Many generations ago black and white photography was the first and only option. Colour mostly replaced b/w when it became readily available, but b/w (along with a few variations) retained a steady cult appeal. Many individuals just like the look of a really good b/w image, and it was popular with those who developed their own film. In these days of digital photography it still works well for some situations.
The difficulties of b/w photography often go unappreciated. While it is possible to just remove colour from any photo the results are rarely anything special. Rather, a photographer will approach a b/w image in a different way, because b/w is a different style of image. Occasionally they might remove the colour from a colour photo, and then alter the contrast and filter the final image. More often they shoot the image with the intention of producing something in b/w. Either way, b/w photos are a little bit of a different art to regular photography.
Best Wedding Photographer – Approaching Black and White
- Black and white is not quite the same a monochrome. It might best be thought of as a type of monochrome, which is an image based of shades of one single colour, and white. The choice of different monochrome colours greatly impacts the look of an image. An all brown (sepia) image looks classic, old school, rustic. A yellow monochrome image looks sunny.
- Sharpness. Any photo/video technical person will tell you that the human eye can focus more sharply in black and white than in colour. So a b/w image will either need to be sharply focused, or use blur deliberate as an aspect of the image.
- If a photo is initially taken in colour it can have some of its colours filtered before being converted to black and white. This gives a lot of flexibility in processing. Try looking at the photo through different filters to get an idea of how this works. You will probably need to alter the brightness and contrast when adapting to b/w.
- Digital cameras can use RAW of JPEG files. RAW takes up more data space, but it keeps the colour information even if the photo is taken in black and white. We highly recommend this option.
You will have to capture your image in shades of black and white alone. So, look at:
- Shadows. These are prominent in b/w images. No longer darker images in the background shadows become a more prominent part of the composition. Frame photos and use lighting with this in mind.
- Contrasts. The simple understanding of this is the difference between the darkest and lightest shade of the photo. But remember that the brightness/contrast of two objects is exaggerated when they are next to each other, or if a dark object is in front of a light one. Use this to get a clear image.
- B/w is a little more abstract than colour, so we can see shapes without recognizing what they are. This can be very artistic, so the photos are not just familiar faces, but stylized images of figures and their surroundings.
Our Sydney Wedding Photo service aims to produce the images you want to keep forever. There are so many variables here. Black and white looks great for some images. Groups photos can be mixed with spontaneous photos of the happy couple on the day. We believe the main thing to capture the emotion of such an important day.
Sydney Wedding Photo
Wedding photos capture one of the most important events of anybody’s life. Let a professional capture this with style, emotion, passion, and an artistic flair.
