The Best Photo of The Week - How To Take The Most Successful Black And White Photos II

Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
235mm ƒ/8 1/320s ISO 100
2018 Zoomarine, Roma

The success of a black and white photograph lies precisely in these effects highlighted by light and shadows.

Do an experiment, posing the same scene at different times of the day and you will see how different the photos can be, depending on how the light fell at those times. Another idea is to play with the quality and intensity of light. For example, you can shoot a tree on a foggy day, then shoot the same tree on a sunny day. You will see what huge differences there are.

Pay attention to the shapes!

Since they are colorless, black and white photos become dependent on the lines and shapes that compose them. Try to integrate in a photo of this kind a variety of shapes that create, in turn, various types of lines and curves.

Pay attention to the perspective!

Perspective can create some very interesting effects, especially in black and white photography. Perspective can bring life to the standard of a subject, can suggest depth and mystery, and with a little visual imagination, a photograph can only tell a story if you use a less common angle when shooting a scene.

Pay attention to the background!

An important thing in black and white photography is to make sure that objects are not lost in the background. Often, just by moving the subject a little to one side or the other, you can remove unwanted elements from the photo. Or you can try another angle.

Add texture!

The texture adds interest and definition to black and white photos. For example, a photo that unfolds against the background of a hard-textured wall looks more interesting than one that has a soft wall in the background. A cobbled street will look much more dramatic and cooler than a normally paved one.

Colors matter!

Each color creates a different effect when transposed into black and white tones. For example, red and green may stand out in a color photograph but the two become almost insignificant in a black and white one. The more contrast the colors have, the more interesting they will be and the better they will look in a black and white photo.

Remember that you can use the strong qualities of black and white tones to take dramatic and memorable photos. Experiment and play with the effects of this kind of photography - you will have a lot of satisfaction.