The importance of black and white photography

Monochromatic tones suit this dramatic sky at French Beach Provincial Park on Vancouver Island

Nowadays, photographers forget to switch over to monochrome mode. Instead, most will edit their images after the fact in black and white. Although the end results may be aesthetically the same, the creative process and mindset are entirely different. When you set an intention to shoot in monochrome mode, you are giving yourself an opportunity to step outside of the norm and to challenge yourself with a different way of seeing the world.

Charlie makes a stunning black and white study, hanging out in our van at French Beach Provincial Park.

When you purposely remove the distraction of color, you find yourself really focused on your composition and focal point. It is a simpler way to observe your surroundings. Highlights and shadows become clearer, textures seem richer, shapes are more defined. With practice, you begin to recognize opportunities that suit monochrome tones and you switch over instinctively. A good example of this is a washed out gloomy day at the beach. If there's no interest in colors to begin with, why bother? Flow with the current mood and use it at your advantage.

A crow in flight in Port Renfrew. Notice how the highlights and textures are well defined on the log.

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If you aren't using your camera in mono mode, you are missing out on a very inspiring creative approach to photography. Some smartphones also offer the option, and if not, consider installing a third party app that does. Black and white photography is timeless: it's a classic that will never go out of style.

You literally have nothing to lose, so try it!

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With intentional black and white work, the light can become more of a predominant feature.

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