{"id":32897,"date":"2016-10-24T09:51:54","date_gmt":"2016-10-24T16:51:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?page_id=32897"},"modified":"2016-10-25T00:54:10","modified_gmt":"2016-10-25T07:54:10","slug":"black-and-white-street-photography","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/black-and-white-street-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Shoot Black and White Street Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Downtown
Downtown LA, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There is nothing more classic than black and white street photography. When we look at old street photos of the past, we reminisce on the nostalgic images of Andre Kertesz<\/a>, Henri Cartier-Bresson<\/a>, Robert Doisneau, and many others.<\/p>\n

Why black and white street photography?<\/h2>\n

\"eric-kim-street-photography-blcak-and-white-vietnam-saigon\"<\/p>\n

Of course in the past, when photography first started off, there was only black and white. Therefore when we think of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153street photography\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (in the classical sense), we only think about monochrome.<\/p>\n

When color photography first got introduced to the world, it was used for mostly amateur snapshots. It wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t taken as a serious \u00e2\u20ac\u0153art\u00e2\u20ac\u009d as black and white, because color didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have the same fidelity as black and white, history, and dynamic range.<\/p>\n

Nowadays times are different. Modern digital cameras boast impressive image quality, with billions of different gamuts of color. With technology, we are able to post-process our photos however we would like.<\/p>\n

Yet there is still a charm for black and white photography.<\/p>\n

For me, I love black and white because of the simplicity, minimalism, and the ability to get rid of distractions and clutter.<\/p>\n

Black and white photos tend to age well\u00e2\u20ac\u201d because the aesthetic is timeless.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, black and white give us a chance to focus on the essence of a scene. Often color can be a distraction.<\/p>\n

Black and white or color are just different ways to shoot street photography. Choose what works better for you.<\/p>\n

If your heart is drawn to black and white, here are some tips and suggestions I would give you to shooting monochromatic street photography:<\/p>\n

1. See the world in monochrome<\/h2>\n
\"Downtown
Downtown LA, 2011<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To see the world in black and white is different from seeing the world in color.<\/p>\n

For me, when I look at the world in black and white, I look for the following:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Contrast between lights and darks<\/li>\n
  • Shapes, forms, lines<\/li>\n
  • Expressions (facial, body-language)<\/li>\n
  • Eye contact<\/li>\n
  • Minimalism<\/li>\n
  • Nostalgia, emotion, somberness<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Obviously we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see the world in black and white. Therefore we need to train our retinas to see the world in monochrome.<\/p>\n

    Assignment: Only shoot monochrome for a year<\/h3>\n

    My suggestion if you want to learn how to see the world in black and white: only shoot monochrome for a year.<\/p>\n

    If you shoot digitally, shoot JPEG JPEG+RAW (with a monochrome preset). If you shoot film, just stick to black and white film.<\/p>\n

    By giving yourself this \u00e2\u20ac\u0153creative constraint<\/em><\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d you will force yourself to see your surroundings in black and white. You will start to pre-visualize how a photograph will look like in monochrome.<\/p>\n

    Try not to switch in-between black and white and color for this year-long period of training. Because you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll never hone your monochromatic vision.<\/p>\n