Color photography isn’t for everyone. Some photographers, like Ansel Adams and Daido Moriyama captured exclusively in Black and White. Even when color photography was available. For them, it was more accessible, fit their style and had benefits.
Black and white photography is still popular today across digital and analog photography. Today, I want to run through a few reasons why this is the case, and why it could be a good choice for you and your photography.
When Not to Use Color in Your Photography
Color Distractions
Black and white photography has the distinct advantage of removing all color from a scene. This is helpful when the main subject of your shot has attention drawn away by a colorful element. Removing the color information brings the attention back to its intended place.
Similarly, capturing a scene with many light sources of different color temperatures can be nausiating. Removing them all in one fell swoop is a great way to normalize a scene.
Extenuate the Darker Areas
All images, color and black and white have a tonal range; the range of tones from the lightest area of the scene to the darkest. Depending on the scene, a black and white conversion can make the darker areas stronger.
Black text on a white page, or a silhouette on a light street background seem to pop when the color information disappears. One of the reasons is that in a scene of color, all elements have traces of other colors. Black, being one of the darkest, holds traces of blue and purple, which are no longer present.
Create a Timeless Image
The feel of an image gives clues of when and how an image was captured. Unpurposely grainy images with subdued colors tend to reveal themselves as captured in the 70’s and 80's. This is down to analog film stock, processing chemicals and the test of time. Digital photography has allowed grain to be a choice, no longer a necessity.
By capturing black and white scenes, you remove the clues that color provided. The outcome is a timeless scene. As photography once started with black and white or monochromatic color schemes, scenes devoid of color relate to a former time.
Force Yourself to Look at the Scene Differently
As photographers, we look at scenes differently depending on whether the intended outcome is a color or monochromatic image. With color scenes, each shift, hue or tone can work as an emotion or feeling. Without color information, black and white scenes need to include other compositional elements.
Texture, form and shape are especially prevalent in black and white photography. These feel stronger due to the reduction in other distractions. If you are looking to capture a black and white scene, you need to see a scene differently. The viewers that come across your image will also see the scene adversely, as they are used to a world of color.
Process Black and White Analog Photography at Home
Photography once had a technical limitation of only being able to capture monochromatic scenes. Now, digital cameras allow us to convert the images during the post-editing process.
One of the biggest reasons for me to shoot in black and white is the accessibility of doing it at home. With a darkroom bag, a developing tank and a few chemicals, I can process all the negatives I want. These can be then used in either a darkroom or scanner for the desired, final image. The same can’t be said for color analog photography. More chemicals are needed for film development at specific and constant temperatures.