When to use black and white photography

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Discover the reasons that define when to use black and white photography and elevate your photos into stunning monochrome captures. Ted Grant wrote that when you photograph people in colors you photograph their clothes, but when you photograph them in black and white you photograph their souls. Maybe all the things, not only people, hide something inside them, a kind of a ‘soul’ that is revealed to us by looking at their monochromatic capture.

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When to use black and white photography

Photographer Paul Outerbridge, well-known for his early use and experiment in color photography, had mentioned the difference between monochromatic and color photography; black and white imply a suggestion, but color makes a statement. Others had seen in black and white photography symbols like hope and despair, a reflection of real life, like photographer Robert Frank. So, what photos are meant to be black and white?

Black and white photography can be a powerful artistic choice. Here are some situations where it works well:

Avoid bluntness

Some photos look so common and boring in color.

Lost in saturation

Forms and lines in photos may be lost in a saturated polyphony.

Neglect details

Textures and details would seem insignificant when covered by vibrant hues.

Unappealing Colors

When the colors in a scene are distracting or unattractive, converting to black and white can eliminate that distraction and draw attention to other elements. 

Unwanted Mood in the Colors

Sometimes, colors convey emotions that don’t align with the intended mood while black and white may evoke the ‘right’ sense.

Departure from Reality

Black and white images depart from the colorful reality we see. Despite this, they often feel natural.

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Basic guidelines of black and white photography

The answer to the question of which photo to turn in black and white and which to keep in color it’s rather a matter of intuition and taste. Except for the case of being an exclusively black and white photographer, the process of selection is so objective.

So, the only thing that you can control is to make the best when you create a black and white photo. And, the basic guidelines are almost the same in every tutorial and article:

Shoot in raw

Shooting in raw is definitely the only way to save the maximum information in every photo; textures, tones, gradients, shadows recovery, more shades of gray, and details in highlights are all stored in your RAW file.

Use low iso

How many times didi you turn photos in black and white only to discover that the sky or other big surfaces were full of noise, covered with small bright spots everywhere? This is very common in even things that cover a big part of the photo like the sky. A way to avoid a grainy appearance is to reduce ISO. ISO 400 and under may give a satisfying result, but keep in mind to adjust the shutter speed in order to have sharp images.

Intensity of light matters

In a composition that lacks colors, lightened areas substitute their role; they help us distinguish objects and areas. Choosing an hour of the day with a bright sun would make our monochromatic scene more clear and dramatic because the intensity of light would make the shadows more strong and highlights more bright.

To conclude, the choice between color and black and white is subjective. And, we should always experiment and trust our artistic instincts. Yet, we can define the elements that can create stunning black and white photos.

^{This page contains AFFILIATE LINKS. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Plus, as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Read more on the disclosure policy page.}

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