Photos that rely on shadow, shape, texture, contrast, and tone to the exclusion of color always seem dramatic and compelling. If you are a fan of monochrome, you have probably wondered how artists like Alfred Stieglitz and Ansel Adams manage to capture images that seem deceptively simple. Minimalist black and white photography is an art form many attempt, but few find a way to master. There are basic techniques to learn in order to get started.
If this is something you are serious about trying, the first thing you have to do is learn how to ignore color. There are two easy ways to help yourself do this. You can go out and purchase a monochrome viewing filter for your camera, or you can go to the dollar store and pick up a pair of cheap sunglasses with dark grey lenses. Almost any subject lends itself to this technique. You can photograph landscapes, cityscapes, people, or still lifes.
Most people who teach photography, and other art courses, put a big emphasis on composition. Composition is certainly an important element, but that is true of both color and monochrome. The difference is that some compositions that work beautifully in color won't work at all in black and white. You have to learn how to judge the elements of composition to make your monochrome photos distinctive.
The foundation of good monochrome photography includes several elements. One of the most important is tone. There are subtle differences between tone and contrast that you must be aware of. When you are taking pictures of something like a street scene that is full of vibrant colors, you may be surprised to learn that the color doesn't translate well if you change it to monochrome. It can become an uninteresting muddle of different gray tones. You will improve the photo with colored filters or by adjusting the lighting.
You must learn the power of shadow. You need to think of shadows as tools you can use to manipulate minimalist art. The more intense the shadows the better the photograph. Shadows draw people in. They don't have to be black voids. You want observers to feel the shapes inside the shadows, sometimes without being able to actually identify them.
Shape may be part of shadows, but it is also about contrast. Shapes can be the defining element in your photos. When you think about it, shape is the way the human brain defines what it knows about its surroundings. We recognize objects in part by the way they are shaped. When you are working in monochrome, it's necessary to look for shapes, and the way they work with tone and contrast.
Light and shadow can create texture. When eliminating texture in order to create a flat surface effect, your photo will become more abstract than if you had chosen to include it. Texture can be emphasized with the lowering of your light source's level. The light will create highlights and shadows. This in turn reveals texture.
Stripping color from a photo can be scary. Color can be a crutch for those without much technique. Working without color strips away the crutch and reveals the artistry.
If this is something you are serious about trying, the first thing you have to do is learn how to ignore color. There are two easy ways to help yourself do this. You can go out and purchase a monochrome viewing filter for your camera, or you can go to the dollar store and pick up a pair of cheap sunglasses with dark grey lenses. Almost any subject lends itself to this technique. You can photograph landscapes, cityscapes, people, or still lifes.
Most people who teach photography, and other art courses, put a big emphasis on composition. Composition is certainly an important element, but that is true of both color and monochrome. The difference is that some compositions that work beautifully in color won't work at all in black and white. You have to learn how to judge the elements of composition to make your monochrome photos distinctive.
The foundation of good monochrome photography includes several elements. One of the most important is tone. There are subtle differences between tone and contrast that you must be aware of. When you are taking pictures of something like a street scene that is full of vibrant colors, you may be surprised to learn that the color doesn't translate well if you change it to monochrome. It can become an uninteresting muddle of different gray tones. You will improve the photo with colored filters or by adjusting the lighting.
You must learn the power of shadow. You need to think of shadows as tools you can use to manipulate minimalist art. The more intense the shadows the better the photograph. Shadows draw people in. They don't have to be black voids. You want observers to feel the shapes inside the shadows, sometimes without being able to actually identify them.
Shape may be part of shadows, but it is also about contrast. Shapes can be the defining element in your photos. When you think about it, shape is the way the human brain defines what it knows about its surroundings. We recognize objects in part by the way they are shaped. When you are working in monochrome, it's necessary to look for shapes, and the way they work with tone and contrast.
Light and shadow can create texture. When eliminating texture in order to create a flat surface effect, your photo will become more abstract than if you had chosen to include it. Texture can be emphasized with the lowering of your light source's level. The light will create highlights and shadows. This in turn reveals texture.
Stripping color from a photo can be scary. Color can be a crutch for those without much technique. Working without color strips away the crutch and reveals the artistry.
About the Author:
See the exhibitions of the very talented minimalist black and white photography expert online. To get instant access to the website, here is the link http://www.kieranwalshgallery.com/about.
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