Black and white photography is a number of
monochrome forms in visual art. Monochrome comes
from the Greek monochromos meaning "of one
colour", which is a combination of monos,
meaning "alone" or "solitary" and
chroma meaning "colour".
Quite basic when you break it down!
For Many decades black and white photography
dominated the scene until colour was introduced.
From the 16th century when the brightness and
clarity of camera obscuras was improved by enlarging
the hole with a telescope lens until now, we still
admire the purity of black and white photography. It
was not until the 17thCentury, 1727 to be exact,
when Professor J. Schulze mixed chalk, nitric acid,
and silver in a flask, that the first photosensitive
compound was created. And in 1816 Nicéphore Niépce
combines the camera obscura with photosensitive
paper and created a permanent image in 1826.
In the past black and white dominated the media.
Movies, television and even computers, were all
monochrome. It was not until the middle of the 20th
century that colour photography became popular.
Choosing a subject is essential for this type of
photography, more so than choosing a subject for
colour photography. While some subjects can look
amazing in colour, they often look dull in black and
white. Black and white photography is both the
simplest and most sophisticated of all the
photography disciplines. It is, honest, fresh, crisp
and clean and can result in the most powerful
imagery. Capitalising on its popularity, black and
white photography holds its own when it comes to
photographic exhibitions. Such powerful imagery can
be timeless and compelling at the same time. It
captures emotions, impressions, and atmosphere that
depict nostalgia in a dramatic way.
In black and white photography, you will need to
consider the exposure, your background, making sure
that the subject is well backlit and that it does
not distract from your subject. Lights and shadows
are also important. For example, when you strip an
image of its colour, you are left with the strictly
light and shadows and subtle tones of grey. To
experiment with this, you could shoot at different
times during the day, that way you will learn the
importance of light and shadows and how it can
enhance the mood of your image. Colour is also
important when considering black and white. Try and
choose a subject that has fewer colours. For
example; purple and green look great in colour, but
in black and white, they become unrecognisable.
Therefore, it is important to choose a subject that
is of interest and dramatic at the same time.
Nowadays, we are seeing resurgence in black and
white photography. The demand for it is rife within
the media sector, such as advertising, and print
form. Even consumers who want timeless photographs
of their weddings and various family occasions are
using black and white photography.
Most well known photographers use this medium of
photography especially for people photography. From
early portrait photography in the 18th century,
black and white photography has had a huge impact on
the success of modern photography. British
photographer Julia Margaret Cameron (June 11, 1815 -
January 26, 1879) became well known for her images
of celebrities of her time. Even though her career
was short lived, 11 years to be precise, she did not
show an interest in photography until she was given
a camera at the age of 48 years old. She favoured
the close crop style of portraiture, a style that is
still very popular today.
It is true to say that black and white photography
is timeless. It can literally stop time. We only
have to take a look at Ansel Adams work of the
American West. Even today his images are provoking
in every sense as if they could've been taken
yesterday.
Of course the use of black and white vs. colour is a
personal one, nevertheless, if it was not for the
geniuses of the early part of the 16th century, we
would not have been to capture time, of which is the
essence.
By:
Derek Rogers
About the Author
Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a
number of UK businesses. For exclusive
Black and White Canvas Prints,
he recommends Shapes of Virtu.
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The Origins Of Black And White Photography
