At Icon Photography School we teach our students techniques to greatly increase the quality of their black and white photographs.
The History and Importance of Black and White Photography
Black and white photography has a long and rich history that dates back to 1820 when the first permanent photograph was created by Nicéphore Niépce. Since then, black and white photography has been used for a variety of purposes, from documentation and documentation to fine art.
Early History
The first permanent photograph was created using a process called heliography. This process utilized bitumen of Judea, a naturally occurring asphalt, to create an image. Niépce exposed the bitumen to light, creating a permanent image. This technique was further developed by Niépce and Louis-Jacques Mandé Daguerre, resulting in the daguerreotype process.
The daguerreotype process was the first practical form of photography and it led to the rise of portrait studios. This process grew in popularity in the mid-1800s and it was used to create portraits of many famous people of the time.
Modern History
In the early 1900s, black and white photography became the primary form of photography for both professional and amateur photographers. This was due to the fact that color photography was very expensive and difficult to process.
The rise of black and white photography was also due to the increasing availability of film cameras. Film cameras allowed photographers to capture images in a way that was not possible with the daguerreotype process. This enabled photographers to capture more dynamic images and to explore the creative possibilities of photography.
The Importance of Black and White Photography
Black and white photography has had a huge impact on the world of photography. It has allowed photographers to explore the creative possibilities of photography and to capture images in a way that was not possible with color photography.
Black and white photography is also important because it can often create a more powerful and emotive image than color photography. The lack of color can help to draw the viewer’s attention to the composition and subject of the image. It can also lend an air of nostalgia and timelessness to an image.
Summary
Black and white photography has a long and rich history and it is still an important form of photography today. It can often create a more powerful and emotive image than color photography and can help to draw the viewer’s attention to the composition and subject of the image. There are many other topics to explore in photography, from composition and exposure to digital cameras and lenses. Learning about these topics will help photographers to hone their skills and to create unique and powerful images.
Many photographers specialize in black and white photography due to its sheer power, elegance and beauty. However, it is important to note that black and white photography is not simply color photography with black and white film (or a black and white digital setting). Black and white photography has its own set of rules that it needs to abide by. Black and white photography, since it is colorless, needs to find other ways to set moods.
Tones are the most important element of black and white photography. As humans we don't really think about the world in tonal ranges. For us when we see light blue and then we look else where and see yellow, we are in fact seeing two different colors. However, when you take a black and white photograph with light blue and yellow in the same frame, the camera may not actually communicate the difference to your viewers since the colors have almost the exact same grey tone.
Here is a video about black and white photography:
Video by Karl Taylor
Here is a video about when to go black and white:
Video by Serge Remeli
Other Topics to Learn About in Photography
In addition to learning about the history and importance of black and white photography, there are many other topics to explore in photography. These include:
- Photographic composition
- Exposure and lighting
- Photoshop and post-processing
- Digital cameras and lenses
- Photographic techniques such as HDR and panoramic photography
- Studio and product photography
- Portrait photography
- Landscape photography
- Street photography
- Sports and event photography
These are just a few of the many topics that can be explored in photography. Learning about these topics will help photographers to hone their skills and to create unique and powerful images.
We dedicate an entire lesson to black and white photography techniques in our online photography school. Learn more.
The incredible photograph above was taken by Ansel Adams.