Save a Landscape Photograph With a Black and White Edit

For the most part, a landscape photo is not finished once you press the shutter, as half of the image-making process is in the direction you decide to take the edit. Sometimes, if you are looking at an image you know has potential but you can't figure out to do with it, you should consider turning it into a black and white photo. This great video tutorial makes a case for why and shows you some techniques to do so. 

Coming to you from Photo Tom, this excellent video tutorial examines the process of editing a landscape image in black and white. Of course, switching to black and white is not a universal cure-all for images with errors in them or the like. What it can be, however, is a way to remove bland or distracting colors and get to the heart of a scene's mood or message, and it allows you to better shape the tones in the frame to control the viewer's attention. The next time you are a bit stuck with an edit, take a few minutes to try a black and white conversion. Check out the video above for the full rundown. 

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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1 Comment

I always make a B&W of any landscape befitting. It is essential.