Photographic Myths: #1
Photographic Myths #1: "the light isn't great, let's try black & white"
Good black and white photography is way of thinking and visualizing. It is not a casual afterthought, nor can it be effectively used as a rescue for poor quality of light or composition. In fact, some of the same elements that make a good color photograph good, are the very same elements that make a good black & white photograph good:
- Good composition
- Good quality of light
- Complimentary colors
In my photograph from Death Valley National Park, seen here, the first elements that drew me were the quality of the light and the simultaneous strength and softness the cliffs exuded under this light. Had the photograph been made minutes earlier, the cliffs would still be illuminated by direct sunlight, producing both harsher light and harsher contrast. Had the cliff bands not been a variety of complimentary color, this photograph would not succeed in black & white: it would be flat, gray, and dull.
Join me and Chuck Kimmerle March 10-14, 2025, for The Artful Black & White Landscape photography workshop, where we delve into all tings black and white.
