Understanding Digital Black and White Photography E-Book

Tim Savage

• Herausgeber: Crowood
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Beschreibung

Black and white photography can deliver images with levels of beauty and impact that are sometimes lost or diluted by the presence of colour. This practical book is written for readers with a passion for monochrome photography, who wish to use digital photography to match and exceed the level of control and finish that was possible with film. With visual examples throughout, it systematically teaches skills that underpin photographic creativity, from capture to digital development, before considering a range of outputs and finishes. Contents include: photographic equipment, camera settings, exposure parameters and file composition (bit depth, colour space resolution); editing software, notably the key features of Lightroom and Photoshop dedicated to black and white photography; using HDR techniques to maximise tonal information while recreating Ansel Adam's analogue Zone System approach using digital technologies; simulating traditional darkroom techniques by emulating the appearance and characteristics of popular films, toning techniques, adding edges, borders and dodging and burning; outputting monochrome photographs for publication online, social media, screen, projection and high quality archival prints suited to exhibitions. This book will help the reader understand the principles of digital black and white photography to create powerful images with the quality of traditional darkroom practices, and is aimed at all photographers - particularly artistic. Fully illustrated with 291 images - many are black & white with a few colour to demonstrate the loss of impact that colour can have.

Leseprobe

Understanding Digital Black and White Photography

Art and Techniques

Tim Savage

CROWOOD

First published in 2016 by

The Crowood Press Ltd

Ramsbury, Marlborough

Wiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2016

© Tim Savage 2016

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 78500 198 7

Acknowledgements

I would like to offer my deepest thanks to each person who has assisted me in the creation of this book. Particular gratitude is due to my colleagues at UCA who have aided me throughout the process of researching, writing and producing the work. Specifically, Tipu Miah and Julie Flude for providing access to specialist equipment, Sarah Jeans for endorsing my research proposal and to Dr Roni Brown and Richard Jones for supporting me to consolidate techniques described in this book to visit and photograph the Grand Canyon while developing a digital zone system methodology.

Gratitude is owed to Beytan Erkman for his assistance with identifying and resolving technical issues and to Roger Buchanan for his diligent proof reading and expertly critiquing the drafts of this book and challenging inaccuracies in advance of publication.

The greatest thanks are due to my wife Kelly-Marie for her patience, posing and critical proof reading. Finally, this book is dedicated to my beautiful children (Rose and Ralph), who inspire me to make new work each day.

Image acknowledgements

The following illustrations are used with kind permission:

Fig. 1.13: Collaboration between the author and Ewa Lövgren

Fig. 2.2: Hasselblad, Sony, Canon, Nikon

Fig. 2.4: Manfrotto

Figs 2.5, 2.6: Hoya Filters

Figs 2.10, 2.11: Apple

Figs 2.12, 2.13, 14.1: EIZO

Figs 2.14, 2.15, 2.18, 14.4: Epson Technologies

Fig. 2.16: PlusTek Scanners

Fig. 2.17: Hasselblad

Fig. 3.17: Ray Flash

Fig. 10.11: Wacom press office

Fig. 12.7: Sekonic

Fig. 12.21: Kodak

Figs 13.3, 13.4, 13.5, 13.12: X-Rite

Fig. 14.2: Color Confidence

Fig. 14.5, 14.6: PermaJet

All other photographs copyright retained by the author.

Supported by

CONTENTS

1 An Introduction to Digital Black and White Photography

2 Understanding Equipment

3 Understanding Capture (Camera Settings)

4 Understanding Exposure for a Black and White Output

5 Understanding the Digital Image File

6 Understanding Post-Production: Software

7 Understanding General Image Processing Within Adobe Lightroom

8 Understanding Post-Production: Fine Tuning in Lightroom

9 Understanding the Advantages of Adobe Photoshop

10 Understanding Photoshop for Selective/Local Image Adjustments

11 Understanding Black And White High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photography

12 Understanding the Zone System Within a Digital Workflow

13 Understanding Output: Screen

14 Understanding Output: Printing

Glossary

Index

Chapter 1

An Introduction to Digital Black and White Photography

Not all that long ago black and white was the only option available to photographers. The traditional monochrome workflow is a slow process requiring the selection of film stock, skilled metering, determining shutter speed, aperture and ISO and focusing the lens manually in advance of exposing the film carefully. Variations in chemistry, dilution ratios and temperatures are used to develop the film with due regard for the appearance of highlights, shadows and contrast. The resulting negatives are then printed in a darkened room under red light on to a range of different paper types and finishes. By contrast, digital cameras, computers and printing technologies can appear a great deal simpler, offering a plethora of options by comparison. Today, making black and white photographs is a preference rather than an aesthetic enforced by the recording medium. Despite advances in technology the impact of black and white sometimes becomes lost in the digital world. Images viewed on screen lack physical authenticity while inkjet prints can appear flat, lifeless and dull when compared with the rich deep blacks offered by traditional darkroom printing. This book is written for readers with a passion for monochrome photography and a desire to match and exceed the level of control and quality of what was possible with film using a digital workflow.

This chapter covers:

• A guide to reading this book

• Why make black and white photographs?

• Finding inspiration

• Identifying qualities and sources of light

• Identifying imaging traits suited to black and white

• Portraiture

• Documentary photography and photojournalism

• Events

• Landscapes

• Buildings and architecture

• Objects and still life

• The body and the nude

• Snapshots

A GUIDE TO READING THIS BOOK

Before exploring the photographic processes it is helpful to clarify the terminology. The term ‘black and white’ is well used and most people will be familiar with what is meant by the phrase. However, in the strictest sense very few photographs contain just black and white. In the vast majority of cases images referred to as black and white also contain shades of grey. Black and white images can be also be warmed, cooled, tinted or take on a hue when treated with sepia or selenium effects. A further point to note is that when working digitally, although a black and white image appears devoid of colour, the image is actually constructed of red, green and blue pixel values. The term monochrome (meaning any other colour and white) is a more accurate way to refer to the photography that this book describes.

The chapter sequence has been written to mirror the natural workflow of a photographer and takes a holistic overview, describing the visualization of images, shooting, editing, printing and outputting for a range of outcomes. This begins by encouraging the reader to imagine their own preferred photographic outcomes in advance of shooting and considering how scenes and subjects may be rendered in black and white. The tools and techniques described are transferable and, regardless of whether you specialize in portraiture, landscapes, wildlife, still life, street photography and so on, the general principles can be applied to any subject or genre. Beyond inspiration, visualization and theory, this book considers black and white photography through four distinct sections: production, processing, finishing and output.

PRODUCTION

Chapters 3 to 5 describe the planning and image capture stages of a typical black and white workflow. These chapters describe photographic equipment (cameras, lenses, computers, monitors, scanners and printers). Choice and functions of cameras are considered in greater depth, which informs discussion regarding exposure and camera settings. Camera modes, options and menus are explored in relation to the black and white process, with an emphasis on capturing the highest quality data to ensure the maximum tonal reproduction. Chapter 5 considers how a black and white photograph exists as data and how tone is recorded and described by the camera using the histogram.

PROCESSING

Chapters 6 to 8 describe the digital processing stage. Having captured an image the data must be converted from a colour photograph into a range of greys using software. Adobe Lightroom is the hub of the processing workflow, though other specialist applications can be used to fine tune or automate aspects of the processing stages. This stage encourages photographers to identify and develop their own workflows and establish a suitable software sequence to achieve an end goal. Once the general exposure processing and colour to monochrome conversion has been achieved, the finer aspects of image processing such as contrast, sharpening, and noise reduction are explored using black and white examples.

FINISHING

Chapters 9 to 12 describe finishing tools that allow finer image adjustments. Photoshop is introduced as the primary finishing tool, providing non-destructive technical adjustments in granular detail, using tools such as Levels, Curves as Adjustment Layers, and employing digital techniques to replicate a range of traditional darkroom tools including dodging, burning, simulating film grain, adding a vignette, applying borders and digital toning. To extend tonal range, monochromatic high dynamic range photography is described in the context of increasing the tonal possibilities for a subject or scene that is extended to include a digital interpretation of Ansel Adams’s Zone System for black and white photography.

OUTPUT

Chapters 13 and 14 describe options for outputting the finished image to screen (web, social media or screen-based exhibition) and printing. The print output is explored in full, introducing different types of printers, and comparing print drivers, paper profiles, soft proofing, paper types and consideration of archival issues. An overview of using commercial labs for exhibition quality images is also described.

WHY MAKE BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS?

If not already drawn to the appeal of the medium you may be forgiven for questioning why anyone would wish to produce black and white images at all? Responses vary, usually dependent on the age and experience of the photographer. More seasoned photographers who remember using manual SLRs to expose film before developing and printing in darkrooms tend to prize the craft aspect of black and white photography, recalling a fond nostalgia for the process, espousing analogue values and heralding the greater value of a wet print. Readers with this background may hold aspirations to recapture the qualities that appeared to be lost as photography became digital. The second group are younger photographers who have grown up with digital photography as their norm and who are more likely to view black and white photography as an alternative aesthetic that can be applied via digital filters or using apps such as Instagram. That said, analogue film remains very much alive. A 2015 worldwide survey by Ilford identified that around a third of photographers who shoot and develop film are under thirty-five years old, 98 per cent of whom are making black and white photographs*. Increasing numbers of young people are approaching the black and white learning curve in reverse. Armed with knowledge of digital processes, these younger photographers are engaging increasingly with chemistry, film and darkrooms. Part of the appeal of an analogue approach to black and white is the slower pace. Working digitally there is a temptation to shoot many more frames than if exposing film. Training yourself to visualize how a scene will appear in black and white and then concentrating on framing, timing and capturing the full range of tones results while exposing, invariably creates better results that the ‘spray and pray’ approach of filling the memory card and worrying about converting to black and white later.

The history of photography is celebrated for its black and white masters. Epoch-defining images have been created in the medium by some of the world’s most established and respected photographers. Those seeking the finest quality images to inspire their own work should consider researching the work of Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, Richard Avedon, David Bailey, Bill Brandt, Robert Capa, Bob Carlos-Clarke, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Dorothea Lange, László Moholy-Nagy, Sally Mann, Robert Mapplethorpe, Don McCullen, Helmut Newton, Irving Penn, Man Ray, Herb Ritts, Alfred Steiglitz and Edward Weston, to name but a few. Several of these practitioners contributed to the development of photographic techniques still in use today through their iconic work. For the majority of these famous names, using the black and white format was not a preference; it was enforced by technology available to them at the time. Many of these photographers lived through the technological film shift, which offered colour as an option, and rejected it in favour of maintaining their monochrome output. Today, many contemporary fine art, social and editorial photographers still work in monochrome by preference, using it as a statement and style choice. The monochrome aesthetic is still perceived by many as bringing photography closer to the echelons of the art world. Many documentary photographers also favour the format because colour can detract from the message. Black and white also retains a perceived link to the authenticity that was once synonymous with photography (for many years photographs were admissible as indisputable evidence in court). The ease with which images can be manipulated means that digital technology has since subverted the perceived relationship of photography with ‘the truth’, though this legacy retains traces in black and white, granting an enhanced level of legitimacy in the eyes of the viewer. This goes some way to understanding why many press photographers retain a fondness for the format despite advances in newspaper printing technologies.

While being deeply rooted in the heritage of photography, black and white is very much of the present day. While colour photography gets ever closer to reproducing a ‘real image’, comparable to that witnessed by the eye, mono provides a level of abstraction that can evoke a sense of fantasy, dream or escape. Magnum photographer Elliott Erwitt acknowledged that colour is ‘more descriptive’, though he considers black and white to be more mysterious – ‘a synthesis of what you see’.

Colour can be overly powerful and dominant, drawing the eye disproportionately and misdirecting the viewer. Black and white provides a distance from the world we experience daily and serves to emphasize form, shape, tone and texture. The format delivers an attractive simplicity that can be exploited to deliver a clearer message, free of the distraction of colour. This clarity is well suited to advertising, which acts as a reflection and barometer of contemporary culture. Monochrome images are prevalently used to signify luxury, high class, the classic, refinement, timelessness; traits associated with fashion products of prestige.

FINDING INSPIRATION

Fig. 1.1 Pinterest is a great resource for browsing and collecting examples of black and white photography.

A monochrome aesthetic can be well suited to a wide range of subjects and applications. Whatever your interest and level of experience it is probable that at some point you will want to look past the headline of colour and tell the story of tone, texture, shape, line, contrast, form, pattern using just light, shade and greys. Some scenes stand out immediately as images that will translate well in black and white while shooting, others can emerge as contenders during post-production. Learning to identify the types of subjects that will reproduce well takes experience and training. There are no fixed rules and it is important to keep in mind that appreciation of photography is personal and subjective. Imaging tastes vary, and learning your own preferences is an important part of being a photographer. Being consciously aware of your own aesthetic preferences helps inform an approach to making photographs while shooting and editing. A good starting point when seeking inspiration is to look at the work of other photographers. Collecting images that draw your eye and then attempting to deconstruct why and how these images hold your interest is particularly effective. Trends will emerge that can help bring tacit preferences to the forefront of your picture making. Inspiration can be found within media sources such as newspapers, magazines and advertising materials, along with more traditional routes such as exhibitions and photographic books. Students new to photography should take time to seek out the work of the established masters of black and white photography already mentioned. Another convenient and powerful way of viewing images is via the web. There is a vast range of photographic hosting sites, forums and social media resources dedicated to the display and sharing of photographs that grant equal exposure to professionals and amateurs alike. These platforms also serve as huge free searchable image archives. Two of the most popular forums are Pinterest and Flickr, both of which have hundreds of millions of members with active communities specializing in all aspects of black and white photography. In addition to their websites, both are available via mobile application (app). In each of their guises, these resources enable images to be browsed and collected by subject, ratings, locations, authors, date and so on. Pinterest (Fig. 1.1) also allows images to be collected and stored on ‘boards’, which can be a great way of collecting favourite images.

Fig. 1.2 Instagram simplifies the black and white photographic workflow to shoot, edit and share, all within a mobile phone.

Instagram is arguably the most popular photography sharing resource and can also be a great source of inspiration. Instagram is most effective when used as a mobile application. Image searching can be refined easily using the hashtag #blackandwhite. A benefit of Instagram (and other similar forums) is that, in addition to viewing images, they may be commented upon, and added to collections and groups of your own making. Additionally, if you enjoy the work of a particular photographer you can choose to receive updates when they publish new work online. In addition to browsing photographs made by others, Instagram makes it simple to shoot, edit and share black and white images to forums and invite constructive feedback and comment from peers. Instagram contains some of the most advanced mobile imaging software suited to black and white photography.

IDENTIFYING QUALITIES AND SOURCES OF LIGHT

Fig. 1.3 Moving the light source dramatically affects the position of the light and shadow. Left image: light positioned behind the camera; right: light facing towards the camera.

The word ‘photo’ derives from the Latin word meaning light, while ‘graph’ means to draw. Light is an essential ingredient for photography (putting aside specialist imaging that relies on non-visible areas of the electromagnetic spectrum such as infrared and X-ray imaging). Photographs are the two-dimensional rendering of light and shadow from a three-dimensional world. Cameras lack the stereoscopic vision and depth perception that we experience as humans; therefore it is the interplay of tonal values that serves to convince the eye of shape, texture and form. For this reason, and more than working with colour, learning to recognize variances in lighting is critical. Specifically the amount, position, direction and size of light is fundamental to how a subject will be rendered in black and white. Depending on lighting, the same scene can be rendered at opposite ends of the tonal range. In Fig. 1.3 the same eggs are lit from the front (left image) and the rear (right image). Modifying the position of the light source has inverted the appearance of the photograph by exchanging the position of light and shade.

Fig. 1.4 The position of the light source (sun) is an important consideration when photographing landscape scenes in black and white.

In landscape photography the main light source is usually the sun or moon. Understanding that light and shade varies dramatically dependent on the position of the light source informs how a scene will record in black and white. In Fig. 1.4, the same beach was photographed at different times of the day. Notice that when the sun is behind the camera (left image) the water is flat and lifeless, whereas when the sun is ahead of the camera and lower in the sky the water takes on much greater detail, contrast and character. This is partly attributed to the position of the light source, and also due to the reflectivity of the water’s surface.

Fig. 1.5 A large light source creates a softer appearance, whereas smaller light sources result in greater contrast and harder shadows.

Figs 1.3 and 1.4 demonstrate the importance of recognizing and managing lighting conditions. Understanding how a light source interacts with the subject informs decision-making while shooting. For example, when photographing a portrait outdoors the position of the sun in relation to the subject will inform how the person will be recorded and how shadows will be cast upon the face. The size of the light source is also important. All other things being equal, a larger light source provides gentle illumination, casting a soft shadow, whereas a smaller light creates hard-edged lighting and shadows. In Fig. 1.5 the image on the left was lit by a large weak light placed just out of shot on the left of the frame. In the right image the light was moved further away (making it a smaller light source relative to the subject) and increased in brightness to compensate for the distance. Notice how the smaller light source creates much harder shadows and increases contrast. The same principle of size applies to direct sunlight, which represents a small harsh light source that casts hard shadows. When clouds move across the sun its light is diffused, making it proportionately larger and providing a gentler form of illumination with softer shadows.

IDENTIFYING IMAGING TRAITS SUITED TO BLACK AND WHITE

Fig. 1.6 Form, texture and detail carry greater emphasis in monochrome.

It can be tempting to photograph everything in colour and then experiment with creating black and white versions afterwards, and this is a valid way of learning. With experience, learning the types of images that work well in black and white informs the picture taking stage. Commonly, subjects that contain textures, patterns, shape, line, contrast and form are all brought to the forefront in the absence of colour. In Fig. 1.6 when the cabbage is shown in colour the detail, forms and textures of the leaves are camouflaged within the range of greens. The black and white version reveals the intricate details and textures far more effectively than colour.

Fig. 1.7 Pattern and shape can take on a more graphic form in the absence of colour.

Pattern and shape can also be rendered in greater clarity when colour is absent. In Fig. 1.7 the bold graphic shapes of a stone ceiling take a greater precedence in the black and white version of the image.

Fig. 1.8 Changing the position of the photographer in relation to the subject can determine the appearance of lines.

Line is accentuated as a compositional tool in mono, and it is useful to train yourself to spot naturally occurring lines. These can be caused by subjects, the horizon, perspective or vanishing point, the edges of buildings and so on. Lines can be powerful elements of the composition and used to attract or direct the viewer’s eye. Lines vary in their definition, width, depth, length and direction. An important point to observe when shooting lines is that their appearance and characteristics can change dependent on the position and viewpoint of the photographer. In Fig. 1.8 the subject is a curved roof of an acoustic bandstand shot from underneath. The left-hand image was photographed standing directly underneath the centre of the roof, while the right-hand image was photographed from a few metres back. Notice how the appearance of line has changed; a straight line used to form a geometric shape in the first image has become curved and used to describe three-dimensional contours in the second image by simply changing position.

Fig. 1.9 High contrast images result in hard lines, which create an alternative feeling to softer tones present in low contrast photographs.

Contrast is another pillar of black and white photography and can be used to hide or reveal details at the extremes of tone, or to abstract from the subject. Depending on how the scene or subject is lit, an image can evoke different emotional responses. High contrast images contain hard blacks and stark whites, and can appear harsh and dramatic. Softer low contrast images can sometimes feel ethereal and carry a sense of calm, natural and innocence. Where light and shadow are present, contrast naturally occurs. The adjustment of contrast is easily refined in software.

Fig. 1.10 Familiar subjects can be represented in unfamiliar ways without their characteristic colour.

Black and white photography is one step further away from reality than colour, so is well suited to abstraction. Mono can be used to toy with recognition and experimentation. Colour helps us make sense of the world, and in its absence subjects can be stripped of their context and viewed on shape and form alone. Fig. 1.10 shows a cross section of a kiwi fruit (minus its characteristic green flesh) and, altered from its familiar size, it takes on an unfamiliar yet fascinating pattern. Black and white photography can be a puzzle of recognition set by the photographer for the audience to solve.

Fig. 1.11 Black and white works well for abstraction.

The level of abstraction afforded naturally by black and white lends well to reducing complex subjects to pattern, shape and geometric forms described by light and shade. In Fig. 1.11, the two scenes were photographed to draw attention to shape and symmetry. In colour, the abstraction is diluted as the subjects’ natural hues help orientate the viewer to their actual subject.

Fig. 1.12 Black and white composites can be easier to construct because tone is simpler to blend than colour.

Another, perhaps less obvious, genre that can suit a black and white treatment is photo montage (either grouping multiple images together to make one such as a panorama, or photo merge), or applying special effects. When working in colour, blending images requires the contrast, brightness, saturation and hue between the component files to match. When creating montages in monochrome (such as Fig. 1.12), only contrast and brightness of the three images need to be blended together.

Fig. 1.13 Monochrome is an alternative route for working in mixed media. Combining graphic art with photography, for example, can appear less invasive in monochrome.

In addition to compositing, black and white can be an effective platform for experimentation with mixed media; Fig. 1.13 is the result of collaboration between the author and an illustrator (Ewa Lövgren). The synergies and seams between photography and illustration are combined to create an image that is neither photograph nor painting.

PORTRAITURE

Fig. 1.14 Skin tone can distract from form and features.

Black and white portraits can often feel like more natural and authentic representations of their subjects than colour equivalents. The format can simplify a portrait by removing erroneous distractions to reveal a perceived honesty and greater depth. In the absence of colour, the viewer’s attention is drawn to areas of contrast, which in the case of a portrait are usually the eyes and facial features, before exploring the form and texture of the skin, lips and hair. To illustrate the point, Fig. 1.14 is a simple facial portrait containing no bright colours other than the red, yellow and orange tones naturally present in Caucasian skin. The monochrome version places greater emphasis on form, depth light and shade. In colour, skin tone distracts from the interplay between the shadows and highlights.

Fig. 1.15 A simple, low contrast black and white treatment works well with babies, while for older children it focuses viewer attention on the expressions and interactions of the children with each other and the camera.

Black and white brings a different approach depending on the individual being photographed. Tonal reproduction varies according to age, gender, ethnicity, variation in skin tones, pigmentation, blemishes, acne, wrinkles, and freckles. The common factor is that texture and form takes precedence. For very young subjects, black and white can emphasize porcelain-clear features while for older children, brightly coloured clothes and toys can easily distract. In the right-hand image of Fig. 1.15, the use of black and white places an emphasis on the personalities, expression and interaction of the two children without the distraction of the brightly coloured outfits also present within the composition.

For images of an adult, a monochrome approach suits a range of purposes such as formal or corporate portraits, headshots used to represent actors and singers, fashion, beauty, fitness, and model portfolios. Quality portraiture is not the just the preserve of celebrities and CEOs. Increasingly, black and white is also being used in social media as a way of standing out in a world populated by saturated colour images. Personal branding is no longer just something required by actors and models. Professionals from all walks of life require images to promote and represent themselves online.

Portraits of older people take on a more textural appearance in black and white. With advancing years, surface characteristics of skin such as wrinkles and blemishes become more defined and characterize the nature of the portrait.

Fig. 1.16 Black and white can add an intensity and direct quality to beauty and fashion portraiture.

Fig. 1.17 More senior subjects’ faces contain more lines, textures and blemishes that can appear more emphasized in black and white.

DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY AND PHOTOJOURNALISM

Fig. 1.18 Street photographers often prefer to use black and white.

Some photographers prefer to shoot candid, non-contrived or documentary-style images of the world as it exists around them. A common motivation for this style of work is that by observing and recording events as they unfold naturally something more authentic is recorded. A subset of this genre is street photography, which usually records the actions of people going about their daily lives in public places. Frequently in these instances the camera is passive, acting as an observer rather than an intervention. A similar position is adopted by photojournalists who seek to use photography to report on events using photography as a form of visual reportage where the image describes or supports the detail of a news story. Black and white imagery in these instances borrows from a legacy of journalistic authenticity, while also making the image’s date of origin less certain. In Fig. 1.18 the left-hand image of a tube station takes on a sense of surreptitiousness, with a surveillance-style aesthetic, while in the right-hand image mono is used to capture a candid street scene.

EVENTS

Photographers who specialize in photographing social events such as weddings, parties, performances and balls usually aspire to capture an overall essence of the occasion to create a strong visual narrative. Colour is frequently a more representative medium for communicating an overall feel, but producing black and white images within the image sequence can serve to punctuate the series with moments of formal clarity to better communicate the emotions of an event. These select images can appear more sobering, which may be suited to more formal events.

Musical performances and concerts tend to be a combination of rich colour and darkness and, when combined with a smoky atmosphere, the vivid colour can distract from the performer and the environment. In the absence of colour, attention is drawn to the performer and detail of the darkened, smoky, gritty conditions.

Fig. 1.19 Black and white photography has an enhanced sobriety and gravitas that can be well suited to formal events such as weddings.

Fig. 1.20 Performances can be intensely colourful, but reproducing these environments in black and white can provide an enhanced sense of clarity.

LANDSCAPES

Fig. 1.21 Dull rainy conditions mute colour, whereas in black and white the contrast provides a more interesting and dramatic interpretation of the scene.

Landscapes remain among the most popular of photographic subjects. The genre is wide and far reaching, and can cover a vast expanse of space or the tiniest view. In colour, a landscape can represent interplay between juxtaposing colours within the scene. Depending on the time of day, colour landscapes can stimulate emotional responses from the viewer through the inclusion of warmer or cool tones, yet in monochrome the white balance setting of the camera ceases to have any relevance. A black and white treatment reduces any vista to a palette of tone, brightness and contrast, often resulting in a more formal reverence. In Fig. 1.21, the muted green hue distracts from the naturally present contrast.

Fig. 1.22 The tonal reproduction of landscapes varies based on ambient light level, subject brightness and exposure parameters set in camera.

Unlike many other forms of photography, when shooting landscapes the photographer is unable to influence the position or intensity of the primary light source (sun or moon) other than by choosing time of day (or season) to capture the image. It is the combination of ambient light, subject brightness and exposure choices that determines how black or white the land and water and sky appears. At night a landscape can often be dominated by black tones, which can be used to create a sense of foreboding and used to obscure detail within shadows. The lake in Fig. 1.22 was shot at dusk, just after sunset but before nightfall, whereas an early morning snow scene creates a much higher key image.

Fig. 1.23 In colour on a sunny day the scene is a snapshot. On a wet winter day reflections, pattern, line and contrast combine with emptiness to create a much stronger image.

Poorer weather conditions can be much better suited to monochrome than colour. Cloudy and overcast skies, mist, fog and rain can create moody, brooding, stark landscapes containing a sense of heightened drama. On rainy days, puddles and wet surfaces reflect light whereas bright sunny photographs are more likely to be harshly lit with high contrast and hard shadows. An additional benefit of poor conditions is that urban landscapes are less crowded. In Fig. 1.23, the same scene (Port Vell harbour in Barcelona) was photographed several years apart, at different times of day, in different seasons and under different weather conditions. The colour version (right) was photographed during the busiest summer period, lit by direct sunlight. By contrast, the black and white image (left) was photographed during the cold wet winter, lit by diffused sunlight. The wet conditions meant there were no crowds while the soft lighting and reflective surfaces emphasized the presence of line and symmetry, directing the viewer’s eye to the centre of the frame while communicating the dull, damp stark conditions far more effectively than if the image were colour.

Fig. 1.24 A plain sky can add to the composition in colour, though is bland, uninteresting space when rendered in black and white.

Another important aspect of black and white landscape photographs is the appearance and inclusion of the sky. The sky is present in most landscape images, and its appearance is particularly important when working in monochrome. A plain sky can add value or interest to the composition in colour, but in black and white a plain light-coloured sky can often render as plain white. In Fig. 1.24 the blue sky serves to balance and compliment the orange sand in the foreground, though when converted to black and white the sky (half the composition) is dull and white.

Fig. 1.25 If present in a landscape, cloud formations are easily exaggerated in black and white to become an integral part of the composition.

If present, clouds can be fantastic compositional tool for black and white photographers. A white cloud against a light blue sky is hard to distinguish in colour but when processed the blues and whites can be assigned contrasting tonal values to provide a greater separation. Clouds can be emphasized and used to define the character of the composition, adding texture and drama.

BUILDINGS AND ARCHITECTURE

Buildings are an inevitable element of urban landscape photography, yet they remain a subject genre in their own right. Structures contain line, pattern and shape that can be used to create interesting compositions and abstractions. The properties of exteriors vary subject to the materials used in their construction. Modern buildings tend to be comprised of glass and curves, or angles, whereas older structures feature more organic surfaces that can appear weathered and decayed. Either texture lends well to black and white photography, particularly when photographed against dramatic skies.

Fig. 1.26 Modern buildings can feature line, reflection and strong graphic forms that work well in black and white.

Fig. 1.27 Interior spaces can make interesting subjects though their forms, line, shapes, contrast and patterns.

Interiors can be challenging to photograph due to variations in lighting and space. Modern spaces are frequently large well-lit spaces with high ceilings, repeating patterns and seductive curves, whereas older structures such as historic buildings are more likely to be smaller spaces, with darker shadow areas and strong daylight.

OBJECTS AND STILL LIFE

Fig. 1.28 Moving the light sources completely changes the appearance of the subject.

With a natural emphasis on form and surface, monochrome photography is well suited to recording objects and still life. Work of this nature takes place frequently in a studio, providing accurate and consistent control over light sources. Single or multiple lights can be reflected, diffused, modified and controlled to influence the appearance of highlights and shadows for infinite possibilities when rendering form. In Fig. 1.28 the same glass is photographed twice and, by adjusting the intensity and position of the light sources, an almost complete inversion of the image is achieved.

Fig. 1.29 Careful positioning of the light source creates subject contrast while ensuring that the subject’s edge remains defined against the background in both light and shade.

The placement of the main light determines the position of the highlight area, where shadow falls and subject contrast. In Fig. 1.29 the light is positioned to the right of the camera facing the mannequin. The lit edge of the mannequin falls against background darkness whereas the shadow side contrasts against the spill lighting. This simple effect provides a high contrast edge on the entire boundary of the subject, regardless of whether it is in light or shade.

Fig. 1.30 A glass sculpture photographed to emphasize surface finish and form as light maps around and through the object.

The fine control of light (white) and shade (black) achievable in the studio makes it an ideal shooting environment for artists and makers who require two-dimensional representation of three-dimensional objects. In Fig. 1.30, a highly polished glass sculpture required careful lighting to communicate the essence of its form and translucency. In colour, the natural warm tone of the lighting combined with the subtle green hue of the glass distracted from the hard line and soft curve that comprises its form and finish so boldly in black and white.

THE BODY AND THE NUDE

Fig. 1.31 The nude can place greater emphasis upon the subjects shape and form in black and white.