Why I LOVE Black & White

I admit it...B&W photography is my jam. It’s a great way to see the world and share pictures with you. Few moments in life are better than when Jeff (from the LAB at Paul’s Photo) hands me a 16x24” metallic print of one of my Black & White photos. The crispness, the sparkle, the impact and life it contains…WOW!

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Black & White photography is with me every day. I see and capture B&W images on the sidelines of a sporting match or on holiday with the family. A dark bar around the world is an amazing location for B&W as well as on the street with the local people. Landscape and scenic at famous locations call for images that shine as B&W prints. Black & White photos today have a greater impact and garner more attention. In-person and online they remind us of a simpler time…they remind many of us of the newspaper, I love Lucy or LIFE magazine. B&W photos can be gritty and poignant and quite emotional. I make pictures in B&W to share them and create that special moment of realization or ohhh and ahhh.

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I love making Black & White pictures because it challenges me as a photographer and as an artist. Creating an award-winning B&W is far tougher than making the picture in color. Why? B&W photography forces me to compose carefully and separate the subject from the background because there is no color to attract the eye. The subject and the story become more important to the picture. Monochrome photos require a precise control of exposure to maintain the proper scale of gray. Light, shape and texture are paramount and must be considered at every step of the way to make stunning images. I find myself often looking more and shooting less to build award-winning pictures in Black & White.

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Yes, I shoot RAW files in my Nikon Z8 (46mp full frame)  to create these beautiful B&W images. Your high-resolution digital camera can make amazing B&W photos.  You capture in color (don’t use the B&W preset) and process in the computer to make the fantastic, awe-inspiring large prints you desire!  Digital cameras have made creating and processing B&W pictures a dream!  No wet darkroom with smelly chemicals and red-lights. I develop B&W photos on my MacBook PRO on the sofa. It’s so simple! Then I upload to the LAB and voile’ you have a masterpiece for your living room.

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Want to learn more about Black & White and join the ranks of Monochrome Photographers? The Black & White Workshop at Creative Photo Academy begins shortly. You will learn how to think like a B&W photographer, use the camera creatively and process the images in the computer and output a high-quality prints.

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BLACK & WHITE Workshop with Mark Comon

begins Wednesday, August 7.  5pm west coast time.  $249

ONLINE class will be recorded for playback for paid participants

Register:  https://creativephotoacademy.com/event/black-white-workshop-3/

For twenty years students have loved the Black & White Workshop's four amazing lessons, inspirational examples, easy to understand tips, challenging assignments and constructive image review.

Lesson 1- Why Monochrome

Lesson 2- The Process

Lesson 3- People and Portraits

Lesson 4- Landscape and Travel

Great B&W photos are more than the pre-set on your camera and B&W mode in Lightroom.  Learn to think, see, process and print beautiful B&W photos.

You will add B&W to your tool kit, but the lessons will go much beyond!

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