
The style and texture of a weathered shoe in black and white tell us about their owner. Black and white flower photography is a great starting point for monochromatic still life photography. And how grey tones can convey emotion into the photograph.īlack and white photos of flowers reveal the true beauty of their lines and shapes. Consider shapes of leaves at different stages of their life cycle. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t tell a story. You’re making a photo without people or movement. Turn Simple Objects Into Art With B&W Photography You’re moving back and forth from the camera to the subject matter! My take on a Brussels Sprout. Sometimes a subtle move of half a centimetre can make a big difference.īlack and white still life photography can often feel quite physical. Move your subject around and see how it catches the light from different angles. That way, I can see which version works best for texture and shape. Then I review the photographs in post-production. I often experiment with and without a reflector. I prefer to use low key lighting with either natural light from a window (on a cloudy day), or a soft sidelight. From selecting your subject matter and photographing it, to post-production and presentation. Think about this throughout the black and white still life photography process. Look to see where lines intersect and how light accentuates different textures. Without color getting in the way, you can play to the great strengths of black and white – texture and shape. Enhance Textures and Shapes With Lighting My Blossfeldt-inspired Centaurea Cineraria. What are the first features of the object that catch your eye? Make notes of the lines, textures, or tones you want to emphasise. Create a rough sketch about the way you want your photo to look. They created unique works of art in black and white from everyday objects. Grand masters such as Edward Weston and Karl Blossfeldt were pioneers of photography. That way, you’ll ‘think’ in black and white and choose the right objects, lighting, and story for your photo.Ĭheck out work by famous still life photographers to help with this. The process requires a bit of brain re-wiring. Planning and researching a black and white still life photo shoot is essential.

Learn to Create Black and White Still Life Photography
