Black and white on rise again

Black and white photography is growing in popularity once again and is considered by many photographers and art collectors to represent the true essence of artistic, fine art photography.

By removing color from a photograph, the viewer’s focus automatically shifts to the photo’s compositional elements, which include form, shape, lines, textures, contrast, tone, and mood. In color photography, the dominant color often becomes the point of focus, thus masking the photograph’s finer details. Whereas in black-and-white photography, the photo’s intricate details become the main point of focus.

Well over 100 years ago, photography began in black and white. Many of our most famous black and white photographers like Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Dorothea Lang, Robert Capa, and Richard Avedon are still recognized as icons in photography and their work is highly valued among collectors.

Black and white is considered timeless and is particularly well suited for landscape photography, architectural photography, commercial photography and portrait photography. Depending on your camera, you may be able to change from color to monochrome and experiment with shooting in black and white. If your camera doesn’t provide this feature, you can always import the photo into a software program like Photoshop and convert it to black and white.

My black and white photo in this article is of an old wash tub I captured at Tarbin Gardens in Franklin. Notice how it draws your focus and attention to the texture, lines, and intricate details.

Ron Bowman is a New Hampshire nature photographer and member of the League of NH Craftsmen. His work can be seen at the League’s galleries in Nashua, Hooksett, Meredith, Center Sandwich, Littleton, and North Conway. You can also view his entire portfolio at rbphotonh.com.

]]>