Black & White Photography: A Personal Manifesto

Transcription

1 Black & White Photography: A Personal Manifesto Fran DeRespinis This presentation and all photographs are 2017 Francis DeRespinis. All Rights Reserved. No rights granted without prior written permission. For Usage and fees, please at mindspring.com or contact me at

2 Our Agenda Disclaimers In the Zone Just a bit about the Zone System Some considerations for black & white versus color Why and when you might prefer black & white images Starting points for processing black & white images 2

3 The Disclaimers My Disclaimer I am not an expert. I m an enthusiastic practitioner who has just enough knowledge to make me slightly dangerous on this subject. I do things my way. You do things your way. You might do things better than I do things. But, if you learn one thing from this presentation that can add to your knowledge or to your toolbox, I am gratified. 3

4 Black and white versus Monochrome Monochrome: Consists of varying tones of one color. Black and white: Monochromatic, but with no color hues or tones. You only see black, white, and different shades of the gray scale. 4

5 The Zone System (Ansel Adams and Fred Archer) The Zone System provides photographers with a systematic method of precisely defining the relationship between the way they visualize the photographic subject and the final results.* (* Wikipedia) 5

6 The Zone System as Applied to Digital Photography Blacks Shadows Mid-tones Highlights Whites This image from an Adorama class about using zones for black and white digital photography. 6

7 Why Shoot/Create In Black and White We see the world in color. Why shoot or create B&W images when we no longer have the technical limitations of black and white imagery? Why bother asking Should this image be color or black and white? 7

8 Color or Black & White? It s Your Creative Decision

9 Color or Black & White? Is the color vital, are we biased that certain subjects should look real?

10 Color or Black & White? What s your intention for an image?

11 Color or Black & White? Does the color enhance the image or detract from it?

12 Color or Black & White? Which rendition supports your story?

13 Color or Black & White? Does the essential strength of the image rely on the color, or does B&W emphasize other, preferred qualities of your image?

14 Color or Black & White? Can you see any advantages in a black and white version of your image?

15 Color or Black & White? Do you like them both for different reasons or purposes?

16 It Boils Down to This You ve shot some landscapes or nature photos, cityscapes or street life, studio or outdoor portraits, still lifes, flowers, or birds And you ask yourself Should the Image Be Color or Black & White?

17 What To Do? Two Mindsets Mindset 1: Shoot as you do today, seeing and thinking in color and review your images in LR/PS to see what might look good in black and white. Then, convert color images to black and white. Mindset 2: Learn to see the world in grayscale (pre-visualize) and shoot images with the conscious intention of creating B&W images. The hybrid approach - some of both!

18 Should I Shoot in Color or B&W? Film Shoot color film and have either color or black and white. Shoot B&W film and basically you ve got B&W. Digital Shoot RAW and have either color or black & white. Shoot JPG in B&W and you get that s right, B&W. So, the moral of this story is to shoot in RAW, right? Not so fast, grasshopper

19 Consider Using Training Wheels This might help to you see in grayscale values. If your camera can do it, shoot in RAW + JPG. Select the monochrome/b&w for the JPG. In a DSLR, use Live View to see your image in B&W. In a mirrorless camera your image is B&W in the EVF and on the LCD.

20 Why Black & White 1. The sensation of color is removed, helping your subject stand out against a sea of distraction. You pay more attention to the relationship of the subject and background. You focus on the key elements of lighting and composition rather than thinking about how to make colors work together or pop.

21 Why Black & White 2. You see light differently: You don t capture that sweet golden hour, but do expand your attention to the direction, quality, and amount of light in your image.

22 Why Black & White 3. Black and white can heighten the emotion of an image. It s about a more direct and stronger, emotional connection to your subject. the eye traffics in feelings not in thoughts. - Walker Evans I see the thing, I feel the thing, I make the thing. - Andre Kertesz

23 Why Black & White 4. A well done black and white image can be timeless. Some see black and white as nostalgic, romantic, or not part of an era - just life at any given moment.

24 Why Black & White 5.Can intensify how you use negative space. You can focus on the light and dark of the image and their relationship to each other. You can effectively separate your subject from the background and include added depth to your photograph.

25 Why Black & White 6. Simplifies the seeing of patterns, shapes, and forms. You can pay more attention to the elements in the frame and how they relate to each other. Color can be distracting here.

26 Why Black & White 7. Emphasizes patterns and textures to help the viewer sense what something feels like: bumpy, rough, smooth, jaggy. Tip! How you use contrast can heighten the visualization of texture.

27 Why Black & White 8. Highlights skin tones and beauty by providing a wonderful tonal range from deepest blacks to the brightest whites - no matter what race or color your subject is. Negative skin attributes can be minimized and made less obvious.

28 Why Black & White 9. Helps you focus on composition. This is a significant reason that I shoot in black and white. Composition is not color-dependent and, again, black and white can help you avoid the distraction of color. Elements in the image can relate to each other in a way that color might inhibit.

29 Why Black & White 10. Some argue that unless the subject of the image is about the sensation of color, the image should be black and white! Prefer color? Check this out: To my taste, for line, texture, design, drama, go black and white!

30 Why Black & White Sometimes, two shots of the same or similar subject matter, even taken at the same location and in the same context, are best rendered differently for maximum effect or story telling.

31 Processing Black & White? I have no magic bullet to share with you. I work intuitively, emotionally, and by the proverbial seat of my pants! But, I do have a few suggestions

32 Processing Black & White Two suggested approaches: 1. Create a (virtual) copy from your original image, convert that copy into B&W, and work that B&W copy until completion. 2. Work your color image as you would until completion and then create a (virtual) copy and convert it to B&W. Then, work on that converted B&W image.

33 Processing Black & White You can start with the out-of-camera RAW file and click the LR Black & White treatment as your starting point. OOC Camera File - no processing In LR, click Black & White

34 Processing Black & White You then set your white point and black point for the image. You want a true black. Black & White Treatment Selected Highlights -100, Shadows +100, then hold Alt (PC) or Option (Mac) & move W and B sliders to fix.

35 Processing Black & White After you set your white point and black point, use other tools to finalized your image. Black & White with B&W Points Established Final adjustments are made. You then make final adjustments to your image. Tip: You still have an RGB image

36 Processing Black & White You can also use a Lightroom preset or third-party preset as your starting point.

37 Processing Black & White Lightroom presets

38 Processing Black & White Nik Silver Efex Pro Example Original image, worked Silver Efex Full Dynamic Harsh

39 Processing Black & White Original worked Black & White Treatment and worked Silver Efex Full Dynamic Harsh

40 Processing Black & White Sometimes, I create variations with presets as my starting point: Out of camera RAW Color rendition worked

41 Processing Black & White Silver Efex High Contrast Smooth Fuji camera profile Acros w yellow filter

42 Processing Black & White Eric Kim Neopan 1600 DPS Bangin B&W: Streetwalker

43 Processing Black & White

44 Processing Black & White

45 Processing Black & White In Silver Efex selected High Contrast Smooth and lowered the contrast

46 Processing Black & White My final B&W version

47 A Recent Favorite Conversion #1 I converted from the OOC RAW file

48 A Recent Favorite Conversion #1 I converted from the OOC RAW file

49 A Recent Favorite Conversion #1 I converted from the OOC RAW file

50 A Recent Favorite Conversion #2 I worked the RAW file and then converted to B&W

51 A Recent Favorite Conversion #2 I work the RAW file and then converted to B&W

52 A Recent Favorite Conversion #2 I work the RAW file and then converted to B&W

53 A Final Shot: How d He Do It?

54 Does It matter?

55 Color or Black & White? It s not a quiz. It s a preference.

56 Color or Black & White?

57 Color or Black & White?

58 Color or Black & White?

59 Color or Black & White?

60 Color or Black & White?

61 Color or Black & White?

62 Color or Black & White?

63 Color or Black & White?

64 Color or Black & White?

65 Color or Black & White?

66 Color or Black & White?

67 Color or Black & White?

68 Color or Black & White?

69 Color or Black & White?

70 Color or Black & White?

71 Color or Black & White? (last one)

72 FINIS 72