and intention. Contrast, lighting and composition are laid bare, as there is no colour to hide behind. This said, there is thus no place for the photographer to hide either, and the compositions and tonal ranges have to be as perfect as the photographer can make them. Shadows, midtones and highlights must compliment each other in such a way that the image conveys the thought and passion behind it. Nothing must be left to doubt. Working in mono has the ability to transform a good colour subject into a truly exceptional black and white image. The subject, mood and thought process behind the image has to be spot on though, otherwise it will fail dismally. Unlike B&W television which was consigned to the scrapheap when colour arrived, black and white imaging has continued to flourish side-by-side with colour. The works of the Grand Masters in photography, like Ansel Adams, Man Ray, Edward Steichen, Edward Weston, and many others attest to the legacy that black and white imaging has given us. A legacy that must never be neglected or forgotten.
There is nothing like a stunning black and white image to convey to the viewer the mood in a scene in ways that colour never can. Click on the title of this post for some examples of truly brilliant black and white photography.
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