I haven’t focused much on black-and-white photography.
The only times I think in black-and-white (especially when taking photos) are when:
I want to capture a texture that lends itself to a monochromatic look,
I find myself in a scene in which the colours are a distraction, or
I’m at a location where there’s strong light-and-dark contrast.
Three of my recent photos fit the bill, so I converted them to black-and-white to see how they would look.
West Gate Freeway drainage overflow pipes
Black-and-white photo taken from underneath an elevated roadway out of which two wide draining pipes are emerging.
Looking through to Yarra’s Edge buildings
Black-and-white photo of two tall, residential buildings as seen through a gap in the bare concrete underneath of a series of elevated roadways and off-ramps.
West Gate Bridge sign under the West Gate Bridge Freeway
Black-and-white photo of the back of a large overhead road sign affixed to an elevated motorway. The sign is seen through a gap in the bare concrete underneath of a series of elevated roadways and off-ramps.
I think they turned out pretty well :)
Here’s a side-by-side comparison. I actually think I prefer the black-and-white versions of all three! Though maybe the middle one (the buildings through the gap in the concrete) works both ways.
