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December 1, 2008 |
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Created and Maintained by: The Photoimaging Information Council |
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I like black and white. I enjoy color also, but to me, shooting in color is too easy, and to do it well, extremely difficult. Most people rely on a pretty scene to create an interesting image, but the image is often only interesting to them. A good photo should stand on its own, without too much explanation. Give me a black and white assignment anytime, and I'm good to go. Black and white gives you the opportunity to focus on other elements besides color. Without color as a crutch, many other facets of a photo become apparent. It's sort of like closing your eyes, and suddenly, you hear sounds more distinctly. You smell aromas. The tactile takes over. Taking color out of the equation enables you to focus on other fundamentals of photography, such as composition, tonal range, and texture. Getty Ceiling Look for the graphic elements in the photos you take and approach each image from a variety of perspectives. Tilting the camera in a different direction can create dramatic results. © 2004 Mary McGrath Moonflower Night shooting provides many challenges. Tripods are essential, and you should have film that is fast enough to capture the scene. Don’t forget to bring one of those pencil-sized flashlights so you can see what you’re doing! © 2004 Mary McGrath Fan Architecture provides many angles and opportunities for great black and white images. Frame the shot so that it provides a new rendition on what’s been done before.  © 2004 Mary McGrath Porsche If you get out of your photographic comfort zone, often you can find unusual items of interest to shoot. This Porsche panel was discovered by accident while crossing a hotel parking lot. © 2004 Mary McGrath Guggenheim Many public venues are off limits to photographers. You have to be cautious in these situations, or just plain brave.  © 2004 Mary McGrath Ferris Wheel 2 Here’s an example of a perfect black and white opportunity. If I had shot this in color, the photo would have been somewhat dull, as the sky was overcast, and the colors on the rides were muted. This shot worked much better as a black and white image. © 2004 Mary McGrath Black and White Huts If you happen to shoot a scene in color, you can often have favorable results if you adjust the image to black and white in PhotoShop.  © 2004 Mary McGrath Palm Springs Eyework Sometimes the boredom of a hotel room can provide for a unique photo opportunity. Selective focus with a macro lens can create dramatic effects, © 2004 Mary McGrath Straw Rural areas offer a plethora of photo opportunities for black and white photographers. I found this old ladder near my mother’s home in Banning, CA. With black and white, the photographer can focus on the minute details to make a photo interesting. © 2004 Mary McGrath Golf Pond If this shot was simply done it color, it might have been a nice scenic shot of a golf course. By turning the image upside down, it became more interesting photo.  © 2004 Mary McGrath Car Reflection This is one of my most popular images, as it asks viewer to pay attention to the details in several reflections. Again, black and white eliminates some of the distraction that may have resulted had color been the selected film choice. © 2004 Mary McGrath Film Choice: Although there are a myriad of black and white films available, I’ve primarily used Kodak, and upon occasion Fujifilm. I’ve had great results using both. I am more familiar with Kodak, as this brand was readily available and relatively inexpensive when I first starting shooting. Also notable is their Tri-X, which I used faithfully for many years when I first got into photography. Because of its wide exposure latitude, the shooter can breathe a sigh of relief if the conditions are not optimum. If your composition calls for a bit of grain, this film will also provide that as well. Kodak's Plus X125 was another one of those stable of films I used many years ago, as it delivers clean whites, a strong range of mid-tones, and good density for black. There is ample sharpness and grain as well, making it a very versatile film, especially in moderate to bright light conditions. I've used Kodak’s Portra film for portraits, with very satisfying results. It's designed to provide neutral prints, coupled with fine grain. This film is great for head shots also, and it reproduces well in the print medium. If you’re planning on scanning black and white film, it’s not a bad idea to use chromogenic film, which is a black and white film that you get processed in a color lab. Conventional silver-based black and white negatives don’t scan that well. Kodak’s Pro T400 CN and Portra 400 BW are good selections for these purposes. Fuji's Neopan 100 Acros is Fujifilm's professional and newest addition to its stable of black and white films. The 100 Acros is medium speed, boasts to have a very high image, and grain quality. Fuji’s Neopan 400 is also part of their professional line of films, a long-standing winner among 400 films. Fuji's Neopan B&W 1600 ISO is a very high-speed black and white film, ideal for low light conditions. The processing time is equal to that of Neopan 400, so that both films can be processed simultaneously. In addition, the tonal quality isn't sacrificed by using this film. In closing, experimenting with black and white photography can breathe new life into your photographic efforts. Many neighborhood schools and photo sites offer beginning photography classes, which will help you develop the basic skills needed to take better pictures. By focusing on such elements as contrast, pattern, light and composition, you can then approach photos with a fundamental knowledge of good picture taking, and get "lost in translation" as your photos come to life.
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