In my own photography education, our professor required us to shoot black and white film for that very reason. We weren’t distracted by other details when we were trying to learn about composition and processing. I believe that every photographer should learn using black and white before they get into the world of color.

A B&W image let’s the photographer tell a story that has more contrast and depth. It leaves the unnecessary details for the viewer to imagine and provides the crucial details.

I have a love for B&W photos that I’ve really never been able to explain. Sure, times have changed and the technology of B&W film is obsolete, but the desire to see and capture the perfect B&W image is still alive and kicking.

Nevertheless, black and white, as well as color, continue to be in use to this day, regardless of the advances in technology. There is just a certain amount of nostalgia that surrounds black and white photography, that color just can not seem to bring to the forefront. Let’s face it, “there are black and white snobs, as well as [color] snobs”. Be it black and white or color, a photographer should not be judged by the technology put to use, but how it is used.

Thanks for the great discussion.

That’s what I’m hoping to drive, here on Beyond Phototips… Discussion.

It’s been great, looking on as people express their views and opinions. One should remember that each person has a unique perspective based on his or her experience or lack thereof.

Each unique… and I love hearing them. I’ve got my own, and it’s wonderful, seeing people react to them.

Thanks for stopping by.

As with any type of photography b&w means different things to different people, and that’s why I love photography…

As with colour there are good and bad b&w photographs

But for me I like the detail that can be brought out in a good b&w shot when the colour isn’t there to catch our eyes in a photograph. The tree above is a good example of this.

Love the discussion…

But first let me clarify my stand on the subject:

I’m not against B&W photography. Brian, I know you love your film and your B&W, as do many other people here… I do too… I don’t take many Monochrome images though. I just prefer colour.

No, B&W is not Dead. I doubt it will ever really die.

Obsolete – Yes, I think that B&W film photography is an obsolete technology.
Antiquated – Yes, for the same reason as above.
Exists for no reason at all – well… for no “practical” purpose… It does exist for artistic reasons and for personal preference.

I personally do not subscribe to the school that takes the ‘easy way out’ by making a colour image greyscale… yes, I’ve done it when I’ve had to rescue images, but I encourage you to try doing things the ‘right’ way… To take more care in your selection of lenses, films, ISO, and aperture. Previsualise…

Digital Ansel Adams? Well, I believe that the problem is that there are too many of them around. And that reduces the impact of any one of them alone.

Ansel Adams himself was brilliant for his time. His work on the Zone system alone is unparalleled.

I could ramble on for ages, but I’ll stop here and let you voice your thoughts.

I’m still looking for one wonderful reason why B&W photography absolutely rocks. Matt Dinkel and Capa have gotten really close to that.

http://www.orengophotography.com

Oh sure, Ansel Adams did great stuff with B/W… kind of the old school equivalent of the now brutally overdone color HDR, but that was because he didn’t have a choice. And even with the tremendous crutch/advantage of working in B/W I have not seen a “digital Ansel Adams”, which seems to add credence to my theory that a great many digital images presented in B/W started life as a mediocre color picture.