Shooting Black and White

Black and white photography, when done properly can import a tremendous character on the final image. Black and white is inherently archaic and its reliable consumer usage predates color photography by around 80 years. Simultaneously, Black and white photography has a timeless nature, it is without the pigment fade and color distortion that tends to accompany old color photography. I believe that every photographer should attempt to shoot in black and white on a semi-regular basis. This applies to both film and digital photographers. Most film photographers probably already dabble in black and white, some film photographers shoot exclusively in black and white (my father). Not many digital shooters “shoot” in black and white. For most digital photographers, black and white is an effect or a filter from Lightroom or Photoshop. This does not necessarily have to be the case, I actually strongly advocate for going out and shooting black and white as a theme for a photography excursion.

I shot this set of pictures on my Olympus OM-D E-M5 II a few weekends ago. Since it is mirror-less, when I put it in black and white mode, the images on my eyepiece or rear screen are already in black and white so I can see exactly how the image will turn out. It removes much of the mystery of black and white film, but it is a great way to learn how to shoot in black and white and the results look superb!