Please help me understand B&W!!

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Permalink Reply by Jeanette's OzPix on December 11, 2007 at 4:59pm

Hey, thanks for that!!
This also helps me when I look at other people's b&w shots, to judge what's good and not so good. On Flickr I keep seeing a lot, and I didn't know how what to look for.
Consequently, I didn't know what was acceptable for my own b&w. I didn't have clear examples to go by. But, thank you, now I do.

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Permalink Reply by Jeanette's OzPix on December 11, 2007 at 5:32pm

How's this?? I made some adjustments!!

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Permalink Reply by Jeanette's OzPix on December 11, 2007 at 5:45pm

And how's this one??

This one was very nostalgic and lent itself to sepia... well so I thought!

Hey, and if anyone else is like me, and would like to know more about b&w, please post your pics here too.

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Permalink Reply by ichtus on December 12, 2007 at 4:40am

hi Janette,
I have a few suggestions to make about black and white, which I am fond of (unlike sepia), but I must say that I am not a specialist in post-treatment.
First of all, shoot in raw if your body allows this setting. The advantage is that you can choose afterwards if you want the photograph to be in black and white or not. In the meantime, if the body is set on raw files, you can anyway set the picture style in black and white (or sepia), which allows you to view the picture on black and white on the camera s screen just after shooting to have a basic idea of what it does, and then choose afterwards between colour and black-and-white.
Be aware as well that what makes the interest and strength of a black-and-white picture is, more than in black and white, contrasts and shapes.
Here are a couple of my favourite black-and-white photographs.
note that I join two copies of Adam and Eve, the colour version, which I find flat (the light was poor), and the black-and-white, with enhanced contrast.

Attachments:

• _MG_5883 Etretat- Vaucotte -102-2.jpg, 114 KB

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Permalink Reply by PaulDF on December 15, 2007 at 11:45am

What makes a good B&W?

I think every photo has a "thing," that "something" that makes it remarkable.... sometimes it's focus (detail), sometimes it's composition, sometimes it's the subject, sometimes it's the tonal range, the light and texture. Sometimes it's the color.

And sometimes color distracts from the "thing."

That's when it works better in B&W.

A photo is a good B&W when you take the color away, and all of a sudden the "thing" jumps out at you. Your eye doesn't have to sort through the color first. Like the flower just previous - the "thing" is the light and texture. Color would add a third, conflicting and competing thing.

That's WHY you'd do a photo in B&W.

What makes it GOOD....

...all the stuff everyone else has said. But for me especially, it has to be "clean." I guess by that I mean it needs good contrast... it seems many color photos turned to B&W just don't work because they turn out dull, and flat and drab - because the color's values were all too similar. In color, that didn't matter so much, because the difference in hue was interesting - or at least made it easy to differentiate one form from another. B&W depends on good contrast of value to do that. A good B&W has to snap.

That's how I see it, anyway!

I LOVE a good B&W photo, BTW.

And "Young Frankenstein." (Shot in beautiful B&W)

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Permalink Reply by Jeanette's OzPix on December 15, 2007 at 11:52am

You're so right, Paul!!

B&W certainly doesn't work for ALL photos. My rainbow lorikeets look awful in b&w!! But God made them to be seen in color, eh?

Anyhow, I must experiment sometime with other shots... see what amazing treasures I can find!!

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Permalink Reply by PaulDF on December 15, 2007 at 12:09pm

I think with every photo, the question is -

"What makes this remarkable?"

What it it that makes it special, or exceptional?

And if color is an important element in that, keep the color in. But if color ISN'T a part of the mix, and taking the color out would make the "thing" clearer, take it out!

But - I am thinking again, a good RANGE of VALUES is essential! That's what makes a a B&W shot snap!

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Permalink Reply by igor on December 16, 2007 at 4:57pm

i think the more action you have on your picture, colored is better you c more details, more understanding whats around: the less action you have on your picture b@w or sepia works better, because i think it focuses on the action more does't not leave it bored, hope it helps.

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Permalink Reply by Jeanette's OzPix on December 16, 2007 at 6:28pm

That's an interesting thought. I'm sure you're probably right, but I must check that out for myself, and experiment.

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Permalink Reply by Alden on December 17, 2007 at 5:46pm

..well to me its much similar with color photography-- just that my concentration centers on light and shade, composition and the 'mood factor'-- yah know, the basics-- just like the old school days..

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Permalink Reply by randy epperson on December 29, 2007 at 4:26am

I just came across this very nice description of shooting in B&W - enjoy http://www.michaelorton.com/BWGallery/BWgallery.html .

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Permalink Reply by ichtus on December 29, 2007 at 4:45am

great photos indeed, and theyfeature very well the specifities of B&w.
I have posted a photo in the december contest(b&w).If udon't mind having a look...

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