The reasoning behind almost anything earning the term 'classic' is that it has the power to stand the test of time. Sometimes the new techniques and the modern tools of today are overshadowed by their classic counterparts. This is true of black and white photography. This art has reemerged onto the scene, into a world filled with colors, as a popular and sought after medium for capturing images in both photography and video.



But that was certainly not the case. Over the years we have seen black and white take on a new artistic value in both genres. In fact, it is not at all unusual any more to see a very modern movie filmed entirely in black and white. It is also common to visit a fine art museum and find a photographic art display that uses black and white extensively. Black and white has some artistic and emotional qualities that are just not possible to achieve in color photography.

The most notable quality of black and white photography is its ability for emotional power. What might be a simple shot can take on a new appeal for a viewer when seen a different way. That is why black and white photography has a tendency to make photos look more like works of art. It transforms a dingy or overcast look into a striking photo evoking emotion while producing a clean, crisp look. Try incorporating black and white into your portfolio to help expand your range of artistic style.

Black and white has the ability to focus the attention to the emotional center of the photograph. The human face provides a great subject for black and white photography. A small lift of the chin or a look upward with the eyes can all change the emotion of the piece. the vast range of expression a person carries is endless. The smoothness of a child's cheek, the wisdom in another's wrinkles all have a story to tell in a photograph.

Black and white almost always invites the viewer to want to know about the story behind the picture. If it's a landscape, "What happened here?" is the question that often springs to the mind of the viewer and the longer they gaze at the photo, the more their imagination fills in the details. If you are viewing the face of a serene or melancholy girl, it is almost impossible not to wonder what she is dreaming about or what of life's issues is weighing on her mind.

Along with the emotional power and the way black and white compels the viewer to search for meaning, black and white carries with it a tremendous romantic power that touches the heart in a powerful way. That romance can easily translate over to the sensual or even the erotic without having to become pornographic to achieve that effect. Shots that are trying to evoke the power of sensuality and romance do well when they involve moisture or a water scene such as the beach. Despite the lack of color, these colors appeal to the five senses in ways that color can never hope to achieve.

You can experiment with black and white and gather the responses of friends and family to learn how to utilize the subtle but powerful artistic nuances that seem to come with black and white photography almost unconsciously. The digital camera has ushered in a whole new era of black and white photography. You see the form used even in otherwise non artistic settings like wedding portfolios or anniversary pictures. That is because of that emotional and romantic power that black and white conveys.

If you have not started to experiment with black and white shots, invest the time to learn how to express this art form. With creative use of light and framing that provide high contrast, black and white responds well to the editing that you can do with Photoshop in order to accentuate the emotion impact of each image. With a bit of time and practice, you will be able to take that shot that will become a treasured moment in time.