In photography, black and white means that all color has been removed from the image, leaving just shades of gray that span from black to white. This can either be done digitally or by using black and white film.
Many photographers and artists use black and white photography because it removes the distraction of color from an image. This can draw more focus to elements of the image such as the facial expression or gesture of the subject, the composition, or the shapes and textures.
Black and white photography is generally shot using the same equipment as color photography (although if film, using black and white film), but artists may optimise their results by looking for high contrast images, light sources, and interesting textures.
Our black and white collection is extensive. You may even go around our celebrity pages to see that their photos are offered in color and in black and white, as well. On the main page, you will see that the images have been classified as:
As you can see, our black and white art is not limited to showbusiness. Thre is something for every person. One art enthusiast, for example, may want their culture of the world images gracing their living room to emphasize their love for eclectic art.
Black and white framed art prints may not look that special if you use the wrong kind of frame. We know just how to make your photographs pop out. Instead of your typical department store frame, we can frame your prints with aluminum support. The prints go right up to the edges, giving a more arresting look. It is like each photo is trying to seep out to be part of the real world.
For our black and white prints, we also offer floater-framed selections. This frame as a mounting option is even more expensive than the best-selling aluminum support ones, but it is worth every penny. This option showcases your favorite photo at larger sizes, and the images are a little raised for a three-dimensional effect.
We sell quite a collection of black and white images because we know that movie buffs like immersing themselves in the classics. How best can you appreciate black and white film stills but in their original, monochromatic glory We also cater to photo collectors who know that the value of a beautiful photo does not get discarded when colors are not added to it. Colorized photos present their own appeal, but black and white capture lights and shadows correctly. Emotions are not hidden or muted by colors that suggest their own meanings.
It does not matter. We have a size for every preference and occasion. Once you have found the right size for you, you can decide if you want it mounted, framed, or not. Perhaps you should take a look at our preview pictures that basically show you how the size and mounting will look against your wall. Smaller photos will be set in a white backdrop in the frame.
Black and white photography has become a staple of modern art with more and more prominent photographers choosing to shoot in black and white. The deep contrast and simplicity of black and white pictures has made it popular among amateur and avid art collectors alike.
Next on our list of sites for the best black and white pictures is All Posters. All Posters has an impressive library of posters, art, and photography prints. Their selection of black and white prints ranges. You can even filter by category from animals to people to landscapes to architecture such as the print of Grand Central Station below.
While they might not have the most unique selection of prints, Fulcrum gallery definitely offers some of the best deals among the sites on this list. They also have a large quantity to choose from with over 8,000 black and white pics available for purchase.
If you dive deep enough, you can even find unknown photographers selling their original work. Not only is this a more affordable way to get your hands on original photography, it supports up-and-coming photographers as well.
The black and white photography prints available are geared more toward pop culture and eye candy. Many of the prints actually go great together as a series, making Fy! A perfect place to one stop shop to decorate empty walls.
While this is a list of strictly black and white photography, some of the prints on Wall Art Prints blur the line utilizing just a bit of color within a black and white photo. This adds a bit more variety in their collection worth checking out.
Black and white photography will forever have its place in the world of fine art because of its simplistic beauty yet stunning contrast and depth. It goes without saying that there are few rooms that would not be made better by the right black and white photo. Hopefully this list has brought you closer to finding that right black and white photo.
When I first started photography in the days of film (click this link to see the best black and white film for travel photography), I was so overwhelmed by the vast array of filters that I spent a lot of money on buying up as many as possible. My thinking behind this was that it would improve my photography. I am now older and marginally less stupid but I have learned from years of trial and error.
While this filter works just as well in colour photography as it does in black and white there are a few other grads that work in colour too. I used to use a tobacco (orange/brown) to get warmer low sun photographs or a blue/purple to get more interesting cloudy skies.
One of our favourite creative filters for black and white photography is the Neutral Density filter. It reduces the amount of light coming through the lens thus giving you longer exposures that you are unable to get in bright light even with an ISO of 50.
Black and white film uses a full range of the visible colour spectrum to create a full range of tones on your black and white negative. What a single colour filter does is to stop some of those colours from reaching the film and thereby making that area darker. For example, the filter we need to use to darken the sky would be one that stops blue reaching the film. Yellow, orange and red colours are opposite blue and so do this very effectively. A blue filter would darken reds and make the blues appear lighter. See our post on how to darken skies for more details on single colour filters.
You might be asking yourself, why would photographers choose black and white when color is so much more realistic, interesting and up to date In the eyes of many contemporary artists, this is not at all the case. Join Artsper to explore the mysterious allure of black and white photography.
Color is often the most striking, attention grabbing feature of many photographs. When you remove this, the focus of the image has to shift to other compositional elements. Photographers and viewers alike are therefore forced to think about tone, texture and light in new ways. The depth of the image thus acquires a further importance. This is created by light contrasts, not color, and allows us to appreciate the craft in the texture and luminosity of the image even more. It is for this reason that many artists train in black and white photography, even if their portfolio is exclusively in color. Learning the skills behind monochrome photography can lend their color photos more depth and generally improve their practice.
Finally, black and white photography is part of a long tradition in contemporary art. For up and coming photographers like James Sparshatt, Samuel Cueto and Alain Longeaud, capturing their images in black and white offers them the chance to follow in the footsteps of the greats. In doing so, they are also able to add their works to this timeless tradition. In the world of photography, black and white images have always existed. This means that their works cannot instantly be dated. Furthermore, color schemes in clothing, logos and cars change over time. By removing the potential for this in their works, artists choose to give their pieces a classic quality, and to tap into a broader aesthetic tradition.
In general, when you take pictures in black and white, you should just keep using the camera you already have; it will work equally as well for monochromatic images as in color. But there are still a few camera equipment considerations that matter for black and white photography, which we will cover below.
Most cameras have a black and white mode, which brings up an interesting question: Is it better to take pictures in color and convert them in post-processing, or go with monochrome mode from the start
As you can see, the choice of filter has a major effect on each black and white photo. The blue filter blocks red light, darkening things like the leaves and ground. The green filter brightens everything that is green (which, above, includes small elements of the tree). Lastly, a red filter darkens the sky and other blue elements of the photo, while comparatively brightening anything that is red.
Despite the major differences shown above, digital photographers today rarely use color filters for black and white photography. The reason is simply that they have too much impact on color photos, potentially making it impossible to convert back and get something that looks good. Also, you can mimic many of the same effects in post-processing by adjusting individual color channels.
Your treatment of shadows in black and white photography affects every other aspect of how a photo appears. Are the shadows black without any details That signals a feeling of intensity and emptiness. Or, on the other hand, if your shadows are subtle and detailed, it may make for a more complex photograph overall.
Note that nothing about black and white photography requires regions of pure black in order to look good (or pure white, for that matter). It is a bit of a myth that you need the complete range from deep shadows to crisp highlights before a black and white photo is optimal.
Many people think that contrast is just the difference between the brightest an