Black and White Portraits Compared to Color

There is something so beautiful about black and white portraits. When the color is taken away you are left with an image full of emotion and raw beauty. Don’t get me wrong you’ll get to see some beautiful images of my best friend Taryn too, but I love how the black and white portraits hone in on different things that make her beautiful. Which do you like best?

Being aware of your light source, while shooting, is most important in creating interesting shadows. If you want softer light try diffusing the light if your outside, or if you’re using studio light try using a smaller light that’s farther away to utilize the effects of harsh light. One thing I like to do when editing is to bump up the clarity on a black and white image. It further enhances things like freckles, dimples, movement in the hair, etc. By also adjusting the shadows you can adjust the mood on whether it’s more light and airy or dark and moody.

There is something beautiful about color and the way things complement each other. It also adds a bit of human touch when you see skin color and deep natural greens. I loved seeing the differences in black and white portraits compared to color and I look forward to spending more time in making conscious decisions of when I shoot with a model. For more tips on how to enhance your black and white portraits check out this article by Digital Photography School.