Black and White Portrait Photography | Photography Whitby

Black and white portrait photography has something that just draws you in. Maybe it’s the way that it brings out the emotions of a person in a photograph. Or maybe it’s the timelessness of black and white pictures. Whatever it is, there is no doubt that black and white portrait photography is stunning! In this photography Whitby blog post, I will discuss everything you need to know about taking beautiful black and white portraits! We will talk about what equipment you need, how to take great pictures, and how to edit them afterwards! So if you are interested in learning more about black and white portrait photography, keep reading!

Black and White Portrait Photography | Photography Whitby

When it comes to black and white portrait photography, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. First of all, you need to have the right equipment. In order to take great black and white portraits, you will need a good camera and lens, as well as some external lighting. Feel free to read our blog post for more on Basic Studio Lighting. Location for the photo session, subjects being photographed, as well as camera settings all play an important role in great black and white portrait photography as well.

Once you have the right equipment, it is time to start taking pictures! When photographing people, it is important to make sure that they are comfortable. Make sure to chat with your subject and let them know what you plan on doing. This will help them relax and allow you to capture their true personality in the photograph.

Black and White Portrait Photography | Photography Whitby Lighting

When taking pictures, it is important to have a good composition. Try to use leading lines and interesting angles to create a more dynamic photograph. And don’t forget about lighting! Black and white photography can be really beautiful when done correctly, but it can also be easy to over-expose or underexpose your shots. Using the proper fundamentals for digital photography is essential. Make sure to use a reflector or external light to get the perfect exposure.The type of lighting you should work with depends on the kind of story you want your photos to tell.

 Black and White Portrait Photography | Photography Whitby | Posing

When you take away the distraction of colours, what is left in a black and white photograph are elements that pop out. You’ll see textures, curves and movement become more pronounced. This makes black and white portrait photography an excellent choice to capture the essence of a person, moreover the emotions of the image.

When you’re shooting in black and white, it’s essential to focus on the eye. The eye is such a powerful tool for drawing emotion out of a viewer, and it can make or break a portrait. In order to capture the essence of your subject, you need to be able to see their soul in their eyes.

Black and White Portrait Photography | Camera Settings

When photographing in black and white, it’s important to use a camera setting that will capture the tones of your subject accurately. Shooting in RAW format gives you more control over the final image, so I recommend using that setting if your camera allows for it. You’ll also want to make sure your ISO is set as low as possible to prevent to much excessive grain.

Although some photographers like to post-process their images to create a black and white effect, it’s always better to capture portraits in colour in camera. This way you have more control over the final image and can easily change any colours that may not have worked well when converted to black and white. Black and white photography is all about contrast and shooting in colour with raw images gives you the most control to edit the images.

Black and White Portrait Photography | Photography Whitby | Editing Tricks

When you are shooting in black and white, the real magic happens when you start editing. Your photography editing style may be different from mine, but there are some tricks that every artist can benefit from. Here are a few of my favourites:

1. Contrast: Black and white portraits can really pop with high levels of contrast. I particularly love a filmy, his contrast look to my black and white portrait photography.
2. Filters: In Photoshop, you can choose various filters. What works best for most portraits is the Green filter. It enhances every skin colour, darkens textures, and adds more contrast to the entire photo.
3. Curves/Levels: Black and white photos often look too washed out or flat without some levels adjustment. You want to make sure that your shadows are deep and your lights are bright
4. Grain: You can also add grain to your photos for a film camera effect. Subtle grain or dust textures look stunning in black and white photographs.

Black and White Portrait Photography | Photography Whitby | In Conclusion

In conclusion, black and white photography is all about stripping away the distractions of colour and focusing on the essence of your subject. When done correctly, black and white portraits can be incredibly powerful images that evoke emotion in the viewer. By creating the perfect portrait with the right equipment, location, posing and editing you can create stunning black and white portrait photography that is not only timeless but visually stunning.