Black & White Photography: How To Think About Tone How To Create Beautiful Black & White Photography by Professional London Photographer David Osborn

The Bodleian Library, Oxford, England

The Art Of Black & White Photography
The black and white photograph is the ‘engine’ of all photographs. The tonal values create the foundation design and structure of all photographs along with creating the core components; creating the three-dimensional illusion, conveying the light, form, texture, and spatial distance. The color component is more of an artistic overlay responsible for emotional, not structural qualities. When making a color photograph, the color information can often confuse your judgment and hide basic structural flaws. The ability to turn off the color information and view the image only as tonal values will magnify any structural flaws; making those problems easier to recognize and therefore correct. All good color photographs will convert to being a good black and white photograph because their underlying structural components are correct. You will never create any great color photography if you don’t know how to creat...