the black and white of it

I have recently been lamenting about the undeniable quality of black and white images. Whatever it is, whatever they do to us, black and white photographs can be so...so....you know what I mean.  I don't know about you but there are some images I capture that I know are meant to be black and white. There's just no question in my mind.

I do shoot digitally (color) and I'll admit that I often play with images, process them a number of ways, try different presets on for size and equally enjoy them all. But there are times when nothing but black and white will do.

Do your images ever beckon to you for a black and white treatment? Or perhaps you have been seduced into going back in time and shooting with black and white film again. Oh, the idea does tempt me. I'm sure the time will come when I load up my old film SLR and have a field day but for now, my new Canon 5D (the older version of this amazing thing) rarely leaves my clutches. Which means I shoot in color but I will continue to treat my images as they warrant being treated. When they call for black and white, so be it.

Have you captured a moment in time that was destined for black and white? Do share your marvelous monochromatic shots with us today.

Comments

[Dani Leigh]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36197392@N06/3410148524/in/set-72157616297604965/

I completely understand what you mean when you say "black and white photographs can be so...so....you know what I mean." I agree 100%.

The link to the photo above is one I shot at a wedding and when I was in the process of shooting it, I knew it was meant to be in black and white. I think it sings. :-)

PS - long time reader, first time commentor.

[kosenrufu mama]

Here my black and white shoot....
http://esterdaphne.blogspot.com/2009/03/spero-sinceramente-che-tutti-abbiate.html
http://esterdaphne.blogspot.com/2009/03/quotidiano.html
Have a nice Easter time!!!

[Elizabeth Harper]

My impressions of the day in black and white and shades of grey....


http://giftsofthejourney.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/shades-of-grey-and-in-between/

[Monica]

I love the simplicity and sensitivity of black & white and when I saw this shot I knew it had to be .....

http://withoutfilters.blogspot.com/2009/04/today.html

[Puna]

That photo is adorable! I took photos around my neighborhood in black and white. When I moved here I thought it was a bland neighborhood but now I love it here.

http://lifesignatures.wordpress.com/2008/12/17/miller-jones-smith/

I also have my own set of black and white dog photos. I love dogs.

http://lifesignatures.wordpress.com/2009/02/25/kiji-update-1/

[camerashymomma]

oh yes, that photo above tracey... it's so full of facial expression, i can feel it.
so much would have been lost in that with the colors pulling you away from the feeling.

this was a recent photo of mine that told me black and white. it whispered it in the wind. she's an angel.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/3413021974/

"when you photograph people in colour you photograph their clothes, but when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls" ~ Ted Grant

[sharon]

Thanks for the though provoking post. I know I don't do enough B&W these days. Only 6 is all from last year!

http://sharonlinnefaulk.com/photo/archives/1720

[Jen Parke]

Here is my black and white pic! I took a lot of pics of this dancer and this one (of her skirt) begged to be in black and white!

http://jenniferparkephotography.blogspot.com/2009/04/client-preview-part-2.html

[June]

I completely agree with camerashymomma. Here's my moment in time preserved in time by B&W.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/junedel/2867708190/in/set-72157607720179129/

[elk]

always nice to see your images in black and white Tracey.

I love black and white for all that it is. This is an image from my "other" blog:

http://tablebyawindow.blogspot.com/2009/04/black-and-white-at-table.html

[Karine]

I shoot with a digital camera and with film cameras. I do a lot of black and white photos with my film cameras. If of course digital photography lets me the choice to choose color or black and white when processing the photos, there are some times when I know I photo I am shooting will be black and white and at that moment I am thinking black and white.
I live in Africa and I know that at some hours of the day, the only thing that "will do it" will be black and white.
And I so like it.
Some of those photos are of my blog: http://karineardault.typepad.com

[Kelly]

I took this shot in color and it was almost forgettable. When I converted it to black and white, it came alive.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26241857@N03/3426666267/

[Jen Marriner]

I love b&w. My husband tells me I would probably try to shoot a rainbow in b&w. Maybe. :)

This picture is one of those that I tried in color, but it just didn't have the same impact. This is my younger son, who seems to just have music in his soul, playing the new guitar that he got for Christmas. He was sitting on our couch, playing it for the very first time, and the shot I was composing was one of him looking down at the guitar while he tried to figure out how to make everything work. As I was hitting the shutter, he suddenly looked up at me, with this amazing intensity in his eyes. That intensity, along with the wonderful grain in the guitar, just didn't come across in the color version. But the black & white just captured it perfectly.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenmarriner/3158242538/

[Sue Henry]

A personal favorite blog post of mine, coincidentally mainly featuring black and white....enjoy!

http://suehenryphotography.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/looking-to-the-future/

[kaytee]

yes definitely!
i love contrasting similar scenes in both color, black and white, and sepia too!

http://missredphotos.blogspot.com/2009/03/best-friends-make-me-happy.html

[NotAnna]

Shot this one of my youngest a little more than a year ago. I made it b/w in post-processing because the purple of her shirt was distracting from her face.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31866449@N04/3429033034/

[Heather]

I have such a hard time with B&W. I love it when others do it, adore it. But I have yet to master it. Not that I'll stop trying, mind you. I am stubborn, you see. :)

However, when it comes to photos of my kids outside, B&W always works.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/strawberrygoldie/3427277031/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/strawberrygoldie/2580422679

[shelli]

I know exactly what you mean. That's how I felt about all of these, and I'm sure if I had more time, I would find some other photos to convert too:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/spabis/sets/72157608273193770/

[Jessica]

There was no other choice for this one. It had to be black and white.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34094938@N06/3429045786/

[Amanda Johnston]

I have a very soft spot in my heart for b/w. There's no way I could have picked just one!
http://endlesslightcreations.blogspot.com/2009/04/black-and-white-overload.html

[Crystal]

I love a good b&w photo. I'm still seeking out different ways to acheive certain levels of black-and-white-ness. Some look better softer, with more grays, some look better with more contrast & saturation - hard b&w. i have a few clients that always ask "you're going to do some in b&w right?" ...yeah! i love colors, but b&w too. there is just something about it.

sometimes b&w can take away the distractions of the various colors and make you focus more intently on the subject.

here is a self pic i shot the other day with the intentions of converting it to b&w
http://www.flickr.com/photos/krstlchik/3424914135/in/set-72157614380485622/

a couple i shot in b&w
http://www.flickr.com/photos/krstlchik/3109775431/in/set-72157611210786611/

and a family
http://www.flickr.com/photos/krstlchik/3014873956/in/set-72157608775825262/

[Alicia]

I haven't been putting pictures into black and white lately... This has given me a spark to start up again. For now, here's one of my favorite black and white pictures from Central Park....

http://aliandsethinthecity.blogspot.com/2008/11/bethesda-fountain.html

[Melissa]

I love the simplicity of black and white.

Here is a recent favorite...I love how the b&w made the focus on his freckles.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mollymelly/3388622861/

[renee @ FIMBY]

To be honest, I don't know what color photo will make a good B&W. I'm so enamored with color and light and rarely see the world in black & white.

[spread your wings]

i love black and white photography and i love shooting with film, even pinhole cameras - T

shot with b/w film this is one of my favorites from a hs assignment (recognize my mom?)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutterxdown/2453893295/in/set-72157601955733630/

most cemetery shots are destined to be black and white - this is one of my favorites from oakland cemetery in atlanta taken long before i had a good camera
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutterxdown/1390207154/

[Karyn]

http://www.mundanedetails.com/?p=1543

I love how b&w can help you show what you meant everyone to see. All things (and colors) being equal, sometimes it can make you notice what was actually going on. But this pic, this is just my cat. =)

[Project Ni Hao]

I have a habit of adding a slight chocolate effect to my black/white shots. This one is no different.

http://quietcapture.typepad.com/quiet_capture/2009/03/at-the-dance.html

[Katy]

This was too grainy to look good in colour, but in black and white, it looks like a newspaper picture!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29536663@N04/3344996833/

And this one just had to be B&W

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29536663@N04/3100397995/

[Becky]

When we arrived for this home photo shoot I instantly knew that only b&w would work. As I shoot digital, of course it was captured in color, but the heart of this family wasn't revealed until the conversion...

http://blog.bagdanoffphoto.com/?p=978

[Shelli]

Here is always a favorite of mine. Love the world of black and white. Sometimes when you strip the color away you can see the true meaning of the picture.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shelliphotography/3429289898/

[Angella]

We have this one blown up and hanging in our living room:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ourcrazylife/2766258100/

Color just would not do.

[Tipping Point Photo]

Just did my first maternity shoot two weeks ago...sometimes I think my brain operates in black and white mode, seeing light and shapes before I see color.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tippingpointphoto/3428959090/in/set-72157616585956014/

[gina_d]

I rarely produce black and white images as I'm often taken with the beauty of color - subtle, bold, playing with the processing, etc. That said, I often enjoy other people's beautiful photos in black and white and I can appreciate the simplicity it can bring to a photo. That simplification can certainly enhance the artist's intended focus.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gina_d_photos/1850166458/

[Pamala]

Most of my black and white images are images that couldn't be corrected color wise. There are some though you just know would look great in black and white, much better than in color. But mainly since I'm still learning to use my Nikon D90 it's just because I didn't take the picture right and couldn't correct it enough.

http://www.becauseishouldcare.com/ploggerb3/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31357129@N02/sets/72157612477353323/

[Josephine]

http://visionme.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/of-yesterdays-beauty/

These were originally a beautiful yellow, gorgeous in their own right. But I couldn't help but change them over.

[Tracy]

I know what you mean. Here's one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31417716@N00/3424138617/

[megan P]

i definatley agree, i am a scrapbooker and i often edit most of my photos to make them pop and look better, i recently did a page about my sister and used all bW photographs, Check it out!!!
Megan P
[url]http://www.megankathrynp.blogspot.com/[/url]

[Rachel Parton]

Taking pictures around Detroit...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/partonponderings/3323195619/

[summer]

I "see" most often in black and white so going fully digital recently has been a stretch for me and a wonderful practice in trying to see a little more in color. That said, some lines are meant to be seen in stark contrast like this one:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sufferingsummer/3428678973/

[Aimee]

I love how an awful snapshot can transform into art just by turning it b&w. It is automatically classy. There is something so harsh about color unless you get the shot perfectly right.

A favorite:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/delilahlou/3419375120/in/set-72157613651287105/


my b&w set.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/delilahlou/sets/72157613651287105/

[Bren / BG Garden]

I am a very colorful person being a garden artist. Here is my B&W moment.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bg_garden/3369423642/in/set-72157614805030829/

[Toni]

I love b&w images, they are my favorite thing to do, but I just realized that I didn't do much b&w in March. I took a series of fog images back in February and they called out to be processed in b& w.

The series starts with this one:
http://dailyvignette.com/2009/02/08/through-the-mist/

[Sabrina]

I love black and white for the simplicity of the message seems to be so much clearer. Here is a link to some of my B&W images and in a nice coincidence, one that my sister took. I'd love to hear comments from my other ShutterSisters!

http://sabrina-henry.blogspot.com/search/label/black%20and%20white

[robyn]

Here is one of my b&w's: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sweetgreenpea/1153707291/in/set-72157601511341886/

[kae]

http://kvandphotography.blogspot.com/2008/07/adorable.html

my best friend's "baby" meeting my own...the contrast was just asking for it!

[ManfredKZ]

Yes I agree totally! I shoot in every way possible: colour digi, colour film, B&W film, I process things in every way, B&W from digi, from colour film, etc... It is a freedom, an expression. I have my second flickr account just for black and white and here some pis:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32039299@N03/page10/

Cheers and thanks for sharing

[Tracey Clark]

loving all these photos everyone!!
here's more black and white fun with dogs! this time, it's our dog (and her many faces).
http://traceyclark.squarespace.com/blog/2009/4/10/the-ins-and-outs-of-junie.html

[Liz Stabbert]

This is one of my favorite black and white images. I shoot digital as well and tend to not really think in black and white. The only reason I even thought of converting this shot is someone asked if they could use the image for a pencil drawing and it got me thinking about what it would look like in gray scale. I am SO glad I did, there really is no comparison between the color and black and white version. Its one of those images that was really destined for back and white :D

Hank of the Lazy HK Bar:
http://lizstabbertphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/4332952_FYSyb#254158315_nXmun-A-LB

[lilia]

I love black and white...it can make light and shadows sing, and it can save an image that is a little blah in color....I love the way it emphasizes texture and also negative space.

This post inspired me to go back through my public flickr stream and create a set of my b/w images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pumpkinoodle/sets/72157616500347023/

...but I think my all time fave is the second image in this post: http://babymoonphotography.com/blog/?p=240

Awesome post, Tracey! :-)

xoxo,
Lilia

[Diane Schuller]

I LOVE black and white. Fortunately ever since getting Lightroom, I do a lot more converting to BW (PShop is just way too flat and limiting, imo). I'll try to limit what I offer you but I have numerous BWs. Thanks for asking us to share them today!!

meander: http://dianeschuller.aminus3.com/image/2009-01-30.html

or
http://dianeschuller.aminus3.com/portfolio/ (several to choose from at a glance)
and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27458974@N00/sets/72157612292218554/

I find that I LOVE flowers in black and white.