By removing color, you open up new possibilities for storytelling, emotional depth, and composition. It challenges you to think differently and often leads to a more profound connection between the viewer and the subject.
Coming to you from Peter Forsgård, this engaging video explores seven reasons to embrace black and white photography. Forsgård begins by highlighting its timeless quality. Without color, images feel less tied to a specific period and more universal. This quality makes black and white photography ideal for capturing historic or architectural subjects, like the old-world charm of Prague, where Forsgård recently photographed.
Another key reason is the emotional impact. Forsgård explains that monochrome images often create a stronger connection with the viewer. The absence of color shifts the focus to mood and atmosphere, emphasizing emotions in a way that color photos might dilute. This can elevate the storytelling aspect of your work, drawing viewers deeper into the scene.
Forsgård also emphasizes the creative freedom that comes with black and white photography. By stripping away color, you can focus on elements like light, shadow, texture, and contrast. For example, high-contrast images become more compelling when the interplay between black and white tones takes precedence. Forsgård uses mirrorless cameras for this practice, both of which offer features to help pre-visualize in black and white.
For those unsure about how to see the world in monochrome, Forsgård suggests using black and white simulations on your camera. This lets you preview images in grayscale while still shooting in raw, preserving the option to edit in color later. He also recommends using software like DxO FilmPack 7 for converting images to black and white, noting that it offers excellent results for fine-tuning tonal range. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Forsgård.
