1, imagine starting with black and white.
For many photographers, black and white photography is more than just a creative way of thinking. If you start to create an image and know in advance that you will make it black and white, you can take measures to ensure that all the elements of a good monochrome photo are in place before you press the shutter button. Tone contrast, light contrast, and the proper expression of the subject are all factors that are difficult or even impossible to correct after shooting. This photo is.
If you can't imagine a black-and-white image, please set the monochrome shooting mode in the camera. At the same time, it is not recommended to take the last photo in this mode. When you shoot in RAW format, all color data will be saved and stored in files, and will be restored when it is loaded into Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw. It will only let you know what the image looks like in black and white, and at the same time provide maximum flexibility in post-processing.
2. Eyes are more important than ever.
The most important part of a portrait is the eyes. Usually they are the focus of the whole image construction. This is especially true for black and white photography. Due to the lack of color, black and white images will be converted into graphic forms and outlines. Eyes are the most recognizable form, mainly to attract the attention of the audience. It is very important to ensure that the subject's eyes are well lit.
3, strengthen the emphasis on key content.
Like eyes, other facial features become more obvious in black and white portraits. You can use this to add emotion to the picture. Even if the facial expression of the object changes slightly, it will be as different as raised eyebrows, twitching corners of the mouth and a row of smiling eyes, which can be used to produce wonderful effects.
You can provide exercises for your topic and get various expressions. Prepare a list of words or phrases and ask them to answer and express their feelings. The words you choose should simply describe your emotions: love, sadness, happiness, anger and melancholy. More diversified expressions, you can try more abstract words, even interesting words.
4, the use of light
When it comes to the light of black and white photos, there are no clear and strict rules. If you like images with high contrast and tight tone gradient, please choose a powerful light source.
It all depends on personal preference. If you have no confidence in yourself, choose ten black and white portraits you like and try to start from the perspective of light.
5, increase the contrast of light.
If you want to create a high contrast in black and white photography, then I suggest you do it with the help of light, not in Photoshop. A small adjustment of the order of things will not destroy the image, but it is absolutely unnecessary to move the contrast slider to 100, and try to limit the range to+15/- 15. For individual areas, please use whitening and darkening tools yourself. The emphasis of post-processing is very subtle.
6. You can't turn a bad photo into a black-and-white photo.
If you use a photo and feel different from your imagination, and ask yourself whether black and white will work, then the answer isno. The use of black and white technology often emphasizes defects. No matter whether there is color or not, a bad photo is a bad photo.
7. Although the color is black and white.
Bright and strong colors are obviously created for bright photos, but by deleting color components, you can completely change the perception of objects or scenes. If you want to attract the audience's attention to a specific element, color as a graphic component may distract attention.