How do landscape photos use monochrome to produce artistic effects?

Monochrome is a common thing, but sometimes it is not fully utilized. In some cases, the application of monochrome looks better than color photos. So how can we make full use of monochrome, especially in nature photography?

First, monochrome emphasizes that texture is superior to color.

The color of an image is usually as important as the theme. Nature photography, with bright feathers and strong petals as its theme, especially likes rich and saturated colors, so why should these colors be deleted from the image?

Because they actually distract other aspects of the image.

When the color disappears, what are we left with? The form, texture and details of the theme, as well as the image part rich in these elements, help monochrome photos really shine. Try to imagine the color version. Bright and clear skies and water colors usually attract more viewers' attention.

Secondly, consider possible theme forms.

Textures and details appear in front of us in black and white, and so do forms. More emphasis on form can completely change the style of the image. One of the best ways to highlight a table is to use outlines. A good outline will remove most or all the details of the topic and only keep the whole form. It lets us fill in the details with imagination. In this case, less is more!

We usually think of silhouettes as color photos taken in combination with bright light sources such as sunlight, but they can also be easily created by monochrome shooting and using strong backlight or improving image contrast. This tree is still very interesting as a color photo. But creating a monochrome outline will make its distorted form stand out as the theme, so that the colors of the sky and trees and the texture of the bark will not distract attention from the form.

Thirdly, monochrome makes full use of contrast.

The contrast between color and illumination is an important part of the interaction between monochrome images. Images without much color contrast usually look as bland as monochrome photos. Therefore, even if removing color will have an impact on texture, detail and form, the result of considering gray tone is good.

If the color is not so bright, consider lighting, which means we need to look at the hue contrast, that is, the brightness change from one part of the image to another. Due to the color contrast, the bright noon light shines on the dark object, which will enhance the contrast of the generated monochrome image.

The contrast between texture and form is also a good way to get more information from images. Notice how they are displayed in the figure below. The smooth or ribbed texture of the shell is in sharp contrast with the tattered and messy leaves, and the long serrated edge of the leaves is in sharp contrast with the crouching round shells. The color of the shell provides us with a beautiful gray palette, and even the translucent leaves are in sharp contrast with the solid properties of the shell.

Fourth, monochrome portraits.

Monochrome is an excellent format for portraits, people or animals. Form, texture and details all blend together in a beautiful way. Gray tone gives the image a classical feeling, which is difficult to reproduce in color. Animal fur, scales, feathers and skin usually have more details than human skin. Monochrome itself will bring it, but sometimes in bright lights or

A slight increase in contrast in Lightroom will further attract people's attention to these details.

Generally speaking, monochrome is a very flexible photography style, and nature photographers sometimes prefer to emphasize color and theme. But monochrome eliminates color, allowing you to appreciate form, texture, detail and contrast.