Black and white photography

Black and white photography has always been particularly interesting. Here we provide some information:

This type of photography is not only known from newspapers, which used to be printed in black and white. There is also an advantage in reducing the colour to black and white. This allows the viewer to concentrate on the essential image content. The focus is suddenly on the image content, form, structure and contrast and no colour can distract. The image statement is intensified in b/w photography.

Black and white photography is different

But b/w photography is also always different. There too, greyscales can be developed completely differently. You can create hundreds of different greyscale photos from a digital colour photo, each of which speaks a different visual language. In digital photography today, you are always spoilt for choice. Even such beautiful plug-ins as Silver Color efex from Niksoftware (link below) provide you with many different presets and then there is the option of individual settings. How easy it all used to be: choose a film, put on a yellow or red filter and off you go. Photography was also completely different. If you looked through a red filter, you knew exactly what the result of the photo would be. Today, with a modern SLR camera, you still see a colour image through the viewfinder, even if it is now possible to judge the black and white result on the display.

b/w photography is art

In any case, many b/w photos are also art and therefore also belong in the exhibition and on the wall of collectors. This is a photo that I took in Kempen. I really like the extreme contrasts, as well as the composition. I also love the dialogue between the letterbox and the doorknob.

 Peter Roskothen Photographer and photo artist on black and white photography