I have started getting into B&W, and would love some CC.

[FITBMX]

I have kind of found a love for B&Ws, and want to keep improving. So any CC would be great!

1. Self-portrait.

2. Self-portrait.

3. Not a self-portrait!

 

[JoeW]

Here is advice that I would give anyone just starting to get in to B&W/Mono. B&W emphasizes form and lines. So composition becomes incredibly important--you want to look situations where you want to emphasize form or lines. For instance, the first two shots, what jumps out at me are the vertical lines of the trees. I tend to think that color in the 1st shot would work better (reflection, contrast between the barren trunks and you) vs. B&W. But your third shot, that lovely backlighting really emphasizes the silhouette of your subject/model and it's lovely.

The second point I'd make about B&W is to think of it as color--but much more subtle. You can go for shots with high dynamic range and contrast (lots of shadow and bright light) and emphasize that contrast. Or you can think of B&W as a series of colors (shades of gray) and particularly look for soft light that emphasizes those shades.

 

[Tropicalmemories]

Here is advice that I would give anyone just starting to get in to B&W/Mono. B&W emphasizes form and lines. So composition becomes incredibly important--you want to look situations where you want to emphasize form or lines. For instance, the first two shots, what jumps out at me are the vertical lines of the trees. I tend to think that color in the 1st shot would work better (reflection, contrast between the barren trunks and you) vs. B&W. But your third shot, that lovely backlighting really emphasizes the silhouette of your subject/model and it's lovely.

The second point I'd make about B&W is to think of it as color--but much more subtle. You can go for shots with high dynamic range and contrast (lots of shadow and bright light) and emphasize that contrast. Or you can think of B&W as a series of colors (shades of gray) and particularly look for soft light that emphasizes those shades.

Yes - I think the second one works the best as a monochrome - I like the high contrast vertical patterns.

First would benefit from color.

Last one is interesting, but to me her skin looks over-processed?

 

[Photo Lady]

I think the self portrait photo would be better in color.. theres so much life to this photo but i think dulled out by B & W..simple my opinion because there is so much to the overall photo.. water ...trees .. etc reflection of you.. the portrait of your model looks great in B & W..

 

[FITBMX]

I think the self portrait photo would be better in color.. theres so much life to this photo but i think dulled out by B & W..simple my opinion because there is so much to the overall photo.. water ...trees .. etc reflection of you.. the portrait of your model looks great in B & W..

Here is advice that I would give anyone just starting to get in to B&W/Mono. B&W emphasizes form and lines. So composition becomes incredibly important--you want to look situations where you want to emphasize form or lines. For instance, the first two shots, what jumps out at me are the vertical lines of the trees. I tend to think that color in the 1st shot would work better (reflection, contrast between the barren trunks and you) vs. B&W. But your third shot, that lovely backlighting really emphasizes the silhouette of your subject/model and it's lovely.

The second point I'd make about B&W is to think of it as color--but much more subtle. You can go for shots with high dynamic range and contrast (lots of shadow and bright light) and emphasize that contrast. Or you can think of B&W as a series of colors (shades of gray) and particularly look for soft light that emphasizes those shades.

Thanks For all of the info Joe! I will keep the contrast of lines in mind next time.
The first photo I hadn't planned on making B&W, but nothing had greened up yet and I just wasn't feeling it while editing. So I decided to go B&W, which I liked because I was actually going for a more depressing feel of hopelessness or loneliness. But I will play with the a color edit more.

Thank you both so much. <3

Yes - I think the second one works the best as a monochrome - I like the high contrast vertical patterns.

First would benefit from color.

Last one is interesting, but to me her skin looks over-processed?

Thank you very much! It is funny, the last photo I snapped of her after the shoot itself and had no plans of what to do with it. It was just lucky I got it. I did very little to her skin, just some dodging and burning, she just has crazy perfect skin! Which makes my job editing easy. LOL

 

[limr]

Here is advice that I would give anyone just starting to get in to B&W/Mono. B&W emphasizes form and lines. So composition becomes incredibly important--you want to look situations where you want to emphasize form or lines. For instance, the first two shots, what jumps out at me are the vertical lines of the trees. I tend to think that color in the 1st shot would work better (reflection, contrast between the barren trunks and you) vs. B&W. But your third shot, that lovely backlighting really emphasizes the silhouette of your subject/model and it's lovely.

The second point I'd make about B&W is to think of it as color--but much more subtle. You can go for shots with high dynamic range and contrast (lots of shadow and bright light) and emphasize that contrast. Or you can think of B&W as a series of colors (shades of gray) and particularly look for soft light that emphasizes those shades.

The only thing I "disagree" with (not so much "disagreeing" as just having a different interpretation) is that the first shot doesn't have a strong vertical line from the trees. In fact, it doesn't have strong directional lines at all other than the horizontal of the shoreline. It looks too busy because there are too many conflicting straight lines with no clear pattern. None of them really direct the eye anywhere, so it ends up feeling unbalanced and unfocused (in terms of composition, not lens focus.) This is why it may be better in color, which doesn't rely so heavily on form and lines.

The second one is very strong in black and white because of that clear upward sweep of the trees, and the two larger trees to balance things. Your pose also mirrors the upward lines. The eye has clear patterns to follow and the composition becomes about the form as much as the subject.

The third one also has clear lines, created by the subject but also by light and texture. The curve of her left shoulder mirrors the curve of the tree in the background on the left of the frame. The texture of her hair mirrors the blurred bushes in the background on the right of the frame. The light pattern also highlights these patterns.

The second and third shots are the ones that I think benefit from black and white because you have strong compositions that also have added elements of strong shapes and forms - elements that may have been less noticeable in color - that contribute to the overall image.

 

[limr]

Also, be careful with tone in your conversion. It may just be the screen I'm viewing this on, but the first two have a greenish cast that the last one doesn't have.

 

[Soocom1]

If No. 1 had a considerable amount of bokhe it would work.

No. 2 is ok but if the intent was the person there is too much washout of li es. However, the intent is there and I get wgat is trying to be shown.

No. 3 is nice especially with the highlighted hair and just enough bokhe to emphasize her body. Keep in mind that sepia tones or over processing can distroy the image. Black and White is a result of having no color. So think about the extremely bright areas as needing to be totally white. The darkest shadows black. Thats the contrast aspect. If your shooting either monotone or actual B&W consider a red filter with people and green with concrete and buildings. Yellow for open plains and the like.

 

[Derrel]

Line, shape, mass, texture, and tonal value are important in B&W photos. I agree with limr--the first two shots have a slight color cast.

Also, and this is a personal preference: your blacks are, IMO, a bit too-dense in some areas, where I think showing a bit of detail could have helped.

 

[FITBMX]

Line, shape, mass, texture, and tonal value are important in B&W photos. I agree with limr--the first two shots have a slight color cast.

Also, and this is a personal preference: your blacks are, IMO, a bit too-dense in some areas, where I think showing a bit of detail could have helped.

The only thing I "disagree" with (not so much "disagreeing" as just having a different interpretation) is that the first shot doesn't have a strong vertical line from the trees. In fact, it doesn't have strong directional lines at all other than the horizontal of the shoreline. It looks too busy because there are too many conflicting straight lines with no clear pattern. None of them really direct the eye anywhere, so it ends up feeling unbalanced and unfocused (in terms of composition, not lens focus.) This is why it may be better in color, which doesn't rely so heavily on form and lines.

The second one is very strong in black and white because of that clear upward sweep of the trees, and the two larger trees to balance things. Your pose also mirrors the upward lines. The eye has clear patterns to follow and the composition becomes about the form as much as the subject.

The third one also has clear lines, created by the subject but also by light and texture. The curve of her left shoulder mirrors the curve of the tree in the background on the left of the frame. The texture of her hair mirrors the blurred bushes in the background on the right of the frame. The light pattern also highlights these patterns.

The second and third shots are the ones that I think benefit from black and white because you have strong compositions that also have added elements of strong shapes and forms - elements that may have been less noticeable in color - that contribute to the overall image.

Also, be careful with tone in your conversion. It may just be the screen I'm viewing this on, but the first two have a greenish cast that the last one doesn't have.

Sorry about the greenish overcast, that is from a warming filter, and I didn't know it was making things green until a few days ago when a friend told me. The friend sent me a test and it turns out I am a bit color blind, and this is why I am not noticing the greens. I have since, started to be much more careful.
I am still awful about leading lines, they slip my mind while I am shooting. Being a self-portrait doesn't help, I get so tired of having to do self-portraits because it makes composition harder. I will keep all of this in mind when shooting a B&W.
Thank you so much for such an in-depth CC, it means a lot! <3

If No. 1 had a considerable amount of bokhe it would work.

No. 2 is ok but if the intent was the person there is too much washout of li es. However, the intent is there and I get wgat is trying to be shown.

No. 3 is nice especially with the highlighted hair and just enough bokhe to emphasize her body. Keep in mind that sepia tones or over processing can distroy the image. Black and White is a result of having no color. So think about the extremely bright areas as needing to be totally white. The darkest shadows black. Thats the contrast aspect. If your shooting either monotone or actual B&W consider a red filter with people and green with concrete and buildings. Yellow for open plains and the like.

I had my whites in the third photo whiter to begin with, but it made it too contrasty. So I backed off on them a bit, I also add the bit of color because I liked the feel better. That's me though.
Thanks for the CC.

 

[JoeW]

The only thing I "disagree" with (not so much "disagreeing" as just having a different interpretation) is that the first shot doesn't have a strong vertical line from the trees. In fact, it doesn't have strong directional lines at all other than the horizontal of the shoreline. It looks too busy because there are too many conflicting straight lines with no clear pattern. None of them really direct the eye anywhere, so it ends up feeling unbalanced and unfocused (in terms of composition, not lens focus.) This is why it may be better in color, which doesn't rely so heavily on form and lines.

Actually, I didn't phrase it well and we're not disagreeing. I agree with you that even though the trees may not have much green in them, there's no strong line and so no focal point. So I don't see #1 as a good candidate for B&W.