The Love Of Black And White Photography

Designers love to use black and white photography. It doesn't clash with anything. If you notice on TV the sets use a lot of B&W photography.

The designers use it as an extension of the characters to say:

Modern
Hip
Cool
City

The average tv viewer probably doesn't notice this but when you concentrate on how the characters homes are decorated you start seeing what type of art they use to describe the characters.

Sometimes color is just another element that takes away from the strength of the image. A type of visual clutter. One of the tenets of good design is to strip away elements until you can no longer remove anything without affecting the integrity of the image. Sometimes that means color can go.

It's kind of why I prefer all-white cars. Lack of color allows the shape and form of the vehicle to stand on its own. I feel the same way about pottery. In art school I took a ceramics class, and I always preferred my pieces before we had to glaze them. Adding color and/or pattern to the surface usually hurt the piece, in my opinion.

What Ed said.

If you can create a theme where images can be grouped together all the better. Your images are good. The journalist style ones might be a harder sell for the home art buyer... think decorating, what would you like to have on your walls. I like matching frames, all the same size prints with one theme. (when talking B&W Photos that is) but that's just me, other might feel differently.



Cheers, Barbara

Still training my brain and eyes to see in black and white, but really enjoying the results!

You have some powerful images Samir...this one moved me

People do still love bw and 20% of my sales have been in bw and here it is

This is very strong - I like it.
Feeding Pigeons by Samir Afli





New Orleans Sacred Heart Of Jesus


Bell Tower Valbonne Abbey



Black and white photography is a perfect lie. We must not let colour destroy this image. - Patrick Summerfield

There is much to discuss regarding b/w photography, but looks like this thread is in danger of becoming a b/w dump thread.

A little discussing and a little photos that nice Valerie! :)
Thank you Bob you like my photo! but it still not viewed by any buyer yet! :)
Thank you christine!
I see amazing bw photo in this thread!

Love celebrating texture in B&W.



Black and white can bring focus to light and shadow.

I like to know when it is more suitable to make the photo in bw more then sepia? because also the sepia is beautiful too but not with all photos!
for example this one. do you think that the radio in the photo juge to make the photo in black and white and not in sepia.



This idea i got it from Mike savad in an other thread!

I like this one... but I wouldn't buy it because it's not black and white, it's sepia, monochrome...

To me Black and White is just that... not a hint of colour. Trying to match tones of sepia to get a grouping together to me is like matching mats on a framed print to a colour in the image...hard to do..



Try this one in B&W instead, just a thought.

Cheers, Barbara

thank you Barbara! How you guess of my question?
I really want to know about this !

Great minds think alike :-))

I love both sepia AND true b/w. Sometimes b/w is a tad too harsh, and the image benefits from the softness of sepia.

I was experimenting with low-key photography.

Fortunately tastes differ. I like the pure black and white: www.colinutzphotography.com

I think Black and White works best when it's dodged and burned in the darkroom; the traditional way, by developing and printing film that was in the camera.

Sepia is pants.

I guess one could call me old fashioned, but I think Black and White images are often more stunning than color. I find that color: can take away from the image, doesn't show the story as well at times and cannot always pull off a dramatic feel as well. Just my opinion, not everyone's! :)

My Black and White Gallery

And if I had to pic a favorite:

Valerie, I dont really know about the history of photography! but the "time" its a part we have to considered when we make decision which look we choose it for the photo sepia or bw
Some people look to the photo and its compostion and after they decide for the bw or the sépia. Or it is a matter of taste?

Your b&w are very good Keep it in the good way of creation :-)

@ Colin, you have some outstanding B&W images... This one jumped right off the page at me. the light is amazing imo


@Charly, that image is a gem...I found that a few days ago and it's on my list of top picks too.

Cheers, Barbara

My best B&W images are probably those shot on B&W film. It forces me to "think in black and white". I've got a few digital images converted to B&W because I felt that would look better, but in general I think that shooting in colour and converting is too often a desperate attempt to "save" something that should be forgotten.
Here's a studio shot on B&W film:

From my BW images on FAA I think this one is the best.

@ Barbara, glad to hear you like it too! That was my very first interior shot and it's still at the top of my favs list, years later :)

I wish I knew back then what I know now though ;)

Barbara, i make it in bw! hope it become better!

Martin
The photo of the women in bw is just amazing!

@Barbara

Thank you!

Samir: Thank you.
My Girlfiend btw :D

@Samir, I really like it in B&W, to me that is a keeper :-))

@Martin, I went onto your page and I can't find your gallery for B&W? - You need one, you've got a good eye for it.

Cheers, Barbara

B&W has always been my preferred choice. I've always found it much more challenging than colour, and what is life without challenge?

I think it firstly depends on the image whether it suits a b&w conversion or not. After that, success depends on how the conversion is done - you can't just desaturate a colour image and leave it at that, because if you do, it will probably end up in shades of grey.

I left a hint of colour in this one, because that seemed to work better than monochrome:

Dave , all the thre image are so beautiful ?do you use in your processing to reduce noise and make your photo in bw ultra soft as it seen in your three photos?
do you think its better for the bw photos to be soft?
Jane i agree totally with you! and it is wonderful pink and white ot lilies!

I typically shoot at low ISO the majority of the time so noise isn't an issue. I balance my images individually, so there's no hard and fast rule as to how soft or harsh an image should be. This is often dictated by the subject - some are suited to subtle tones, some to stronger contrast.

@ Dave - your photography is imo, some of the best in the world!!

This image is outstanding and it's what dreams are made of. I was wondering if your work has been used as Novel covers or is that something you'd consider doing?


Just curious because I see the heroin sitting on the rock with the ancient ruins behind....this image inspires a novel.

Cheers, Barbara

I add other image in black and white!
Really i feel good with this style..

New black and white photo!