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Digital, black and white photo – two words that seem to mismatch. There still are maniacs of black and white photos who stick to the analog way of professional photo taking. However, the rising tide of the conversion of traditional films to digital is attracting the attention of photo lovers to digital black and white pictures. Black and white photos, which inspire many people, are often said to be the first love of professional photographers. I think this is because black and white photos has something more than that meets the eyes. The charisma from the simple yet vividly contrasting brightness and darkness invites more shooting. Now, join me in enjoying black and white pictures!

WB500/HZ10W 1/60s l 7.5F l ISO 80  Manual    

WB500/HZ10W 1/125s l 4.5F l ISO 80  Program

WB500/HZ10W 1/125s l 4.8F l ISO 100  Program

This is not a simple colorless black and white picture. A good picture requires countless techniques such as fining the right angle, contrast and amount of light. Using the outfocus function to blur the far-out subject makes the photo appear more graceful and classic. For this posting, Ca’em used a lot of program/manual mode. Keeping in mind the very importance of striking a smooth balance between black and white in order to make the photo appear much more natural, let’s take a look at tips on how to take good black and white pictures..

1. Landscapes are an inevitable subject for black and white pictures. When taking black and white pictures with WB500(HZ10W), select classic or W/B mode under frame effect. Classic and W/B mode may appear to have negligible difference, but Classic mode is much stronger in contrasting. In program mode, it is possible to actively use ISO and lens function. In general, set up ISO to 100 for stronger contrast.

2. When choosing the subject for black and white photos, you need to consider what will be highlighted when the color is stripped. The bark of a tree is a good example. I hope the picture below helps you to get a sense of what I am trying to say.

Ca’em is particularly fond of black and white mode. Oh! Before going further, a quick mention on the personality of people who like gray! Just like the color, which is a mixture of black and white, people who like gray are conservative and reserved. Interesting? Let’s dig a little deeper.

“Gray carries the softness that is absent in sharp white. At the same time, gray is free from the heavy burden that accompanies black and lacks energy. Gray is modest and is reminded when you don’t want to be disturbed. Many have a mild personality, with no strong opinions or expression of clear opinions.” In one word, they seem to be hidebound. HaHa. I would strongly recommend them to entertain their eyes and minds with color from time to time~

  WB500/HZ10W 1/90s l 5.6F l ISO 200  MANUAL

WB500/HZ10W 1/60s l 5.7F l ISO 200  MANUAL

WB500/HZ10W 1/180s l 7.5F l ISO 100  Program

The black and white picture that inspired Ca’em today is based on the <National geographic photography field guide: Black&White> of Richard Olseniuss. A short note on the writer: Richard is a professional photographer with a particular affection for black and white photos and has won various prizes. You can visit his website (americanlandscapegallery) to check out his works.

The kind advice Richard gives based on his experience left Ca’em more interested in digital black and white photos. I guess a long road still lies ahead of Ca’em. A friend of mine, presented with a quick preview of my pictures, replied that the photos were largely lonely, but difficult to grasp the message. Oh, no… :’( Well… I was a bit out of my mind because of the freezing weather….

I guess the shortcut to becoming a real master of photography is to go through numerous trials and errors. What the writer emphasizes over and over again in this book is that you have to constantly challenge yourself and ask “What are you trying to say?” and make the best effort to get the message across. “Is the photo enough to convey the message?”. It is true that the title of a picture can sometimes convey a totally different feeling. Ca’em also strive to find a theme on the picture. Such a hard work. :-l Last, but not least, the one impressive sentence that shook Ca’em’s heart!! “The best camera for you is THE camera that you will be using.” An invaluable moment that brought home the true meaning of photo taking…

My Classic Camera 

WB500(HZ10W) – An ordinary compact camera, but one that immediately caught my attention. Although it is true that my poor handling left many scenes much to be desired, I feel that the camera and I are becoming closer to one another day by day. Although today’s subject was black and white, the white dandelion standing in contrast to the green grass right after the rain appears whiter than ever, cheering me up! See ya~

　　

All photos, above, may not otherwise be reproduced, distributed, cropped, re sized, or otherwise altered without the written permission of the contributor. All photos represent the sole opinion of their individual authors and contributors and don’t express the opinion of Samsung Digital Imaging Co., Ltd., Samsungimaging.net or the opinion of any affiliates unless specifically marked as such.

All photos, above, have been shot with the Samsung WB500(HZ10W), which has been provided by Samsung Digital Imaging Co., Ltd.

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