Explore the Art of Black and White Photography

In a world saturated with color, black and white photography offers a unique perspective. It strips away the distractions, allowing you to focus on light, shadow, and composition. This simplicity can evoke powerful emotions, curiosity and create a timeless quality that resonates with viewers.

Black and white photography wasn't a choice at the beginning. It was the only option. With the first commercial process in 1839 it became a way to express artistic vision through grayscale. It wasn't commercially feasible to work with color on a large scale until 1935 with Kodak's Kodachrome film. Unlike color photography, which aims to represent reality, black and white photography focuses on the emotional connection with the viewer. Film Noir, a movie style, uses shadows, lighting, and contrast to emphasize dark plots.

When the above shot was taken there was a feeling that inspired the shot but the color image was essentially flat and without any feeling; it was just a picture. No thought, emotion or connection. Then there's the question of how does this look in black and white? If I hadn't taken the shot, my first questions are where is this and what's happening here?

Today, digital photography offers unparalleled flexibility. You can shoot in color and make processing decisions later, using digital tools, which was costly and time-consuming in the film days. By the way, the image is looking out a window between buildings in Vatican City.

Black and White Portfolio