Sepia or black and white is the original film for photography just as it was for movies. It was in the mid-twentieth century that color photography first became available to the general public. As our world is seen full of vibrant color, why would anyone wish to remove that brilliance from photographs?
This question is unique in that it brings about the answer of identifying when to take a black and white photograph or when to remove color from a photograph using an editing program such as Photoshop.
The answer is quite simple, to simplify the photo. Using black and white or removing the color from a photo enables all distracting elements to be eliminated. This process is similar to that of blurring the background or playing with the frame of a photo.
So now we know the why, which has led us to the when, of black-and-white photography, lets look at the three main situations where we might de-saturate (i.e. remove color from) a photo.
# In portraiture - In color, a close-up picture of a person reveals all kinds of distracting details of their face " blemishes, a red nose, uneven skin tones, and so on. Black-and-white photography strips out these details, and this makes it easier for the viewer to concentrate on what the photo reveals about the persons life or personality, which is what portraiture is all about.
# Fine Art Abstract Photography
Color is very noticeable in a photo, and it generally trumps things like patterns or shapes. So another use for black-and-white is when a photographer wants to take a photo that is about a pattern or shapes. This type of photograph comes up most often in what we might call abstract fine art photography, where there really isnt a clear or recognizable subject for the photo.
Note that black-and-white photographs are generally more tolerant of contrast, so fine art photographers will often strip out color from their photographs and then ramp up the contrast (again, using an image editing program).
# Monochromatic Photography - In this situation, black and white usually works best.
In this category, a photo is already lacking the vibrancy of color, so stripping it and using black and white seems the proper way to go. Just as colors can be distracting, so can a lack of vibrant color be distracting.
This question is unique in that it brings about the answer of identifying when to take a black and white photograph or when to remove color from a photograph using an editing program such as Photoshop.
The answer is quite simple, to simplify the photo. Using black and white or removing the color from a photo enables all distracting elements to be eliminated. This process is similar to that of blurring the background or playing with the frame of a photo.
So now we know the why, which has led us to the when, of black-and-white photography, lets look at the three main situations where we might de-saturate (i.e. remove color from) a photo.
# In portraiture - In color, a close-up picture of a person reveals all kinds of distracting details of their face " blemishes, a red nose, uneven skin tones, and so on. Black-and-white photography strips out these details, and this makes it easier for the viewer to concentrate on what the photo reveals about the persons life or personality, which is what portraiture is all about.
# Fine Art Abstract Photography
Color is very noticeable in a photo, and it generally trumps things like patterns or shapes. So another use for black-and-white is when a photographer wants to take a photo that is about a pattern or shapes. This type of photograph comes up most often in what we might call abstract fine art photography, where there really isnt a clear or recognizable subject for the photo.
Note that black-and-white photographs are generally more tolerant of contrast, so fine art photographers will often strip out color from their photographs and then ramp up the contrast (again, using an image editing program).
# Monochromatic Photography - In this situation, black and white usually works best.
In this category, a photo is already lacking the vibrancy of color, so stripping it and using black and white seems the proper way to go. Just as colors can be distracting, so can a lack of vibrant color be distracting.
About the Author:
Tobias Sterling has been in love with photography for many years. He loves to share his knowledge with fellow enthusiast on Clivir.com where you can find his lessons about Photography basics and tips and Black and White Photography Tips.
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