7 Matchless Black and White Photography Tips

Notwithstanding the explosive growth which has been witnessed in color photography, till date we find that black and white photography clearly has a charm of its own which is unparalleled. It has held forth in spite of a variety of new trends and techniques which have come into the entire photography realm off late.

Accordingly, in this article, we focus on offering some really fruitful black and white photography tips which can help you in creating masterful renditions of your own, which will clearly stand out in a variety of ways.

Contrast

It is pivotal that you contrast the elements within the image well. Remember that when it comes to colour photography, you don't always have that leeway, but with black and white photography, you can (and should!) contrast as much as you can, playing with lights and shadows to make the elements within your images stand out in a variety of ways.

Use RAW

A key aspect of this type of photography is that when shot in RAW mode, you can then process images the way you like on your computer, say using software like Adobe Photoshop. Agreed that not all cameras have the RAW function available on them, we would strongly encourage that wherever such a functionality is available, do make the most of it.

Use Exposure Skilfully

It is imperative that you use exposure deftly to create stunning effects. For instance, often by under-exposing, you can actually create an impact within the photograph, which would be quite different to what would be the case were you to expose normally. This is especially true since under-exposure allows elements within your image to portray altogether varying shades of black and white, than would be the case had you chosen a normal exposure.

ISO

The ISO number plays a very important part, with ISO numbers by themselves indicative of the sensitivity of image sensors. When shooting monochrome pictures, it is ideal that you shoot at the lowest possible ISO numbers which will ensure that you minimize "noise" within your pictures while maximizing clarity.

Be Liberal with Filter Usage!

The overall appeal of black and white photography in particular can be enhanced incrementally with the help of filters so feel free to use them liberally! Filters which especially come to mind include polarizers, split grads, among many others.

Patterns and Textures

Patterns and textures come out particularly very well in this style of photography. So if per chance you happen to be shooting patterns or textures in any case, you would be best off doing so in monochrome. In fact you can take both black and white as well as colour to see the contrast in appearance and indeed the visual impact that either of them have. Eventually, you could very well be choosing to shoot patterns and textures in particular, with the primary objective of honing your monochrome photography skills.

Don't be shy with Software Enhancements!

A mistake that a lot of monochrome photography aficionados make is that they consider the pictures they took with their cameras, as the final output, simply leaving them at that.

We would recommend not doing so, since some really basic enhancements or touch-ups can alone make a world of difference to the pictures you come out with. For instance, sometimes, just increasing the contrast a little bit, increasing (or decreasing) light within the picture, changing brightness and so on, can together go on to make a huge visual impact.

These things are important also because while taking pictures, not everything can be in your interest; maybe the light or the contrast is really not to your favor and there is precious little that you can do about it on your own at that moment, especially since you risk losing out on the perfect opportunity to shoot. In such a scenario, it would be ideal to get done with the photography session at hand and then look at enhancing the images you have taken, on your computer.