Why choose black & white

I love black & white portrait photography. It isn’t just the history but it is definitely worth checking out portraits from some of the greatest photographers of all time. Photographers like Yousuf Karsh, who’s photography stands out, as maybe being the best portrait photographer of the 20th century.

For me, black & white stands out because of the light & shadow. A great black and white image, generally has good contrast & won’t look flat to the viewer. The lighting becomes more noticeable and the subject is able to stand out. Black & white is all about building up character & story of an individual. Every line will stand out for the world to see, or hidden to show only the best features, the contrast between the light & dark of the eyes, can draws the viewer in and tell a story in itself.

Of course, not all black & white photography is great, there is a tenancy, to try and save badly exposed photos by making them black & white. Also many a photographer (including myself), may see a photo that they have shot for colour but find they prefer in black & white.

Ideally though, I find the best black & white images are deliberately, shot that way, with the lighting setup to emphasize, a part of the face.

Most of my clients prefer their photos to be colour but if you want to stand out from others, maybe going for a black & white, might be the best photographic decision you ever make.