Three different tones to create black and white landscape photos.

Lead: Black-and-white photos are usually divided into three colors, namely high-key, low-key and medium-key. High-profile means that most photos are composed of white and light gray, and such photos become high-profile photos. Low-key refers to the absolute dominance of black and black-gray in photos, that is, photos composed of a large number of black and black-gray are called low-key photos. Between high-profile and low-profile, black-and-white photos are not absolutely dominant, which are called middle-tone photos. The following mainly talks about the use of different tones.

The use of black and white tones

Usually, black-and-white photos are mostly middle-tone photos. In order to be high-key and low-key, a lot of black or white is used in the photos, which helps to strengthen some expressive force and artistic appeal, but also brings the limitations of theme and content, and the picture lacks three-dimensional sense. Although alto has no strong artistic appeal in timbre, it is more free in the expression of various themes and contents; Moreover, the three-dimensional sense of the picture is relatively strong, which is why a large number of photos are in the middle tone.

High-profile photos can give people the feeling of lightness, purity, beauty, liveliness, comeliness, tranquility, elegance and comfort. They are often used to express bright and beautiful scenery, light-colored still lives, animals and so on. In portrait photography, they are used to show children, girls, doctors and so on. Low-key photos can give people a mysterious, solemn, melancholy, implicit, deep, steady, bold and stubborn feeling. The contrast between alto is strong, which often gives people a feeling of anger, strength and excitement; The contrast is dull, which often gives people a feeling of desolation, depression and simplicity.

▲ Aperture F7. 1, speed 1/200s, focal length 3 10mm, ISO 200. River beach fishing boat.

It is worth noting that these functions of color tones are only "helpful to strengthen" an artistic effect, and only when they are matched with specific content can they play a corresponding strengthening effect. The specific enhancement effect needs to be determined according to the shooting content. In the relationship between form and content, it is content rather than form that plays a decisive role. This requires the photographer to consider whether the subject is suitable for high-profile or low-profile when using the components of hue. High-profile, high-profile, low-key and low-key practices are often counterproductive.

▲ Aperture F7. 1, speed 1/320s, focal length 200mm, ISO 200. The boat in the water town is even more low-key

When considering whether to use high-profile or low-profile, we should also pay attention to whether the color of the subject (including the subject and background) is suitable for high-profile or low-profile. This consideration should be active, that is to say, we should consider whether we can use photography techniques such as filters and lighting to control the color reproduction of the scene.

In the composition of high-profile and low-profile photos, we should pay attention to a small amount of thick black on the picture of high-profile photos, otherwise high-profile photos often appear weak and pale. The main light ratio of high-profile photos is smaller. For low-key photos, pay attention to a small amount of bright white on the screen, otherwise low-key photos will easily appear gloomy and dull. Low-key photos have a larger proportion of main light.

In black-and-white photography, the way to master the exposure of high-profile and low-profile photos is usually to take high-profile photos one step higher than normal exposure to enhance the clarity of high-profile. Low-key photography is one step less than normal exposure to ensure strong black tone. Of course, you can also take high-profile or low-key photos with normal exposure, and then make corresponding adjustments when you enlarge the photos. High-profile photos are less exposed; Low-key photos are enlarged and exposed a little more.

▲ Aperture F22, speed 1/30s, focal length 29mm, ISO 800. The sunset landscape is even more gloomy.