“When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls!”
Black and white photography can take your image to a whole new level. However, learning to see which images will convert best to a black and white as well as how to convert the image properly can be a challenge. Below are black and white photography tips that you need to check out.
BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS
Before you even click the shutter button, be on the look out for images that would convert well to black and white photos. If you know you want to do a series of black and what photos then knowing what type of light and situation to shoot in will help tell a better story in your images.
Read: Shooting for black and white photographs
When I first started in photography, I would often use converting an image to black and white as a way to “save” the image. Typically I had messed up the exposure or the white balance and I didn’t know or have the time to fix it. I soon realized that I wasn’t actually saving the image and there is a secret to a really good black and white photo.
Read: Secret to a great black and white photo
Light has such a huge affect on how dramatic your black and white image will be. We talk about it all the time but light is so important to your images. Learning to to see light that converts well to a black and white photo will only improve your images.
Read: Low light photography tips
Now that you have set up your shot to use the right type of light that works best for a black and white let’s figure out how to properly convert it in post processing.
Lightroom: If you use Lightroom this is one of the best tutorials on how to use contrast and luminance to take create an amazing black and white conversion. This step by step tutorial will help you create beautiful black and white images in Lightroom without using a preset.
Read: Editing: Using contrast and luminance to create black and white images
Photoshop/ACR: Don’t worry we have a great tutorial for you as well. In fact, in this step by step video you will see how to properly convert your image to black and white while in ACR. Follow along as one photographer takes you through a proper black and white conversion in ACR.
Read: Convert an image to black and white in ACR
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Tell me in the comments. Do you prefer black and white or color images?
I love B/W and I do my work in B/W. Only photos from my trips are colored
It looks like your really pleasing black and white shots have great subject/background contrast and use of negative space. Do you use exposure contrast? I find I struggle with tonal contrast, like skin against green pops out in color but washes out in B&W. Do you have any tips for creating contrast in black/white?
Hey Greg, I don’t use exposure contrast. I shoot in RAW and shoot in manual mode. Check out the post above with the Lightroom tutorial as it is a great example of contrast in black and white :)
I love the detail that comes out in black and white that you may not always notice in color.
Black & White
It compliments the shot. It’s an overall look 👀
Different shadows & light is very creative. A story is told☺️
My first choice
Helen from Adelaide