Is Black and White the Solution to Bad Light in Landscape Photography?

One of the most frustrating things about landscape photography is that you have no control over the light, and an otherwise perfect scene can be ruined by it. Just because the light is not great, however, does not mean you need to pack it in and head home; sometimes, the answer is adjusting your approach a bit. Black and white can be such a solution, and this great video shows how it can help you come home with worthwhile photos. 

Coming to you from Christian Irmler - Landscape Photography, this excellent video explores using black and white in landscape photography when the light is not ideal. Of course, this is not to say that you can just turn a mediocre photo black and white and end up with a worthwhile result. However, the thing to remember is that black and white emphasizes the pure tonality of the image, and while hard light can ruin a color photo, its sharp edges and hard contrasts can become tremendously interesting in black and white. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Irmler. 

And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out "Photographing The World 1: Landscape Photography and Post-Processing with Elia Locardi." 

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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