Most of my work consists of color, using color to balance images and create compositions can be such a fun way to shoot. One of my favorite things to do is to use opposing colors to help capture and create the mood I want in a scene. What’s a better way to capture the moody essence of a particular scene than to shoot it in black and white?
Aside from the obvious factor of a black and white image relying on composing based on subjects, I find that black and white captures the true documentation of highlighting subjects without the distraction of color. I’ve found that color still plays a roll in how you can use light to help tell stories, getting different gradients of grays, using different angles to change how the subject is viewed and metering for areas I generally wouldn’t so I can gain more contrasty and dramatic images.
The following images were created in Seattle, shooting black and white is my favorite way to document here. Getting to capture a city with as much character as Seattle has been calling my name for quite a while now, it’s easy to be addicted to the vibrant greens and constant season shifts but black and white just always feels good here. You will definitely see more black and white incorporated into my portfolio for the coming months.
Enjoy.
Camera: Mamiya RZ67 Pro | 110 f2.8
Film: Cinestill BwXX, Ilford Delta 100
Developer: Cinestill Df96
Scanning Equipment: Negative Supply
Cinestill BwXX
Ilford Delta 100
I hope you enjoyed scrolling through these as much as I did shooting and revisiting them, black and white will be a more frequent thing as we go through winter here in Seattle. I find shooting black and white fine tunes the process of composing based on subjects and it continues to teach me every time I load it.
Direct links to the film, developer and gear I use for developing black and white film at home. Cheers!