How to take a black-and-white photo? How to take a black-and-white photo with great texture?

In fact, when watching some photo exhibitions, you will find that a black and white photo will bring you great shock. Many famous photographs in the world are developed in the form of black and white photographs. If you want to be a photographer, it is especially important to learn to take black and white photos. So how to make black and white photos very textured!

Some people say that this is because black-and-white photography was born early, but we consider that the total number of color photos should be greater than black-and-white photos so far, so this reason is not particularly sufficient.

Does the classic black-and-white photo taste the same after adding color?

Black-and-white photography is easy to produce a sense of majesty and awe. So when we shoot ourselves, from what angles should we consider a black and white photo?

hue

"Tone" can be said to be the keynote of a black-and-white photo. It refers to any uniform density area on a photo, negative or slide that can be distinguished from bright or dark parts.

From the perspective of black-and-white photography, the main colors of tones can be divided into three categories: high-key, low-key and intermediate tones (gray tones).

(1) high profile

High-profile gives people a bright, pure, relaxed and lively feeling.

It is more suitable for expressing the image of women and children, and can also convey the tranquility in landscape photos and the elegance and cleanliness in commodity photography.

Photography: PedroLuisRaota

High-profile photography generally uses soft, uniform, bright and smooth light.

(2) Keep a low profile

Low-key works sometimes make people feel determined, steady and calm, and sometimes make people feel dark, heavy and gloomy.

Photography: LarryTowell

With the change of the theme content of the works, they present their own different faces. In the performance of characters, it is usually used in the elderly. Older people with high prestige can also show young people with deep personality.

There are sculptures, monuments, temples and so on in ancient buildings.

Berrichm

Border landscape east of Brooks Mountains. Taken in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, USA. In 2009. Salgado

(3) Intermediate sound

Although the character of alto is not obvious, the picture is rich and delicate, and it often presents different emotional colors with different images, colors and light.

1967 Czechoslovakia, by Koudeka

It pays attention to the use of light and is generally equipped with multiple light sources. It is ideal to express the natural landscape with gray tone, and it is good at blurring the outline of objects. It also has the specialty of rain, fog, clouds and smoke, reflecting the beauty of tranquility and softness.

In 2004, I went out to Shanbie Village, Hokkaido, Japan. michael kenna

Like LeicaMM black-and-white machine series, the description of hue is particularly delicate, because its sensor has no dichroic filter, so it is more sensitive to light and can perceive subtle light, so it has more layers.

LeicaM246+752AA，f9.5 1- 125siso320，byOlrKjenne

Zoom in a little more to see the details (click on the picture below):

Although it is compressed by WeChat, it can still be seen that the snow-capped mountains in the distance, the nearby river beaches and the sparkling lakes are quite rich in gray scale;

Look at the signs in different positions, and there are traces of stains. The enlarged details are still sharp, and subtle level transitions can be shown. Sure enough, M246 is different from APO lens!

contrast

Contrast refers to the density difference between black and white images and the brightness difference of the subject.

In black and white photos, the contrast is mainly the difference of relative brightness of black, white and gray. The brighter the white is, the darker the black is, and the higher the contrast is. Gray plays a transitional role in balancing black and white.

Photography: Daido Moriyama

Generally speaking, Gao Fancha's image will appear tough, chiseled and has a strong sense of sculpture.

Edward Weston's "Green Pepper" series is also the representative of Gao Fancha.

The low contrast image is more like a gentle silent film, foggy.

How to deal with contrast when shooting?

In fact, there is no complete rule, depending on the emotion you want to express.

Generally speaking, it will be more layered, three-dimensional and dramatic to treat scenery, street shooting and still life into Gao Fancha;

leicam 246+752 abyoolrkjennerudf 5.6 1-250 sis

leicam 246+Zeiss 2 14.5 byolrkjennerudf 460 sis

When taking portraits, the contrast is reduced, which will make the characters softer and conform to the public aesthetic.

Queen Elizabeth II, 195 1 year. Yousuf karsh's photo.

Of course, this is not absolute. Many people will deliberately improve the contrast in order to highlight their personality and atmosphere.

Winston Churchill. Yousuf karsh's photo.

Shooting skill

In addition, there are some practical skills, from the blog "Hi-Fi Photography Tribe", written by HIFITAM and Bian Xiao, which have been optimized for Leica users:

_ Looking for light and shadow, ignoring color.

Although everything we see is colored, when taking black-and-white photos, we should not be disturbed by the color of things, but should pay attention to the brightness and contrast of the picture.

When we take color photos, we are often attracted by the colors of some things, but we can't do this when we take black and white photos.

LeicaM246+282.8，f43sISO320，byOlrKjennerud

_ Adjust the screen preview of the camera to black and white.

If you use paraxial framing, it is not convenient to imagine the black and white effect, and you can use the screen or electronic viewfinder for real-time framing; This helps me to better imagine what the color photos in front of me will look like when they are shot in black and white.

If you used to shoot in color, you can get familiar with the idea of black and white shooting more quickly.

_ Pay attention to the composition of the picture, the lines and shapes of things.

When shooting colors, you can pay less attention to the composition of the picture (although you should also pay attention). After all, the color itself is the most important.

But when shooting black and white, we must pay attention to the composition of the picture, the lines and shapes of things, because black and white photos are colorless, which will highlight the importance of picture composition.

_ Improve the contrast between black and white.

This is a personal preference. I think the high contrast between black and white is an important way to highlight the mood of photos (think of Daido Moriyama, Anders Peterson, Jacob Ospol

High contrast black and white photos).

Of course, different situations are also suitable for different contrasts, such as scenery and street sweeping, which all use high contrast, but if you shoot girls, you should honestly reduce the contrast.

_ Make good use of exposure compensation.

Generally, when shooting black and white during the day, I will adjust the exposure compensation appropriately, especially when the sun is fierce. I can consider lowering the exposure compensation by one step or even two steps (I can completely consider lowering the exposure compensation by two steps at noon on a sunny day).

Of course, this is also a matter of personal preference, because I don't like the overexposed sky (dead white sky). Aim at things on the ground during the day, and the sky will definitely be overexposed.

_ Hold on for a while.

Many photographers often mix black-and-white and color photos, or take black-and-white photos at the same time.

My opinion is that black and white are different from color and have different meanings, so it is not recommended that you shoot color and black and white at the same time (at least not at the same time).

LeicaM246+2 1f3.4，f 163 iso 320

LeicaM246+ZM35f 1.4+ yellow filter, byOlrKjennerud

Black and white images are the origin of photography, which is one hundred years earlier than color images. Although it is easy to take a black-and-white photo, it really needs careful study to control the most important contrast and tone.