Evoking emotion in black and white
Growing up I was always drawn to photography. I was especially happy when my mother would buy me a disposable camera to take on trips, such as summer camp, or to use on my birthday so I could take photos of all my friends. Sometimes I would set up a “studio” in my backyard and ask my friends to pose like the beautiful people I saw on posters and magazines and then I’d take their picture. I knew at a young age that photography was important, and I learned at a much older age that black and white photography was also important.
Black and white photography forces the viewer to pay attention to the details of a photo: contrast and texture. These are both very important elements to have in your photography. Texture is an important aspect needed in photography because it adds visual interest. Contrast is another important element in photography because it catches a viewers eye also, adding visual interest. Professional event photographer Lauren Phillips said “One reason black and white photography creates such feeling is the contrast between the dark and light shades of black, white and gray. The human eye notices two things when looking at a photo, color and contrast. With no color to view, your eye becomes even more sensitive to the sharp contrasts in black and white photos; creating a stronger, more moving image.” And Professional Street Photographer Eric Kim stated “You can pinpoint certain details in the composition, which may have been obscured by color. At times, I also notice that certain images can get far too busy when in color, and black and white allows you to cut back on some of the distractions.”
When I take a photograph, I like to visualize how the photo will look in black and white. I also consider what is the most important thing to me about the photo I’m taking. For instance is it a feeling I get from the scene or is it my children’s smile. Usually I want the emotion from my subject to be the main focus, and I usually do not want the colors of their clothing to be the main focus. Ted Grant a photojournalist for over 60 years stated “When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls!” Black and white can add to the overall importance of the photograph because the lack of color removes additional distractions and the viewer is able to really focus on your subject and the emotion. You can tell a story with one photograph. There is an old saying a picture is worth a thousand words and it’s true, we look at photos and feel something. We think about whom we are looking at, we wonder what are they doing, and what makes this photo important among other things. The stories we come up with may all be different and that is okay.
Most snapshots are evidence that someone wanted to preserve a memory. Most anyone with a camera has taken a photo for a purely emotional reason. Whether it is a photo of a loved one, an object that is near and dear to you, a pet, a destination, a marriage whatever it may be ultimately these photos are all emotional photographs. I have noticed a lot of wedding photos are now black and white. Jack Cutler, owner of DCC Photo and Digital Imaging. Said he also has seen an influx of wedding photography done in black and white, and has even seen some wedding albums done entirely in black and white. "Some brides are just trying to reproduce the look that mom had in her wedding album." Cutler said. This seems to me to be another emotional connection we have to black and white photography. It brings back a feeling of nostalgia. Humans are emotional beings and we are sentimental.
Maybe this sentiment is why we feel attached to the black and white photos of our grandparents and even our parents as babies, because we are not distracted by the faded colors in the photo, we may try to visualize colors at one point, but we are drawn to these photos because they are a recording of our own histories. They are emotional, we feel joy at the sight of our loved ones smiles or feel grateful that we now live in modern times and no longer live such simple ways. Photography has always been important. And now we have the choice that is as easy as a click of a button, to change ordinary photos into a beautiful and emotionally powerful image that can become a timeless heirloom that your family will be sure to treasure as the modern world only becomes more modern.
All images property of Author