A Quick Tip about Black and White Photography

In color photography you can use subtle variations in, well, color to show the shape and definition of someone’s face. In black and white if the colors have the same tone they will end up the same shade of grey. In someone’s face that can lead to a face that looks flat and featureless.

The best example I have of this in the playsilk cloak my daughter is wearing this this image. It’s a rainbow. Notice how it all looks like the same, even shade of grey? That’s because all the colors have the same values.

I say this all the time in critiques. How do you avoid ending up with a face of even grey? Directional light.

Here, with the light coming in from the side, it shapes his face and uses shadow to bring definition to his features.