TOP TIPS FOR IN-CAMERA B&W
Here’s a quick rundown of the key factors to consider before you start shooting
Post-processing
ADJUST LEVELS OR CURVES, MAKE SELECTIVE EXPOSURE ADJUSTMENTS AND CROP IF REQUIRED.
Custom functions
WHY NOT CREATE A CUSTOM FUNCTION SO YOU CAN QUICKLY SET IT WHEN YOU WANT TO TAKE A HIGHCONTRAST MONO SHOT, FOR EXAMPLE, INSTEAD OF WADING THROUGH THE MENUS?
JPEG shooting is okay
JPEGS AT HIGHEST QUALITY ARE MORE THAN ADEQUATE IF YOU GET THEM RIGHT IN-CAMERA.
Get the exposure right
GET THE EXPOSURE AS CLOSE TO PERFECT IN-CAMERA AS YOU CAN. IF IN DOUBT, BRACKET EXPOSURES THEN CHOOSE THE BEST FRAME LATER.
Use an ND grad
JPEGS GIVE YOU LESS ROOM FOR EXPOSURE ADJUSTMENT THAN RAW FILES DURING EDITING, BUT A NEUTRAL-DENSITY GRAD FILTER CAN BALANCE THE
SKY WITH THE REST OF THE SCENE SO YOU GET AN EVENLY EXPOSED IMAGE. A 0.6ND GRAD IS IDEAL FOR GENERAL USE.
Don’t forget your polariser
THIS IS HANDY WHEN SHOOTING IN-CAMERA B&W AS IT WILL BOOST CONTRAST, EMPHASISE THE SKY, REDUCE HAZE AND CUT THROUGH GLARE.
It’s not second best
DON’T SEE SHOOTING IN-CAMERA BLACK AND WHITE AS BEING AN INFERIOR ‘QUICK FIX’ COMPARED TO SHOOTING COLOUR THEN CONVERTING LATER. IT ALLOWS YOU TO MAKE CREATIVE DECISIONS ON THE SPOT AND THE IN-CAMERA IMAGES REQUIRE MUCH LESS WORK.
Shoot square
YOU COULD CHANGE THE ASPECT RATIO IN YOUR CAMERA TO 1:1 AS WELL AS SELECTING MONOCHROME MODE, SO YOU PRODUCE SQUARE BLACK AND WHITE IMAGES IN-CAMERA.
Go for grain
AT HIGH ISO SETTINGS, IN-CAMERA BLACK AND WHITE WILL OFTEN PRODUCE BETTER RESULTS THAN COLOUR. THE NOISE IN HIGH-ISO B&W IMAGES LOOKS MORE LIKE FILM GRAIN.
Think laterally
THE KEY TO GREAT BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY IS TRYING TO IGNORE WHAT IT IS YOU’RE ACTUALLY PHOTOGRAPHING AND INSTEAD CONCENTRATE ON
THE PLAY OF LIGHT AND SHADOW, SHAPES, LINES AND TEXTURES. IN THE ABSENCE OF COLOUR, IT’S THESE ELEMENTS THAT WILL MAKE OR BREAK THE FINAL IMAGE.