Black and white photography can produce stunning images by emphasizing contrast, texture, shape and form. However, not all colors translate well into black and white. The human eye can see a wide range of colors, but black and white photography lacks color information. So which colors will show up lighter or darker in a black and white image? Generally speaking, bold, saturated colors will appear darker, while soft, desaturated colors will appear lighter. But there are some specific colors that reproduce exceptionally well in black and white. Let’s take a look at the best and worst colors for black and white photography.
How Colors Are Converted to Black and White
In black and white photography, color is removed from the image. So how does this work? Black and white film or camera sensors are only sensitive to brightness, not color. During the development or digital processing, the color information gets discarded. This leaves only the brightness values for each part of the image. Bright colors will appear light, while dark colors appear darker. Colors of similar brightness, even if different hues, will look the same. For example, bright yellow and bright blue will both appear light gray. Deep purple and forest green will end up very dark. Black and white photos rely entirely on differences of brightness and contrast between colors to create dramatic effects.
Best Colors for Black and White Photography
When composing or processing a black and white photograph, keep these colors in mind:
Red – Reds often appear extremely dark in black and white photos. This can help create dramatic contrasts, especially when photographing red flowers, clothes, or bold red tones in nature. However, bright or light reds can end up losing detail and appearing muddy.
Orange – Like red, bold oranges usually appear very dark in black and white. Muted oranges will show up as middle grays. Use deep oranges strategically to make certain elements pop.
Yellow – Bright yellows tend to reproduce as light grays or whites in black and white photos. Mustard yellow or pale yellows will appear lighter. Use yellow strategically to brighten up part of the photo’s composition.
Green – Forest greens and deeper greens will appear very dark. Light greens will show up as middle grays. Use deep greens to create contrast against light colors.
Blue – Light blues often appear light gray or nearly white in black and white. This can wash out detail. Deep blues will show up dark. Choose your blues carefully depending on the effect you want.
Purple – Bright purples tend to appear very dark, while lighter purples show up as middle grays. Use purple hues to dramatize parts of the photo.
Brown – Browns typically appear as middle grays in black and white. Rich browns can create pleasing textures.
Skin Tones – Caucasian skin reproduces well in black and white, showing a range of tones from highlights to shadows. Adjust contrast carefully when photographing portraits.
Worst Colors for Black and White Photography
Some colors don’t translate well to black and white:
Light Reds – Bright reds can appear featureless or too light. Subtle shade variations in light reds will be hard to capture.
Pastels – Soft pastel shades like pale pink, mint, and sky blue will generally appear very light gray to white. Details can wash out.
Gray – Grays obviously show up gray in black and white photos. But the wide range of tones in gray can get compressed to a narrower range of dark to light grays.
Black – Pure black generally reproduces as pure black in monochrome. But some detail may be lost in shadows.
White – Bright whites will blow out just like color. Be cautious of overexposing white objects or backgrounds.
Neon Colors – Hyper-saturated neon tones like hot pink tend to reproduce strangely, often appearing lighter and washing out.
Fluorescent Colors – Unnatural fluorescent colors also translate oddly, often appearing lighter or nearly white.
How to Determine the Best Colors
Not sure how a particular color will look in black and white? Here are some tips:
– Judge colors mainly by their brightness, not just their hue. Darker, deeper shades will generally appear darker.
– Look at colors in black and white first. Set your camera to monochrome mode or view the scene through a monochrome filter.
– Convert color photos to black and white in editing to see how the colors translate. Adjust contrast accordingly.
– For portraiture, do test shots and check how various colored clothing reproduces in black and white.
-When shooting flowers or other colorful subjects, compose with contrast in mind. Use dark backgrounds to make light colors pop.
– For landscape photography, visualize how colored elements will appear light or dark. A blue sky may appear too bright against a dark hillside.
Tips for Shooting Black and White Photos
– Choose subjects with contrasting colors that will translate into striking highlights and shadows.
– Watch out for large expanses of a single color that may appear featureless. Break it up with varying tones.
-When photographing people, have colored clothing, backgrounds, and props that will reproduce well in monochrome. Reds, yellows, dark blues or greens are great choices.
– Don’t let bright whites or dark shadows get overexposed or underexposed. Check the histogram when shooting.
– Use colored filters on your lens or adjust color channels in processing to darken skies, isolate skin tones, boost contrast between elements, and more.
– Embrace grain and textures. Slightly underexposing can create more dramatic grain. Use rough or weathered surfaces as compositional elements.
– For cityscapes, identify colors that will appear lighter or darker. Use this to make architectural features stand out.
Conclusion
Black and white photography strips the color from a scene. This puts all the emphasis on brightness, contrast, tone, and texture. Choosing subjects with colors that translate in dramatic or pleasing ways to monochrome is key. Deep reds, oranges, forest greens, and blues will appear dark. Light yellows, blues and skin tones will seem brighter. Grays, whites, and pastels will lose contrast. Take color into account when composing and processing black and white images. This simple technique can enhance the mood and focus the viewer’s eye effectively. Mastering color for black and white photography provides endless possibilities for stunning artistic shots.
