Top Photography Tips -Black and White Photography

Black-and-white photography is an exciting way to enhance the raw emotion or striking beauty of a gorgeous landscape or energy-filled moment caught in time.

Taking stunning black-and-white photographs is an art form that requires time, practice, and retraining your eye, as well as being creative. Still, there are a few top tips and tricks that will help you get started.

Here are Drive South Africa’s Top Photography Tips for Beginner’s Guide to amazing black and white photography.

Learning to See in Shades of Grey

(Photo by Ryk Neethling)

Seeing the world in black and white offers a unique perspective, and as a black and white photographer, your goal is to master the art of painting your surroundings with shades and highlights.
Look for intriguing and exciting shapes and shadows that accentuate the form of a subject and show it in a different light. You have to train your eye and mind to be able to see what a shot will look like in black and white before you take it using highlights and lowlights to emphasise your point. A great black-and-white photography tip is to look out for repetitive shapes, unique structuring and long leading lines that will draw the eye into your photo.

Contrast is King

Photo by Tamzyn Degoumois

By removing the colour in a photograph, you open up your eye to the fascinating textures, surfaces and harsh world of contrasts that surround you. Zooming in on interesting patterns and highlighting harsh contrasts brings attention to your subject and lets you show the detail and intricacies that are otherwise lost in the world of colour.

Cloudy Days are a Photographer’s Treat

Photo by Ankakay

Overcast and cloudy days are an idyllic setting for a black-and-white photo shoot. Looming clouds make a striking statement, adding a certain mood, whilst the soft light and background offer silky transitions between the foreground and background. Another top photography tip for beginners is to play around with contrast while editing. Upping your contrast defines the edges of your subject more and makes them pop out of your background.

Shoot in Colour

Photo by Neil Lawler

Don’t use the black-and-white preset on your camera when taking your photograph. You lose a lot of the complexity, contrast and information by shooting in black and white. Shooting in colour and editing for black and white will not only give you a richer and better image but will also allow you to play around and be creative, all to give you more control over the end result. A top photography tip for beginners is to change to the black-and-white preset to give you an idea of how your photograph will look and then change back over into colour before you shoot.

Take Tons of Photographs

Most importantly, you have to go out and practise. Give your shutter finger a good workout and take plenty of photos, and then take some more for good measure. Being able to spot the potential of stunning black and white photography shots takes time and a conscious effort. But with a little dedication, you will be able to produce fascinating snaps.

For more top photography tips for beginners, visit our top photography tips for beginners part 1, top photography tips for beginners part 2, photography tips for beginners using flash.

Have you got any top photography tips for black and white photography? Post them and your photographs in our comments below or just let us know what you think.

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