Black & White Photography

I've always had a personal love for black & white photography. There are qualities about a photo that are seemingly lost or washed out when in color. The first things that are apparently different is the texture and tonal contrast. These are technical terms though and these don't mean anything to a viewer unless they look for these certain qualities. I think it has more to do with living in a color filled world. With movies, cartoons, comics, toys, cars, clothing, apps and seemingly everything just bursting at the seams with vivid color, all of which is just calling out for your attention. In black & white though, it's different. Black & white wants your attention in another way. A way that requires you to stop and think and feel.

I thought I could share some of my black & white work and briefly say a few things about each of them.

TheOhSees at SXSW 2013

 I shoot a lot of bands when I go to shows with friends and it can often get challenging because of either low light conditions or an explosion of color. I like shooting in black & white to overcome that and reach toward something more emotional. There's a mystery and pain that comes through in B&W, that in color looks more like a party scene.

The Walkmen at House of Blues, Dallas 2012

Innards at a house show in Denton, TX 2012

Black & white is very effective in landscapes because it draws attention to shape and form and the quality of light. I added a tint to these to create a warmer or cooler feeling.

A farm shot from the highway on my way to Austin, TX

A cornfield shot from the highway on my way to Austin, TX

Still life shot in B&W, like photography brings out details of shape and form of the subject with regard to the quality of light.

Boots and Train tracks

Free Spirit

Portraiture shot in B&W gives way from hair and eye and clothing colors and brings focus to the detail in the eyes or body form.

Elliott

Tara

 

Jordan dancing

Jaymi

In an age where color photography is so abundant and cameras are built right into our phones, black & white photography is a world apart. Artistically, it's said that color photography depicts reality and black & white depicts an interpretation of reality. I think that touch makes it more personal to the viewer. What do you think?

All photos are shot and owned by Viktor Villanueva.

If you're interested in black and white photography, check out some of my favorite photographers.

Ansel Adams www.anseladams.com

Yousef Karsh www.karsh.org

Andrew Farrington www.andrewfphotography.com

 Zhang Jingha www.zhangjingna.com