How to Shoot BLACK & WHITE with Digital Cameras

In our eyes, the world around us is so colorful. Green grass, blue sky and red sun, all of them devote to beautify our life. But if we see the world through different angle of black& white, we may find the surroundings have a dramatic impact. Therefore, the day before yesterday, I recommended you to shoot black& white photos to examine your ability of composition skill. And now, I’d like to share some tips found on the Internet to help you make an excellent photo.  

photo by TeryKats


1. Shoot in RAW

Of course shooting in JPEG doesn’t stop you shooting in black and white – but if it’s an option, give RAW a go, you might be surprised by what it offers you in post production.

2. Shoot in Color

If your camera doesn’t allow you to shoot in RAW – shoot in color and do your conversion to black & white later on your computer that you will have more control over results.

3. Low ISO

Shoot with the lowest possible ISO possible. It is particularly important when it comes to black& white where noise created by ISO can become even more obvious.

4. When to Shoot

Many digital photographers actually prefer to shoot images for Black& White in low contrast situations. So a dark or overcast day can be a great time to shoot out door shots.

5. Composition

You need to train yourself to look at shapes, tones and textures in your frame as points of interest. Pay particularly attention to shadows and highlights which will become a feature of your shot.

 (quoted from digital photography school)