Fine Art Print Collections in Black and White
Black and white photography is a suitable technique for many nature scenes. It requires a particular frame of mind.
A black and white photograph should be prepared and planned from the framing to the post-processing on a computer.
However, black and white photography is also a separate discipline within photography which enables a photographer to express emotions that he cannot convey through color photographs.
Using Black and White to Showcase the Wonders of Nature
For some of my artistic photographs showing the wonders of nature, I have chosen to use black-and-white photography both on land and underwater.
Black-and-white photographs immediately emphasize the point of interest. The viewer’s gaze is guided by geometric shapes, lines of flight, perspectives, and the contrast between light and dark. These are the elements which will enable the viewer to understand the message I want to convey. I could simplify this by saying that a black-and-white photograph goes straight to the point to deliver its essential message. Color photographs allow digressions and may lead the viewer to the message by secondary ways. Black and white is a more direct creative technique.
The world around us, especially nature, is colorful. A color image can give a realistic portrait of reality. It is, of course, possible to give an interpretation of that reality through photographs; this is what I try to do by applying my vision.
Black-and-white photography is primarily a means for creative expression, because it never shows a true picture of reality. Its sole purpose is to clearly convey the message which the photographer intends, without embellishment.
Black and white is the basic language of photography. The photo’s message is conveyed through forms, textures, lines, and perspectives. They go back to the basics. They convey raw emotions.
Black and white photography is a magical creative technique because it is timeless. Some people argue that it is possible to tell when black-and-white photographs were made in the time of our grandparents, but they can really tell this because of the poses that people are standing in and the vignetting of the photo. It is not easy to place a black and white photo in time.
For me, black and white photography has become a way to create photographs that will survive changing fashions over time.
In landscape and wildlife photography, black and white is synonymous with beauty and aesthetic merit. Mineral landscapes and animals’ coats are emphasized in black and white photographs because of their rich textures. If the lighting is right, the pictures are undeniably better than they would be in color.
In black and white photography, there are no colors. The viewers’ eyes are guided by the composition of the photo. I attach great importance to the placement of the subjects. The rules of composition and framing become crucial. For instance, the rule of thirds and strong points are both useful for emphasizing the points of interest. Using the golden number or the golden spiral as the framing ratio is a way to ensure that the framing is good.
