Steve Pease - How to Make the Best Black and White Photos: Learn to be your best with black and white

Black and White Photography

The art of making great black and

White photos

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

BLACK AND WHITE

A concept all photographers need to remember when we are using our camera .

You dont take a photograph, you make it. -Ansel Adams

Here is an outstanding example of the subtle shading that makes making black and white shots so powerful . This has just a touch of sepia to make it brown .

To take a photograph at its best , you need to explore the options to get the best look . I almost always make all shots in color . Then convert to black and white if the shot looks good in color. That way you always have a color copy . It is much harder to recolor a photo than take the color out if you ever want a color print of the shot .

I take shots in black and white, sometimes with my phone camera. Many times, i t is beneficial to see the shot in black and white . It helps you learn to see shadows and tones in the shot different from what you see in color . It also makes texture pop out of the shot so you can see things you cannot see in color .

Most people like to see photos in color most of the time . It is the way most of us see everything . That is enjoyable, but it can take away from some important things we should see . There are situations where black and white is better. In high contrast photos black and white can be much more interesting . Making a shot black and white can also take an average photo and make it great .

Most viewers can also appreciate a great black and white shot , they look at it more like art than a photo . They also do not think it is a snapshot , it looks like you put time and thought into the shot . Here is a quick example of what I am talking about . The color shot is an ok shot, but the black and white shot has a different feel.

Notice the shadows and the texture in the wings . All I did was convert the shot to black and white in the app on my phone and the texture pops . The texture in the feathers is the first thing you see in the black and white, but not in the color shot.

Black and white photographs are simplistic . Taking out the color changes the focus . The focus goes from the color to the composition and the creativity of the shot .

Color can distract from the shot . It can take the focus away from the subject , which is something you do not want to do . Look at the shot in color . What do you think it will look like without color? Do you think it may look better without color ? Desaturate the shot and see what it looks like .

There are many ways to take out the color , but to look the best you need to do a few more things than desaturate only . We will get into that more later .

Why should you take photos in black and White?

There can be many subtle tone differences you cannot get in a color photo .

Black and white can bring out your creativity more than with color .

You see light different in black and white than you do in color .

Black and white brings out emotion in the shot .

Black and white highlights form patterns and negative space .

Without color , you see the interaction of the lines in the shot , to bring out the shapes and forms .

Flat light shots also have more options to make a shot interesting. Most flat light shots are boring .

Black and white photos can be much more dramatic .

Bringing out texture is much easier in black and white photography .

Learning to shoot well in black and white will make you a better photographer when shooting in color .

Shooting black and white makes you focus more on the composition .

Color will not distract from the creativity or the emotion of the shot .

You can create a certain mood in the shot you cannot do in color .

In this book I will give you tips on how to take the best black and white shots you can. I will show you how to use black and white to change the mood of the shot and create the emotion you want to portray .

I have taken hundreds of thousands of photos over the past years . Many have been black and white , or converted to black and white. I have studied photography in practice and at photography school many years ago. Practice is the best way to learn . Learn by using your eyes and other available tools to make the best shots you can.

Take time and search black and white photos online. Look at the variety of shots . Look to see what type of look you prefer . Do you like high key , dramatic , middle shades of gray , infrared , or do you like it with a tint to the shot ?

Look at Ansel Adams photography. Look at other great black and white shots and see how the photographer sees the light . Look at how they compose the shot to create the shot they want .

If you have not tried black and white . Check it out and see what you can do . It is easy to make great shots if you learn what to look at .

Converting to Black and white

This is how you will create most of your black and white shots . Start with a color photo and create the black and white look you want . Black and white is still popular with many people . If you look at social media , you will see black and white is popular for viewers . If you are a serious photographer, and want to do more than take snapshots , you should look at black and white photography. You are stifling your creativity if you do not work with black and white .

The great thing about digital photography is that you have a world of options available in software. You can change and make a black and white shot look hugely different. You can make it more interesting to look at than bland color or desaturated monochrome photos.

Some types of photos lend themselves to black and white much better than other types of photos. Some types of photos must have color to be their best. Sunset shots would not portray the same mood or impact in black and white.

Old-fashioned and aged things make great photos in black and white. Black and white can change the mood and make the shot much more interesting. Old barns, farm machinery, broken down buildings all lend to great black and white photos. Close up faces of older people with lines and wrinkles make great black and white because of the texture it adds to the shot.

The first thing you should do is adjust the shot for the best color photo you can. In adjusting the color shot. Make the shot a little more saturated than you would in color. Also upping the contrast and even increasing the exposure will give you more leeway when converting. I also like to use a little tone mapping to increase the range of tone from black to white.