Volume II — BLACK & WHITE
July 2017
The Viewfinder Steemzine is an irregularly published ezine available exclusively on Steemit.com. In these volumes we will highlight the work of some of the best photographers and writers on photography currently using the platform.
Submissions are always open at jamtaylor@protonmail.com
Hope you enjoy!
In This Volume:
Photo Inspiration
Behind The Photo
Featured Article
“The Advantages Of Producing Black & White Images” by 
By 
This is one of my all time favorite shots. I took it in Sri Lanka in a place called Polonnaruwa in the North Central province of the island. Once the capital of an ancient kingdom, Polonnaruwa has incredibly beautiful and numerous temple ruins to offer. Given this place's beauty and cultural wealth, I found it unbelievable that I literally felt lonely wandering around the temples for an entire day only meeting about 10 other people. But let’s talk about my photograph of one of them:
First of all I want to admit that photography - at least mine - is always about taking a lot of shots and getting that one that blows you away amongst them. This portrait was one of these lucky shots. For everyone interested, here is how I took it:
I never take pictures of people without asking them beforehand. Asking them does not necessarily mean talking to them, though. The old man on my photo probably did not speak English anyways. What I usually do is smiling at them and then pointing at my camera while raising my eyebrows. It sounds a bit weird now that I write it down but it does the trick.
For portraits I normally choose the Aperture-Priority mode. On most cameras (this shot was taken with a Sony A7), there is a mode dial. If you put it on A, you are able to pick the appropriate Aperture and the camera will handle all other settings on its own. In order to get a shallow depth of field - that means that the person is in focus while the rest is blurred - you have to open the aperture as wide as possible (smaller numbers mean wider apertures). Since I only had the kit lens when I took this shot, the maximum I could choose was F5.6. Still, the depth of field is pretty shallow.
For the sake of completeness, here are the detailed settings:
- Sony A7
- Kit Lens FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
- F5.6
- ISO: 100
- Shutter Speed: 1/200
The Advantages Of Producing Black & White Images
Written by
While "Shooting In Black & White" might have sounded punchier as a title, the fact of the matter is, most photographers these days are shooting with digital cameras, rather than choosing what film to use. Presenting our photos in mono is a choice we have, and it can be a simple matter of subjective taste and style, or a calculated decision after the shots have been taken.
Personally, I "shoot" both color and mono. Often it's something of a conscious consideration while shooting, but sometimes it's a decision I make during the editing process. Either way, there are many reasons one might produce mono images, and I want to outline some of them here.
Speaking of "outline", that leads me to one of the main reasons I might choose to output in mono (or to shoot with it in mind) - geometry. Black & white images tend to accentuate shape and form. When our brains need not process color information, lines and contrast are somehow prioritized when "reading" a photo. So when presented with a scene featuring some interesting geometric shapes, or one of high contrast, I'll often shoot with mono in mind, and that's how it will be processed. Indeed, I almost never shoot portraits in direct sunlight, but if I do (or if I must) I will most likely be converting it later. The below shot of my friend 
Another, and perhaps more obvious reason one might "shoot mono" is when the subject matter is vintage or timeless. Black & White images are harder to place in time and this can be used to your advantage should the brief demand it. Then there is the controversial point of a "perception of quality" attached to black & white images. Whether you agree this is the case or not, it is undeniable that some people will be presenting their work in black & white for no better reason than the subjective perception they feel it produces. That is of course, entirely their prerogative.
Sometimes the colors don't ad anything to the story of a photo. They can even be quite distracting. Black & white allows for a quicker and more meaningful examination of the story, be it the emotive aspect, or a particular detail that might otherwise be lost. Many of the best photographers strip down and simplify various elements of their photos to increase impact and convey an unambiguous message. It makes a lot of sense that the simplification process can extend from lighting and scenery, to color itself.
Finally, on a more technical note, modern photo editing software allows us to manipulate color, to enhance a black & white image. Just like film shooters used to use filters to adjust the brightness of certain color tones, now we can digitally, and very precisely work on color for the express benefit of a mono image. A typical example might be do darken the greens in an outdoor shot, making grass and trees less distracting, and helping your subject to really stand out.
This is a huge subject many books have been written on, but I hope this article has given you an insight as to why a photographer might choose black & white over color for more reason than a simple whim. Better yet, I hope it might help you shoot and edit with purpose and conviction.
Payments (based on SD rewards) for this volume will be:
Photographs: 10% x7
Writing: 15% x1
Behind The Photo: 15%
Editor: 0% (SP Only)
Seeking submissions for Volume 3 — Portraiture.
Looking for articles (listicles, howto/DIY, tips, tricks, etc) and photographs. The content depends on submissions. There's no real shortage of photos, but I need good writing as well. I'd like AT LEAST: How To/DIY, Gear Review, Behind The Photo, and a Featured Article. You may submit more than once for different things.
Send to jamtaylor@protonmail.com - include your username in the message body.
All submissions are checked for plagiarism. By submitting to this zine you acknowledge that you own the rights to the photographs and articles and agree to allow me to repost them in exchange for agreed upon compensation.
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