I never used to consider black and white while shooting, and even now, it isn’t typically factored into my composition. However, I’m finding I quite like the contrast of monochrome. It’s a look I apply during post-processing, but doing that more frequently as I participate in weekly Monochrome Madness challenges, I’m beginning to think about it as I shoot.
So how do black and white images differ from color?
Well, aside from the obvious color, they’re really quite similar. When processing my images, I always start with color. I shoot in color, and I process for color. Color can always be removed, but it cannot be added back in.
Once I apply all of the edits I’d like for the color image, I’ll assess if I’d like it better in monochrome. Then I simply remove the color.
But the editing doesn’t stop there.
Contrast is different between the two spectrums, so some additional tweaks are necessary after an image has been converted to black and white. Most commonly, I need to brighten the image and deepen the contrast – ever so slightly. I adjust until I like the look, add a slight vignette, then I’m done!
Do you tend to like black-and-white images or color more?
