What is Black and White, Really?

One question I always get asked nowadays is whether I shoot in color or black and white, and for the black and white images, can they have the color version as well? I shoot 100% color and digital, and by shooting everything in color, it gives me a lot of flexibility on post processing.

Black and white images are more complicated than most people realize, but at the same time, digital imaging gives us photographers a lot of flexibility in getting the exact look we want in the final image. Below are some examples of how versatile black and white images can be. Credit goes to Totally Rad Actions! for such an incredible set of post processing tools!

Above is the original color image and a straight grayscale conversion to black and white (BW). This type of BW conversion is available on practically any photo processing program. The common problem with simple grayscale conversion is that the image may look washed out with limited contrast between light and shadow. Also, depending on the original color, some areas of the photo may appear too dark or too bright in the final BW image.

Above are a couple of examples with a nice soft glow. A little bit of blur combined with slightly exaggerated highlight = a slice of heaven! I often use this BW conversion for those romantic images: a loving glance or an emotional embrace.

Sometimes it’s important to raise the contrast and bring details back into the images. In the couple of images above, note the sharp contrast that clearly delineates the tree branches and the details of her dress, each to a varying degree.

These may not be considered as “black and white” per se, but there are only 2 tones in these images. Often color will bring warmth and comfort to the images, and the classic sepia and selenium conversion bring out the playful nature of the image.

I love these effects! The image on the left is something you’d expect to find at the bottom of the drawer at grandma’s house – the burnt corners and the grain on the image create a feeling of nostalgia. The image on the right is like a newspaper clipping from the 1930’s – warm and emotional.

So, there you have it, not all black and white images are created equal!