B&W photos need …: I see a lot of B&W photos on this forum that were shot in flat light with muted colors and rendered to B&W. It seems to me that there’s a bit more to consider for a...

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I see a lot of B&W photos on this forum that were shot in flat light with muted colors and rendered to B&W. It seems to me that there’s a bit more to consider for a good composition that uses the B&W effect.

markie1425 Loc: Bryn Mawr, PA

gvarner wrote:

I see a lot of B&W photos on this forum that were shot in flat light with muted colors and rendered to B&W. It seems to me that there’s a bit more to consider for a good composition that uses the B&W effect.

What do you suggest?

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

gvarner wrote:

I see a lot of B&W photos on this forum that were shot in flat light with muted colors and rendered to B&W. It seems to me that there’s a bit more to consider for a good composition that uses the B&W effect.

Enlighten us more precisely, please. I'm curious, but I'm not sure I get your point here.

BB4A

Er... yep.

I'm very occasionally asked for advice in B&W Portraiture, Nature, and Abstract genre's. I recommend planning the whole shoot, from Concept to Close, in B&W only. For me (and of course, this is just my perspective; I'm often wrong), I do my best work when I plan, practice, set up, preview, and execute the work, in mono modes only. I also have specific custom settings (I actually have now one body specifically set for B&W photography) that help me "get in the zone".

Here's a UHH Link to one Portrait from an entire Shoot, in B&W, from Concept to Close: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-599800-1.html

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

gvarner wrote:

I see a lot of B&W photos on this forum that were shot in flat light with muted colors and rendered to B&W. It seems to me that there’s a bit more to consider for a good composition that uses the B&W effect.

Instead of bitching about it here, why not try to help the individual whose pictures you think need it?

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

gvarner wrote:

I see a lot of B&W photos on this forum that were shot in flat light with muted colors and rendered to B&W. It seems to me that there’s a bit more to consider for a good composition that uses the B&W effect.

I fully get what he is saying. I sometimes shoot digital images (in RAW and in color of course), with the intent of using them as B&W. Never planned those as color. I'll shoot with pre-visualization as a B&W print. I shot pretty much Plus-X and Tri-X films for decades. To explain this or the OP, Ansel Adams wrote books about the subject as have many others about Black & White photo composition. Color can do wonders for flat light.

BB4A

lamiaceae wrote:

I fully get what he is saying. I sometimes shoot digital images (in RAW and in color of course), with the intent of using them as B&W. Never planned those as color. I'll shoot with pre-visualization as a B&W print. I shot pretty much Plus-X and Tri-X films for decades. To explain this or the OP, Ansel Adams wrote books about the subject as have many others about Black & White photo composition. Color can do wonders for flat light.

Agreed. This is another approach that works well for lots of photographers. And yes, generally it's best to read and review a couple of approaches, and then practice, practice, practice!

Unfortunately (unless the photographer is unnaturally gifted!), there is a longish learning curve to all disciplines in photography. Or, maybe, we are all getting more used to that 21st Century Consumerist Experience, where we expect that new equipment will bring us instant gratification, in perfect pictures?

TANSTAAFL; "There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch!"

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

RWR wrote:

Instead of bitching about it here, why not try to help the individual whose pictures you think need it?

He is not necessarily bitching. What he is talking about involves the inner eye or pre-visualization in ones mind. It is not so much settings on a camera. One has to learn how to see.

He is right, much of the "B&W" today is crap. Look at what is in books and galleries, not on the WEB. I would say I do see a lot of great Color photography online, but very little good B&W.

I think BB4A understands too.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

RWR wrote:

Instead of bitching about it here, why not try to help the individual whose pictures you think need it?

The OP is right.

I will not post a photo because I know I have problems doing B&W right - I do color better, and I hardly ever have a reason to do B&W.

B&W depends on differences in textures and tones, which are more dependent on lighting to bring out. It is like singing - you wouldn't want to hear me try to sing, but I can recognize good from bad.

Cykdelic Loc: Now outside of Chiraq & Santa Fe, NM

Sometimes a hamburger is just a hamburger!

You’re outdoors, walking along, and see something to shoot.....ya ain’t got time to,sit down, fiddle with settings or angles, etc...... you SHOOT!

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

rehess wrote:

The OP is right.

I will not post a photo because I know I have problems doing B&W right - I do color better, and I hardly ever have a reason to do B&W.

B&W depends on differences in textures and tones, which are more dependent on lighting to bring out. It is like singing - you wouldn't want to hear me try to sing, but I can recognize good from bad.

Exactly!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

As far as I can recall, it's been a long time since anyone initiated a b&w discussion topic that attempted to share tips and encouraged teaching by those qualified. Here's one I hosted in February 2016:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-366277-1.html

Hosting a share/discussion topic is a lot of work and can be fraught with frustration. It is far easier to sit in one's recliner and create topics that range from simple observation (the OP's here) to total negativity.

A few UHH users you might want to check out for their b&w photos:
rmalarz
Graham Smith
fergmark
Dave Chinn

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

So, what makes a "good" BW image? And, why does that make it "good"?

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

via the lens wrote:

So, what makes a "good" BW image? And, why does that make it "good"?

There are infinite answers to that question. Like the supreme court justice who was talking about pornography, "I'll know a good B&W image when I see it."

We can analyze it to death, but in the end, it comes down to taste and impact. One person's stunner will bore another. There are, however, some general parameters that can guide us to things that work...

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Linda From Maine wrote:

As far as I can recall, it's been a long time sinc... (show quote)

Great link, Linda. I scrolled through about half the 38 pages! There are some outstanding images in it.

One of the challenges of B&W is pre-visualization. We see in color, but use B&W film or post-process digital color to B&W. Most digital cameras have SOME B&W effect(s), but most of the creative tools are in raw editors. So for real success, it takes some experience and a real sense of what light will do to a scene vs what a darkroom or raw editor can do to enhance it...