Fashion photography is photography devoted to showcasing clothing, jewelry, accessories, and style. Black and white fashion photography creates a whole new dimension to fashion photography. It brings out the contrast in the photos with every shadow. You must have seen this kind of photography in many television advertisements as it is very popular there.
Showing something without color is not an easy task. It may seem very easy in the first look but it is not. You need to have some special skills to make it happen in an effective manner.
Photographs in black and white look very classy as well as remind us of the old era where we used to take pictures using old Black and White cameras. In today’s era, we have almost all the advanced cameras by which we can take stunning photos but there are many of us in the field of Fashion photography who uses a same advanced camera which we used to take color pictures for taking the black and white photos. There are many who are crazy about black and white photography as it shows the real picture of a person or a place.
In this article, Cristiano Madureira discusses how we should be approaching black and white photography, the eye to choosing your models, makeup, styling, and lighting, we should be looking through a different lens than what we do in color photography.
Don’t think in Color – First of all, if you want to be successful in Black and White photography then you should make up your mind in such a way where it thinks in Black and White only. You need to understand that we all think in color (yes, the colors of the rainbow). We see and think in color by default, but black and white photo shoots need a different eye one that’s looking at contrast, texture, and tone more than color. It’ll help to create a mood board made up almost exclusively of images that are in black and white.
Choose the right Model – Models who have a uniqueness in presence or expression will excel in black and white, as will those who know how to express emotion in their eyes. Almost all fashion photography is all about making the model look as good as possible. If done properly then black and white photography can accentuate your model’s mood and emotion as well.
Perfect Makeup for the Model – As there is no space for colors it is really important to know the right makeup for the models of your photo-shoot. In fashion photography, you are a hundred percent dependent on the model you have chosen for your fashion photography. The success rate of your work depends upon those models, so this way it is very important to find the right balance between the makeup of without makeup models. Sometimes the pictures we take in black and white photography needs very less or no makeup to show the true beauty of the model and the clothes.
Don’t forget the Fashion – we have seen lots of images of Black and white photography where the photographer took the image without colors but in order to maintain that they forget what fashion they are going to support. They have taken away in a different direction when involving deep into themselves in Black and White photography. You always follow the fashion you wanted to show to your audience. Don’t forget they are always in a hurry and if you need their attention then you must work well in your presentation. People know you because of photography so don’t forget what new you have for them.
Light, Camera, and Action – An umbrella is rather rarely used in the studio, while on location it is very popular due to its compact size and prompt readiness to work. Good pictures can be taken with one or also with two light sources that can be combined according to your imagination. Using three light sources at your shoot makes your possibilities unlimited. The lighting for black and white fashion photography doesn’t necessarily need to be much different than in your color shots, but pay special attention to where the shadows fall, the quality of the drop-off, and how the tones blend into each other.
Developing a strong concept, thinking in black and white both before and during the shoot, and making sure your model, clothing, and lights are set up for black and white will go a long way towards landing you fantastic images. Photography skills are different from person to person; you just think differently and use the available things in the right direction. Then be sure the “Success & Fame” are waiting for you.
