Why black and white is better

Black and White is not only for the boring grey days. We can make a good monochrome image anywhere, at any time. In this video, I talk about why we should do it and how to do it.
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[@aows]

I believe Black and White can be used in any situation, even in colorful places. Actually, I think B&W is better. What do you think?

[@bryanotero123]

Caesar for ceasar god for god, all is good,

[@millerdp]

Absolutely. Someone said it well, “Color photos are just too normal and you can create your own normal with black and white.”

[@aows]

Well said indeed 😊

[@henrym78]

Daniel Miller color can be so beautiful in medium format

[@scotthullinger9955]

It's rather hard to see the color of a petunia in B&W photo, or a raging orange sunset, or a deep blue sky. Photography actually IS more about just shades of grey. Or go in between, and use a sepia variation. I can hardly imagine a world without Kodachrome 25, even though it's been dead for a while now. But at least I can appreciate the dark tone sky of an Ansel Adams photo. Infra red is also nice. If a photo is b&w, then it's mostly about being b&w. If it's color, then it's very often mostly about the color.

[@TheCompleteGuitarist]

Black and white helps concentrate on depth, texture, composition and positive and negative shapes. Colour tends to neutrailize these very important elements.

[@aows]

Totally agreed. That's why I love making images in monochrome.

[@shaddking4318]

Shot and watched my grandpa develop HP5 when I was only about 10, years down the road when I tried to break into digital and color, I struggled hard haha. Black and white is just the perfect balance between simplicity and complexity! Loved this video man

[@aows]

That's awesome! It's in your blood :) I agree about that balance, I just love it. Thanks for the comment!

[@NewZealand-RVTravel]

I am 72 and am now inspired to continue with black and white where I started and have been shooting more colour but dissatisfied with results. Thank you for giving me a shot in the arm to go back to my roots and shoot and create in black and white. Pete Bonham

[@john_murch]

I'm a total amateur shooting B&W as I love colour and I've been shooting colour for years. But on the few occasions that I've challenged myself to shoot B&W I've really enjoyed the results and I learned a lot about composition and light. I'm now going to order some more Ilford films that are waiting in my checkout cart. Cheers Adrian!

[@aows]

Nice! Hope you enjoy shooting them. I do feel like B&W can help us improve our color photography because we pay more attention to light and shapes. Anyway, good luck with your shooting, John!

[@Shoot-Film]

I recently discovered your channel and it is now a favorite👍🏻. I’ve essentially been a colour photographer for 30 years (my commercial clients always wanted colour). Now that I’m shooting 90% for pleasure, I have been thinking about black & white for a while. I’ve often converted colour to B&W intentionally but I’m now rethinking my process. I have a new project to shoot - 11 to 13th century churches here in Lincolnshire, England. I’ve ordered a brick of HP5 and Ilford ID 11 for the soup! My motivation is as a result of needing a new challenge. I appreciate the difficulty and new way of seeing, not to mention the skill curve for development, scanning and printing (all of which I consider myself to be an expert at doing in colour). Very inspired by your channel, absolutely appreciate your work and look forward to your content. Well done my friend!

[@aows]

That's awesome! It's going to be an experience, for sure. A project about old churches sounds pretty cool. Please share the results! I think you will like black and white in that it really requires you to look at things differently. The contrast we observe with our eyes might be due to colors and it will not translate to the image. Or the other way around, there might me contrast that we do not see at first. It might take a bit time to get used to it, but it's totally worth it. Good luck!!! (and please share :D)

[@Shoot-Film]

Where in the US do you call home? I lived in Seattle for 17 years. The North Cascades and Eastern High Desert were my photographic playgrounds - I was able to stand in the very spots in my minds eye where you were making pictures. Get in touch through my IG @ishoot120film - cheers.

[@carlosrivi74]

Excellent video. Simple and informative

[@CraigPrentisPhoto]

Looking forward to seeing more of your b&w from the Algarve. I’m going to be shooting a lot more b&w over the Winter. Thanks for recommending my video at the end - much appreciated!

[@aows]

I look forward to seeing that! Loved your black and white portraits. And of course, it won't be the last time, I'm a big fan of your videos. They are incredibly enjoyable to watch.

[@legionchef]

Amazing stuff like usual. I do agree, black and white just has a certain appeal to it which colour just doesn’t produce.

[@aows]

Thanks! And I agree, I love black and white :)

[@reiluca6688]

I am complete love of black and white photography! For me the most perfect too. And i am happy to know your channel (for the 1st time: thanks algoritm). The only said that here in Brazil, B&W isn't see with good eyes. Mostly of the people here (including photographers) dislike black and white. What is funny to think because the most iconic and famous brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado only photographs in black and white! But, well, we're trying to chance the mind of the people. With much hope in the future we'll have more people loving of bnw here in Brazil too!

[@boblanning1732]

Nice video! I've shot the same black and white film stock for over two years now and like you I feel like I'm just getting started. I read somewhere that Ansel Adams once said that shooting color film was like playing an out of tune piano. I get it! It's difficult to find a scene where all the hues work together in the composition. Again, great job!

[@TheEPROM9]

I use B/W film at London Pride in 2019, I was my companys assigned photographer. It was good fun. The reason B/W worked so well in Pride was it allowed the people aka the subjects to be the main focus of the images, without all the bright rainbow colors distracting from the subjects I wanted to capture. I used my digital camera for the colour shots. I prefered my B/W shots from the day.

[@JasonRenoux]

Very cool insight into b&w. After all, you're a reference for me. Your dog wants to be on your videos 👍🏻👍🏻

[@billebdon4338]

The sort of light I like for B&W is low, glancing light to emphasize texture and shadows and maybe some reflections off water. If the light isn't like this I don't tend to shoot because I know I will not be bothered to print the results. I can't find dull days very inspiring for B&W or colour although some of my most pleasing colour shots have had a very limited palette and not bright sunlight. I agree with you, it takes a long time to really know what works well in black and white.

[@aows]

I tend to like the same kind of light. When I'm traveling or at a location I don't visit frequently, I still shoot if the light isn't the best. You never know! Black and white is very challenging, but very rewarding as well. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Bill!

[@imjusttoodissgusted5620]

I recently got back into photograhy and I use to shoot Black and white when I wasn't shooting slide film. this was in the 80's with on olympus OM-10 while i was stationed in Europe. Now I only use Black and White because i enjoyed it the most and now I can develope it and enlarge it myself. It also feels like I am taking a Photograph rather than just snapping pictures. I can do that with a cell. phone. I like film and I love SLR film cameras, people give them away I have 7 now. It may also be that I am a bit of A Ludite . Heck I hunt (unsuccessfully) with a flintlock.

[@jncgamer]

I agree, good light is good light in colour or black and white

[@aows]

Agreed :)

[@marcelryser]

Two month ago I buy a Bronica SQai, then I found your video on youtube. Thanks a lot for all your videos. I love your square B&W photos... regards from switzerland.

[@aows]

Nice! I'm glad :) Hope you are liking the Bronica. Thanks a lot for your comment :)

[@allysseriordan1073]

I find black and white incredibly difficult. Seeing your images inspires me to try black and white more often. I want to give it a go on my digital camera first so I can feel freer to 'waste' shots. I do love colours though. I can't quite tell you why yet. I'm still pondering on that one.

[@aows]

It's fine if you love color. I find black and white more liberating because it doesn't have the constraints of color, but it all depends on what you are looking for. It's all about enjoying the process and maybe a mix between monochrome and color would the best :)

[@lindamuir921]

I really, really like this video and learnt a lot. My only problem at the beginning is, I had a hard time hearing you because the music was louder than your voice.

[@nickmoys22]

I nearly always shoot (and think) in B&W, but much prefer cloudy skies, mainly for the softer more diffuse light, but also for visual interest.

[@aows]

Agreed on that, Nick. I love cloudy skies, not only for the images themselves but also for me, I hate the sunlight haha

[@Moujik6540]

Hi,thanks for your video. Low dynamic range camera is still good for a black snd white photography?

[@alfredbarten4901]

Thanks for the inspiration

[@robertmeyerson1618]

I have my display set on 'monochrome' when I shoot. Thanks for the video...

[@johnjbh7089]

I love your thinking. You are also a dog lover. Great channel.

[@skinnytexan]

Love your channel. I'll be in Algarve over Christmas! Lagos and Albufeira. Any recommendations for shooting, sightseeing, anything else!

[@aows]

I'm leaving just after Christmas! I will be able to tell you places in a few days, so far I'm still getting to know the place :)

[@jameslane3846]

Very interesting video, I do mostly colour and the main reason why I have shied away (yet appreciate a lot) from BnW is that it's so hard! I am trying to do more black and white. I am also a medium format landscape film photographer!

[@aows]

Nice! What camera do you use? I definitely encourage you to give it a try, might be easier to use a digital camera until you feel more comfortable? Thanks for sharing your experience :)

[@jameslane3846]

@@aows I use digital as a back-up mostly these days but never really liked the look of digital whether colour or BnW hence the switch! I use mostly my Mamiya RB67 Pro S now since I broke my Yashica Mat 124G and a Nikon F4. Also got a Zeiss Ikon for fun! I always get comments from older people why I have "gone backwards in time" because I moved away from digital haha. Wonder if you get that too?

[@aows]

Haha, I do get those comments every once in a while, also the opposite when I shoot digital. At the end of the day, I use and enjoy both. The Mamiya looks like a nice camera!

[@sergeant5848]

How does the composition and development of the final photograph compare between shooting in B&W directly as opposed to turning colour off in post? Why not shoot in colour and edit the photo to be B&W later? At least you'd have a colour master if you change your mind.

[@grahammcarthur1794]

I agree, b&w is better. I also use my phone to review the shot, but I don't use filters.

[@aows]

Nice, I do use my phone as well. About the filters, you might not need them if you are satisfied with the negatives, some film stocks look pretty good without any external help! Thanks for the comment, Graham.

[@terryolsen4244]

I discovered your channel a few weeks ago while searching KZbin for "Black and White Photography". After watching this video I subscribed. Since then I've been watching all your videos beginning from the earliest. I really love what you do. Thanks for sharing your passion and images with the rest of us!

[@alfredbarten4901]

I’m going whole hog into black and white, square format.

[@aows]

I love it :)

[@gbpjpy3]

Thank you for a great video. May I ask the name of this background music? So beautiful.

[@jorgecortinhal7654]

Portugal!! :)

[@aows]

Beautiful place :)

[@FilipemcRaimundo]

I Share the same opinion, im amateur photographer, im still trying to figure out Bw film and all its glory. i do shot MF but with a fujifilm Ga645, beacause it offers 16 frames on a pro(i dont know if i should call it pro camera),and it has a meter, i used to shoot with a mamiya c220 and i loved it,but it was Super heavy and the bellows started to break. i kow that gear isn´t all, because you can do beauty pics , but sometimes it helps. I know that you shot Hp5, im still on Panf50 because it makes less grain, not that i dont like Grain but im more used to 50iso. Never tryed to used filters , ill have a go on that. Thank you for this video hope to learn more with you.

[@aows]

Gear matters! You need a camera that you enjoy using, and that doesn't get in your way too much. Carrying around a super heavy camera is no fun :) Pan-F is a beautiful film! As you say, I prefer HP5 because of the grain and flexibility, but if you can use Pan-F that's a fine choice! You definitely should try some color filters. You can always try with digital first, trying to emulate the effect. And there are some cheap color filters on amazon. Not the best quality but they will create the effect the same way. Thank you for watching, Filipe, and glad you liked it!

[@darthmageproductionz4886]

Doesnt black and white show more detail?

[@VirginiaDuivenvoorden]

Great video thx 😊

[@dongee6351]

We see in colour and we imagine in colour. Black and white drains all emotions and adds confusion. Spring, Autumn, all seasons lose their individuality in b and w. It always amused me to watch snooker in b and w. That's my view.

[@camilobmxtravel]

I have this doubt, whats your opinion?, do you think B/W for documentary is cheating? disturbug reality and lying to the public about the real scene behind the picture?

[@NewZealand-RVTravel]

I like that, “don’t come a slave to colour”

[@dongee6351]

A meaningless statement.

[@johnhaynes9910]

I recently took to carrying a 35mm camera loaded with black and white film alongside my digital gear, the main reason to do more "slow photography" but also to reprogram my eye to focus on shape and texture. It is an interesting thing to do and whilst I agree that colour is seductive, that doesn't mean that either that colour or black and white is "the only way to go", they can and should live side by side. One other thought, whilst it is a simple thing to convert a colour photograph into B&W in Photoshop or Lightroom, once you start shooting in black and white, you can see a big difference between those images that were shot in B&W and those that were shot in colour and converted later.

[@aows]

Sure, you can make images in black and white and color at the same time, there are no rules :) I like to shoot just monochrome to have a more cohesive, if you will, work, but some photographers shoot both mediums with great success. And totally agree on shooting in B&W versus "converting" to B&W, there's a big difference :) Thanks for your comment, John!

[@asergeev1970]

Agree )))

[@aows]

:)

[@WillLangston]

Why isn’t this video shot in black and white? 😂

[@aows]

Haha, that's a good point

[@scotthullinger9955]

Subtitle: Why black and white is better when you're doing black and white photography.

[@aows]

I do it because I believe it's better, not the other way around :)

[@dailydoseofrips8482]

They like to use it to make the moon landing

[@robertkeck178]

I like B&W for fine art because it forces the viewer to use their imagination, not just look at a record of an image.

[@aows]

Yes! Totally agree, Robert.

[@jjccllgg]

The more I shoot B&W, the more I love it. It has some sort of "soul/feeling"

[@cristibaluta]

So wrong, not good to generalise like that, by this time in life you should know that life is not only black and white. BW has generally a different mood and i do it also sometimes, but i have a ton of other photos that i simply can't see them work in bw, should i have not shoot them at all? According to you no, any situation works better in bw. Must admit that your samples do work better but i wanted to see that sunset how you captured it.

[@aows]

Of course you should take them in color. Photography is first about having fun, if color is what you like, then it's all good! I just find black and white more flexible and inspiring, you can shoot it more often than color, and it lets you be more creative. But that's just my opinion, and I don't expect everyone to agree :) I have shot plenty of color myself, you can see them in some of my previous videos, but I do not include them in my portfolio because I find it really hard to create a consistent body of work with them. Images from the desert don't really go together with images from the forest. Maybe if I organized them in different projects, I don't know. In my opinion, black and white doesn't have these problems and it works better for me. But once again, to each its own :) Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Cristian!