Tips for Black and White Nature Photography

Black and white photography brings a classic and timeless appeal to any photograph.

With the rise of digital photography, it now becomes easier to take black and white pictures, even for amateurs.

The confusion as to when to use black and white and colored photography can be easily solved with the following tips:

• For outdoors on a dull day, you may opt to choose black and white photography. The lack of natural lighting from the sun may appear to be gloomy when shot in color, however, black and white can give the photograph more light. Low contrast conditions make it perfect for black and white photography.
• For portraits and close up photography, black and white photography can help conceal any blemishes on your face. It is perfect to use with portraits of infants and children because it adds the element of intimacy that normal colored photos do not exude.
• Since black and white photography gives an old rustic look, you may want to consider taking photos of old buildings, rustic churches, ancient houses and the like.

There is no hard and fast rule in taking black and white photography. Photographs can be interpreted in a lot of ways. The message that the photographer wants to convey in his art will greatly depend on the end result of his photograph.

The beauty of digital cameras nowadays is that they give you the ability to try out black and white photography either during the actual shot or through post production using photo editing software.

If you intend to make your photograph in black and white using your digital cameras, it is best that you shoot in RAW image format. Many people do not use this because of the large amount of memory it takes up. Shooting in RAW gives you more flexibility in controlling your photos during the post production of your photos. JPEG is also fine, however, RAW photographs can give you the quality you want to achieve. You do not need to attend any workshops in using RAW photographs, if your computer cannot seem to read the file. Try installing the disc that came along with your digital camera. Digital point and shoot cameras, however, do not have this option. So you can shoot in color and have the photos converted later on.

When shooting in black and white, use the lowest possible ISO. It will reduce the noise, which is more visible with black and white photos.

The life of a beautiful black and white photo greatly depends on the shapes, silhouettes and shadows of your subject. It is important to maximize the use of light in order to see those compositions even before you click those shutters. The light will give your black and white photographs the drama they need, learn to maximize it. For instance in taking landscape nature photography, instead of veering away from the sun as you do with color photography, you may want to experiment in taking your photographs during the middle of the day to generate heavier shadows and give emphasis to the lines and shape of your subject.

The resurgence of black and white photography only goes to show that more and more people prefer this type of photography for its mystery, drama and elegance.