Why Black & White (Monochrome)?

Ice #21. Boulder Creek, Colorado, 2011

Many ask, why make black and white images when the cameras and printers today have such tremendous capability with color rendition? Good question.

I do create both black and white and color images–I am not completely prejudiced!–but I tend to prefer the former. Perhaps it is because I grew up looking at old monochrome prints or perhaps it is my admiration for the work of Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Imogen Cunningham and the Group f/64 of the 1930s, among others, but I find well done black and white work to be captivating and intriguing. I feel like the color in an image can often distract the eye and, yes, even hide poor composition or weak subject matter. 

Upon initial viewing, color can make an image look impressive, even while the picture lacks in other areas. Without the color, then, it becomes more about shape, form, texture, tonality and the overall composition. In my opinion, you have to work harder to make a successful monochrome image.

Here, I’ll repeat some interesting quotes from an article by Cole Thompson that get down deep into the matter of why B&W:

Unknown: “Color causes one to look at the photograph whereas black and white causes them to look into the photograph.”

Andri Heri: “To see in color is a delight for the eye, to see in black and white is a delight for the soul.”

Robert Bruce Duncan: “Because black and white has an inherent dignity.”

Wendy Folse: “It’s been said that there is something sexy about black and white photography that you just can’t get from color. I think it’s true. Once you remove the color, it is like stripping a scene down to the bare bones, removing the layers and leaving the form.” 

Janet Malcolm: “It is B&W photography that demands of the photographer close attention to the world of color, while color photography permits him to forget it.”