Black and White Photography featuring Singh Ray Gold N Blue filter.

1. B & W P H O T O G R A P H Y

2. B & W P H O T O G R A P H Y
I T ’ S N O T C O L O R P H O T O G R A P H Y M I N U S C O L O R

3. Let’s start with some storytelling

4. Once upon a time there was color photographer…

5. And every day he shot the same lovely sunset or sunrise…

6. Until one day he had a happy accident with a color filter…

7. And because of that he started shooting only black and white…

8. And because of that he developed a unique perspective and style

9. And because of that he gets SIGNIFICANTLY fewer
Facebook Likes on his photography…

10. Until finally he quit giving a F#$K about shooting
to Facebook Likes

11. And ever since that day loves being
the artist he is becoming.

12. B & W P H O T O G R A P H Y
I T ’ S N O T C O L O R P H O T O G R A P H Y M I N U S C O L O R
A Metaphor For How I’ve Failed
At Everything In Life

13. – A N S E L A D A M S
“No one person has the right to dictate what others should perceive, create or
produce, but all should be encouraged to reveal themselves, their perceptions
and emotions, and to build confidence in the creative spirit.”

14. – A N S E L A D A M S
BW
photos?

15. – A N D R I C A U L D W E L L ( A M E R I C A N P H O T O G R A P H E R )
“To see in color is a delight for the eye, but to see in black and white
is a delight for the soul.”

16. I N T H E B E G I N N I N G …

17. I N T H E B E G I N N I N G …

18. T H E N B E C O M I N G M O R E S U B T L E …

19. T H E N B E C O M I N G M O R E S U B T L E …

21. T O T O D AY - R I C H B L A C K S A N D S I LV E R M I D ’ S …

22. T O T O D AY - R I C H B L A C K S A N D S I LV E R M I D ’ S …

23. T O T O D AY - R I C H B L A C K S A N D S I LV E R M I D ’ S …

24. So Why Shoot Black and White?
Simple!
Versatile!
Subtle!

25. – A L F R E D S T I E G L I T Z
“The ability to make
a truly artistic
photograph is not
acquired off-hand,
but is the result of
an artistic instinct
coupled with years
of labor.”

26. There Is No…

27. – A L E C J O H N S O N
“Color is its own subject. With BW, you need to decide on what is
important and focus on that subject.”

28. Black and White photography is Color photography
Not
Color Photography minus Color

34. C O L O R A N D L I G H T C O N T R A S T
T W O S O U R C E S O F C O N T R A S T

36. C O L O R B R I G H T N E S S

37. D E S AT U R AT I O N - C O L O R P H O T O M I N U S C O L O R

38. C O L O R T H E O RY - B W A D J U S T M E N T L AY E R

43. – J O H N S E X T O N
“I really don't have any secrets. I've never met a photographer whose
work I respected that had a secret…the secret lies within each and
every one of us.”

44. F I LT E R S - F I L M
• A colored filter used with B&W film
will lighten similar colors and darken
opposite colors.

45. F I LT E R S - D I G I TA L
• The “BW Conversion Layer”
• The Happy Mistake: Singh Ray Gold-
N-Blue Circular Polarizer

46. The Gold-N-
Blue
polarizer
adds
variable
gold or blue
tones to
polarized
light,
especially
with water
scenes, both
in dull light
and on
bright,
sunny days.

47. I use the
Gold-N-
Blue filter
to bias
color away
from blue
and toward
gold/
magenta
to give
more tonal
range with
minimal
noise.

48. – A L F R E D S T I E G L I T Z
“Photographers must learn not to be ashamed to have their
photographs look like photographs.”

49. M Y W O R K F L O W
• Typically shoot with Singh Ray Gold-N-Blue Polarizer + ND’s
• LR for global work, including removal of CA, Lens Correction and overall
exposure.
• Open into PS as 16bit image.
• Next, clean noise
• Process for BW
• Final Step - Sharpen

58. – A N S E L A D A M S
“Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made
in establishing tonal relationships.”

59. – F R O M “ WAY B E Y O N D M O N O C H R O M E ”
L A M B R E C H T A N D W O O D H O U S E
Dodge and Burn Map

61. DODGEBURN

62. – A L E C J O H N S O N
“We are not curing cancer. Have fun, be
playful, and take chances.”

68. Thank You
Alec Johnson
www.acjfineartphoto.com