We know how important colors are as they manage to attract our attention on any occasion. But the best photographers manage to represent images in every nuance even by choosing the black and white style.
It is precisely for this reason that photographers have different opinions when it comes to making a choice between the two options. Some like to work using only the gray scale, while others are very different from this idea.
Thanks to the advent of digital imaging, a photographer has the opportunity to compare the beauty of an image both in black and white and in color, in order to choose which of the two is the more suggestive.
There is no rule to follow to determine whether or not a color image is more beautiful than a black and white one. It is only necessary to rely on some principles to take into consideration before choosing.
The importance of color in the image
Color is a fickle factor that can add or subtract interest from a shot. In some cases this can be very insignificant, in others it can be distracting. There are images where the presence of colors is of vital importance, just think of a landscape with a rainbow: what would a photo be without the most beautiful colors that mother nature gives us?
So, the first thing you need to understand is if the beauty of the image is based on the color or if there are other elements to enhance.
The presence of interesting highlights or contrasts in a photo
This is the most difficult aspect in which a photographer must know how to juggle in the best way in terms of being able to see good light or to grasp the necessary contrasts of a pre-visualization ability within an image.
It is a characteristic that can only be achieved with experience and with the time a photographer dedicates to observation.
The moment color is taken out of the photographic equation, a good photographer is able to see what the differences in tone are. And it is precisely these differences that make black and white photos unique, as they manage to bring out very strong contrasts from the complex of the photographic image.
How to get textures in black and white
As we have seen therefore, the structure of a photo is what makes the difference in the choice of colors or black and white. This is a very important factor that is able to detect all forms of art, from music to painting, up to photography. In this way, even the small details found within the texture can be used to best express the quality of a given photo.
It's not easy to grasp the texture of things when you want to take a photograph. The first thing a photographer has to do is perceive it through the eyes in order to understand if it is rough, smooth or grainy. It is an action that requires a lot of practice and that only a well-trained eye can catch on the fly.
Black and white photos are perfect for landscapes where there are wood, stone, metal materials, along with plants and human skin. In these cases, if you use a directional light you can bring out the imperfections of a particular grain.
The last tip we give you is to use macro lenses to better highlight a particular subject. These are lenses that are able to get as close to the subject as possible to capture even the smallest detail.
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