For Pete's sake it is expensive to ride the subway and metro buses in London compared to the USA. It's about triple the cost. Moreover, if one buys a ticket in most metro areas it is good for 24 hours. One just again shows the ticket and gets on again without additional charge.
I'm a very beginner photographer and subconsciously I've never liked black and white. But after watching this video, I think I understand it more, and I feel like giving it a try, eventually. Thank you for explaining not only the techniques, but also the art and meaning behind photography.
This has to be one of the best ever practical videos on black and white photography. I belong to the old film days when I did my own darkroom processing. This video inspires me to go back there again. Great stuff!
"[Shooting in] black and white is not generally something that we pre plan... it is more than an editing technique; it's more than a creative filter; it's a completely different way of working - a completely different photographic language." -You subscribed!
It is a different way of looking at the world, gauging the tones, measuring the gray scale, balancing out the hot spots, etc. Pre-production, production, and post-production in the darkroom, or on a printer.
Oh my goodness, Jamie! This video has so many amazing elements! Humor, art, brilliant writing, concise information, and every single shot is captivating. This is seriously a perfect format, and your style just makes it that much more incredible. I've been a watcher for some time, and I have finally subscribed because of this video. Thank you for putting your time and passion into creating content like this!
Eddie Kirk Thank you for subscribing and for your kind comment. I’ll keep at it with these videos. The more subs and views I get, the more time I can dedicate to getting content out.
Sometimes I forget your channels exists. but every time I run into, I'm always glad I did. You have such a great idea and vast knowledge of how photography really works.
I also studied photography in my late teens at college. At the time it was just a case of doing a fun course at college and didn't carry on photography after the course. All my work was also black and white producing my own prints in the darkroom. Now I'm getting back into photography 20+ years later I've found myself leaning toward black and white again. Great informative video. ATB Steve.
I've watched 100+ photography videos in the last few weeks until my eyes (and ears!) are tired. Then I saw this one and if I had an Oscar you would win it in a landslide. On the surface you just sat there talking but the research, editing, examples and samples of each of your well-described tips are stunning! Thanks not only for what I just listed but also for ... Not screaming at me and waving your arms wildly Sticking to your topic Incredibly keeping all the image credits and metadata away from TH-cam subtitles, progress bars, pause and play symbols! And I have to say it again... your content is superb and right on target. Thank you.
For me your channel is the only one that is worth my time on the entire photography genre on TH-cam. Always inspiring, always fresh, always provokes to creative thinking. Thanks for that!
I couldn’t agree more about you attitudes to black and white, I partially returned to shooting HP5+ and FP4+. I don’t believe either film or digital is better than the other, but I believe in different situation one is better than the other. Urban, street, outdoor portraits can look better on film, but in a studio working tethered or for wildlife with fast FPS it has to be digital. For landscapes it’s a mixture the film reciprocity rule is a handicap but the colours you can get even with colour negative film can be stunning. Great video, and I would never have guessed it’s 20 years since you were at college.
I think Mark has nailed it here. Some of us still shoot and develop B&W film so we kinda have to "see" in both colour for our digital work and in light and dark for film work. A lot, as you know, depends on the hows and whys of development. Your points are all very valid, great informative vid.
Studio,architecture and landscape - film Sport, and wildlife - digital.Anyway,these days people don't know or think about film is already finished story and they are wrong.Film is still the best!Keep film alive.Go and shoot film.
Just discovered your channel; I've been devouring all your content. I love that you treat the audience with intelligence. Your photos at the end are incredible. Thank you so much!
Keep up the good work. I often go out with a virtual roll of 24 shots and shoot jpeg in black and white profile and manual mode. I don't check what I shoot and go home when I have finished my virtual roll. It's fun and takes me back to the last century.
Great idea and thanks I will try that sometime, shooting black and white 35mm in college now, this will be good for when I can't afford rolls of film and I have my dslr there to make use of
great self exercise/project. Makes you re-live the "good ole days". i think I need to do this. this also keeps you inspired and the shoot SHORTER and not go into being an all day session where you can get distracted or get sad. better to be short and sweet and get back and review the work, find your weaknesses, and fix the problem before the next days'/weeks mini session. Plan / Do / Check Act ( the basic Process Improvement Cycle)
You can shoot in RAW+JPEG on many mid/upperend cameras to get the JPG on the screen but still have the RAW to be able to edit later fully if you find you got a winner ( or not) :)
wish I had the discipline to stick to that! but i usually cant help myself but take and extra 2-3 frames on digital "just in case" one change is slightly better
Nostalgia overload! Same history of a kid in high school and college in the latter 90s, shooting B&W, developing in the darkroom, seeing color as a point-and-shoot or for studios shooting products for magazines. Thanks for the feels, bro!
This is a really good video on black and white photography. The last couple of minutes are brilliant. As you watch the first part, you can visualize how the different scenes might appear in black and white, and then, by golly, he does those visualizations.!
This took me back to my youth when I studied photography . Back then, I used black and white all the time and colour was just for slides . Whether using colour or BW today, I look to create mood and leave the viewer thinking I could do that, but often they cannot . The why is down to feeling the emotion and conveying that thought in to an image. I don’t care for a lot of post production of the image, but small tweaks are all that is needed. Those little touches confirm the image is good enough or not. I found the advice here a refreshing reminder and think others will do so also. Well done and thank you for showing us that training the eye does not always require a camera , but it helps bag it and take back home.
Thanks. I like how BW cuts down your options and makes you see in only light and dark. This 'cutting it down to basics' thing seems to have become a theme in my videos. I must do an overly complex one to balance it out.
Genius move for showing the magnum photos test prints to explain your point; this could be a part a dodge and burn video in itself. Really like your video and content style and it adds a much needed freshness the the youtube photo channel world.
I'm going back to re-watch things these days. And it is to my benefit. No one, and I mean no one , has been more of an influence on how I approach my time with my camera than you have. Of all the artists and technicians, and walkers that share their methods and efforts, you are the one I am most excited to see post a "blog". (It seems an almost vulgar description of your contributions.) I can't imagine the effort that goes into these videos, but I hope your energy holds up. All the best.
The start was so beautiful, I got goosebumps. One of the best youtube videos ever made. Loved the examples. If color in the frame isn't contributing, I prefer B & W. Love what you said about abstracts. I'm always looking for the abstract in day to day objects and places too. Could you please tell more about tones in B & W (like where you talked using a blue filter for the sky to bring out details) I almost never hear pro photographers about it.
Thanks Jamie. I like where you're coming from. We see the world in colour, and that's why for me Black and White is so special. It can transport us to a different place and it has a drama that is different from our normal vision. I just stumbled on your You Tube channel and I'm really glad I did. Thank you.
This is inspiring sir, im 38 and have just got a camera to make a black and white portfolio of gothic art, based on marionettes living our world. I can only see these in black and white with deep shadows and long perspectives. You are now my go to chap on the matter. Good luck in everything you create.🖖🏻🎩🤟🏻
Ansel Adams would have been the worlds foremost PS junkie... layers and all the tools available for control/manipulation... add in the high dynamic range of digital captures - so much he had to work around/with on film/paper limitations, developer and expansion/contractions... printing down, lifting up darks... he'd probably have files with a thousand layers and merging many captures in his own flavor of hdr (minus the tone mapping) - to get it *just* right... 'be a heck of an IG feed to follow ;) Good set of points on BW and a very nicely edited vid - Lyle
Yes. I saw a show years ago that showed some prints straight from his negs. Great shots but tonally it really showed how much of his magic was in the darkroom.
You have perhaps the most informative channel about photography on the TH-cams. Super content foremost, solid editing, you’re to the point and the music sets a great tone. Keep it up.
When I was in college as an art major one of the painting teachers would not allow students to use color for the first term. Students painted still life paintings with silvery looking tea pots, spoons, and glass vases until they got the tricks of using value. I was always a better draftsman than painter and I still draw because it teaches you to see and teaches you how to adjust values to increase the illusion of depth--something photographers take for granted, but painters and draftsman painstakingly achieve with magician-like tricks of the eye. When I want to shoot B&W I use my Infrared camera with a 830nm filter. Once you shoot IR you’ll never think of B&W in the same way again.
Unless you want to play with all those funny colors I would recommend getting the 830nm filter. I know people recommend getting filters that blend in some visible light and convert from there to B&W, but my experience is that 830nm gives better, richer, silvery tones not matched by the other filters. You’ll find out that IR captures the world in often unexpected ways. It sees through sunglasses, through layers of old varnish in furniture to reveal beautiful wood grain and in some individuals reveals delicate blood vessels just below the skin not unpleasantly. It's great for street photography and of course landscape. Because IR passes through some kinds of coatings IR light tends to bounce around inside zoom lenses and creates over the top lens flairs. I rarely have this problem shooting with primes, though. I don’t think you'll be sorry once you give it a try. Some explanations make the process seem more difficult than it really is.
I watched this vid when it was first posted. Now sheltering in place during the COVID madness, I am seeking different ways to make photographs. For me, this vid, like so many of your vids, continues to have relevance. Thanks for the effort and the sharing. Stay well.
Great video, I love B/W over Color and can relate to your tips. Color can emphasize a subject but can also be a distraction of the subject if something is more obtrusive by color in the frame than the subject itself. Often you're better of with B/W. Also in the winter time when colors are more shades of grey, you are better of with completely B/W. Pity you don't make video's more frequently but anyway thanks for sharing. Love it
I've started this year shooting film, and mainly black and white and i have realised how much my photography is a color inspired one instead of a form inspired one. The good thing about iot is that now i have to rethink everything i have learnt about composition in the last 10 years
Finally a video that doesn't treat me as an idiot or brand new to photography - a heart felt thank you. Like you, I learned B&W on an old fully manual camera - 20 years later I'm picking up the same camera and shooting film again - it feels good and videos like yours really help inspire me to do it again
Middle of winter.. I want to get out in the city.. but truly did not know what I was going to shoot.. B&W!!! Brilliant inspiration.. I think I may try to recreate my own shots here.. thank you..
great one, love how you use examples from all around the world photographers and gives us so much inspiration to look on them, discover their styles and photos and learn more about how to observe the world through the eye of camera
Another excellent piece of content, Jamie. Come rain or shine (strong winds and much rain forecast for this weekend) I'm getting out there taking pictures. You are inspiring.
timskinnercanada Thank you. I’m trying to offer something slightly different in my videos. There’s lots of great TH-cam tutorials out there, but they can sometimes be a bit tech-heavy and concentrate on the _what_ and the _how,_ but miss out on the _why._
These are really good tips/guidelines on black and white photography. I've done a lot of black and white film photography in the past. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy color, but the equipment to develop color in my own darkroom was just beyond my budget. So it had to be black and white. I used it so much I could see a potential image in black and white, even considering different colour filters or even an ND filter. So much of that creativity was already there when pushing the shutter. Gradually transitioning to digital over ther years my mind's eye switched to colour, going over years of street work of which I printed the "picks" onto contact sheets I could see that my subjects almost always had something red in/on them. About a year ago I decided I wanted less choice, more time with my finger on the shutter and less time with sliders behind a computer screen. I still had some savings and did a really scary things... I bought a Leica Q2 Monochrom. In the beginning my proces of shooting was still in colour; I kept shooting scenes that had colour as the main subject. It's been really hard getting that out of my system. Now a year has passed and I walk around again with a set of colour filters and a ND filter, it's slowly becoming second nature again. My eye is on the fixed 28mm, I'll do portraits with that length as well. Having a lot less to think about leaves more room for the image itself, the subject, direction or having a nice moment with the person you're making an image of. I'm not a gear head at all. I had to invest a serious amount of money to get rid of all the gear that was slowing me down.
What a fabulous tutorial. You are so incredibly well-spoken that I was mesmerized listening to you. Your tips are excellent and I can't wait to hear more of what you know. Thank you!
Hi Jamie, great video and ended with great photos you took. Thank you. My friend is a huge B & W fan and I'll forward this to him. Go ahead, Make His Day!
This is the best video I have EVER seen on black and white. It reminded me of doing b&w film photography in high school, which I miss SO bad! THANK YOU!! Thank you for reminding me to get back to what I really love ❤️
Wow there is so much rubbish posted about photography on youtube, guys that shoot one roll of film then make a video about film, talking like they are experts, then you get the funny hair mob looking for a crazy angle and the worse of the lot anyone that starts off by saying they are "so excited". Then you fall upon a little gem like this, has something creative to say, says it well and tells people something real and useful in a direct but interesting manner. Brilliant mate keep it up, best I've seen in a long time.
Thank you. Made me think of UK sports photographer Mark Shearman whose photos I adored in the early 1970s when I was employed as a sports magazine photographer and photo editor. For sports, b&w really told the inside story. There was so much more drama in faces, bodies, environments, and even sweat.
I love coming across this video now and again. It reminds me photography is not just about trying to take the best pictures.. it’s about capturing God’s mistakes and seeing if I can do better
Mono reprograms the eye towards tone, texture, contrast, juxtaposition. The strength of seeing in grey tones and choosing pictorial elements that generate depth and plasticity is inspiring. Just walking around becomes an exciting collection of scenes to frame and capture. Shooting becomes a way of entering a dialogue with the behaviour of lenses and filters and how light transforms or reveals surfaces. Thanks for another great video. Your ten points are on point and each of your ten points spawn a range of new directions to explore.
I have always been a fan of Black & White and I mostly shoot in Monochrome. This video reinforces my belief and some real good information passed on to viewers!!! Two thumbs up (I don't have more of them) Jamie!!!
You’ve made this a favorite TH-cam site for me! Your discussions with us on the many aspects of photography - imparting thought, perspective and a bit of history - hits the bullseye! All to often photography TH-camrs talk about form but offer little substance, fact but no idea! You’ve given me a lot to consider in many videos and I’ll endeavor to incorporate some of what I’ve learned into my photography, so that it conveys my truth through the lens. Thanks, and keep up the great work!
I'd put a "heart" as a thumbs up for this one. Great video. I started shooting about 1950 and went through all the phases. Never a dull moment in photography...
Watching this more than 2 years later. Really excellent video/tutorial. I started out developing and printing (black and white, then colour) nearly 50 years ago before having a career in PR and industrial photography, and I recognise everything you talk about here. And it's all so spot on. If I may add or elaborate on one thing. You mentioned the importance or relevance of post-procesing, illustrating the obvious truth that it's not cheating. But I think it's worth stating for the benefit of anyone aspiring to a "pure" form of photography that there's no such thing as "purist" or unmanipulated photography. Every single aspect of photography requires decisions to be made, and sometimes quite a bit of technical knowledge (even if it's someone else's decisions and technical knowledge) in order to manipulate light to form an image. In the "old days" of film there would be no photographs without the wet darkroom or laboratory and the myriad of decisions made there. Today, without the in-camera software, algorithms and file formats there would be no digital images. Photoshop, Lightroom and other image editing programs allow us to work with raw images and make the decisions (and more) that some of us used to make in the dark room. Anyway, this is a really excellent, inspiring video and I thank you.
I have literally seen hundreds ( maybe even thousands ) of TH-cam videos on Photography and your video are at the summit of quality in every sense. I find myself watching them over and over. You deserve every view and sub you get.
honestly, best photography related channel on youtube. Information is super concentrated, clear and the video length is just on point. amazing, keep it up, Jamie!
I brought a canon 70d a couple of years ago, always wanted to get into photography, been playing about over time and get the odd ok pic (nothing I would share) I love black and white pictures, recently I changed the settings to black and white on my cam, and it’s really given me a boost of confidence... Watching this video has just given me a huge boost!!! Thank you so much for making and sharing this, and I hope you make a good living doing what you do👏🏼... you’re an inspiration my friend👍🏻😊 I could chat to you for hours about photography, it’s my chill out time... my mrs just laughs at me, which feels like a kick in the stomach tbh... keep up the good work James😊👍🏻
Today I bought my first colour filter for my sturdy Canon TX and am venturing down the rabbit hole of black and white photography. I am excited. Wish me luck.
You are brilliant. This is the second video of yours that I have viewed and I’m instantly hooked on the information you provide. You communicate valuable opinions with style, humour and a level of coolness (like nobody else).
I think your videos are very insightful, it's generally very hard to make vlogs that aren't too Narracisitic. But it's almost like every episode is you relearning what your teaching as well. Also I think alot of TH-cam photographers aren't very good generally they place more value on being see as a photographer rather than the end product. With your work shows an actual style than just some fad which takes years to learn and for anyone who is learning to develop that's very useful insight
The reason I have subscribed to your channel is your eloquent way of putting down in words these artistic concepts that take the viewers' understanding of the art and craft that is photography further - not merely by showing techniques or lists of dos and don'ts, but by planting a seed of whys, a kernel of thought that inspires and challenges. Kudos! And you manage to do so with a literal list of dos and dont's. There is something deeply profound in your videos that shows your love of photography and the breadth of your knowledge and enthusiasm with the subject. You, sir, would make a brilliant professor, but I'll settle for enjoying your videos.
Hi Jamie, that was one of the most heart felt and passionate videos I've seen on photography on TH-cam in a long long time. Many thanks for making and sharing. I am inspired.
Great channel I've just discovered. As a french, I have not yet found photo channel on TH-cam where every advice given is not a "golden rule" but a path for self experiment. The video on self overating photographers may have is very interesting. After all, art is about psychology much more that technique. I love this approach.
B&W photography is a way of view on world. Some people just don't have it in them...some have it too much. Balance (not just white) is the answer...like in most things in life. Good vid mate, greets from Croatia!
Thank you, this is a great take on B&W photography, very insightful and inspiring. Also, your B&W photos are amazing! It really makes me want to try my hand at this too. I'm very happy to have discovered your channel. Thanks for what you're doing for us, please keep it up
Awesome vid. The first black and white 'conversion' totally made me laugh out loud. Thanks for sharing man, so great to learn from someone who has been around 2 decades instead of just 2 years (like myself).
Your videos are my favorite of all the photography related videos I've seen. Not only do you have very interesting points to make, but your editing is excellent.
I've just started to get into photography and you have no idea how excited this video has made me feel to go out and try something new! Thank you so much
Man I really enjoyed this video, you have such an relaxed way of communicating these points and underlining it perfectly with visual content and examples. Nice natural inspiring vibe there, especially with this intro and outro telling something about you, and you're story with B/W. Thank you Jamie, keep on rockin'!!
inspirational video. I grew up with black and white photography (Ilford films, developing and printing in my teenage attic darkroom), and this has inspired me to explore black and white more. Some really great tips here.
Can't wait to watch this channel blow up! Keep up the good work man
CPTMorningWood Thanks. That would be good. I could dedicate more time to producing content for it then.
Homeboy is blowing up 🚀🚀🚀 His videos are awesome!
hope so
For Pete's sake it is expensive to ride the subway and metro buses in London compared to the USA. It's about triple the cost. Moreover, if one buys a ticket in most metro areas it is good for 24 hours. One just again shows the ticket and gets on again without additional charge.
Very inspirational
"Color is for documentation. Black & white is for Art."
LOVE that statement. This was an excellent essay on black and white. Thanks!
This was one of the best, most thoughtful TH-cam photography essays I've watched.
I love how you turn regular informative videos and turn them into art.
I'm a very beginner photographer and subconsciously I've never liked black and white. But after watching this video, I think I understand it more, and I feel like giving it a try, eventually. Thank you for explaining not only the techniques, but also the art and meaning behind photography.
This has to be one of the best ever practical videos on black and white photography. I belong to the old film days when I did my own darkroom processing. This video inspires me to go back there again. Great stuff!
Terrific presentation and so true about the magnificence of black and white. The best ever summation on the topic. RS. Canada
I'm so glad my procrastination skills brought me to this video! I'm really excited to start shooting black and white this weekend.
Santiago de Miguel Glad I inspired you.
haha same
Meanwhile in 2099 : I'll shoot b&w this week
+1
2020: ok, I got to get a camera...
"[Shooting in] black and white is not generally something that we pre plan... it is more than an editing technique; it's more than a creative filter; it's a completely different way of working - a completely different photographic language."
-You
subscribed!
It is a different way of looking at the world, gauging the tones, measuring the gray scale, balancing out the hot spots, etc. Pre-production, production, and post-production in the darkroom, or on a printer.
you're actually amazing. you have taught me way more about photography then studying as an A LEVEL. well done you deserve so much more appreciation
This was great 👍 a lot packed into 11 minutes. Appreciate you sharing your knowledge and expertise, inspired to shoot more B&W photos
Oh my goodness, Jamie! This video has so many amazing elements! Humor, art, brilliant writing, concise information, and every single shot is captivating. This is seriously a perfect format, and your style just makes it that much more incredible. I've been a watcher for some time, and I have finally subscribed because of this video. Thank you for putting your time and passion into creating content like this!
Eddie Kirk Thank you for subscribing and for your kind comment. I’ll keep at it with these videos. The more subs and views I get, the more time I can dedicate to getting content out.
Channel 4 should pick him up for short, modern photography slots ;-) #channel4
Sometimes I forget your channels exists. but every time I run into, I'm always glad I did. You have such a great idea and vast knowledge of how photography really works.
This channel is my favorite source for photography now. Jamie, your approach is really valued.
I'm obsessed with black&white. It is what got me into photography. I find it quite intriguing. There is something so mysterious about it.
I also studied photography in my late teens at college. At the time it was just a case of doing a fun course at college and didn't carry on photography after the course. All my work was also black and white producing my own prints in the darkroom. Now I'm getting back into photography 20+ years later I've found myself leaning toward black and white again.
Great informative video.
ATB Steve.
I've watched 100+ photography videos in the last few weeks until my eyes (and ears!) are tired. Then I saw this one and if I had an Oscar you would win it in a landslide. On the surface you just sat there talking but the research, editing, examples and samples of each of your well-described tips are stunning! Thanks not only for what I just listed but also for ...
Not screaming at me and waving your arms wildly
Sticking to your topic
Incredibly keeping all the image credits and metadata away from TH-cam subtitles, progress bars, pause and play symbols!
And I have to say it again... your content is superb and right on target. Thank you.
For me your channel is the only one that is worth my time on the entire photography genre on TH-cam. Always inspiring, always fresh, always provokes to creative thinking. Thanks for that!
I couldn’t agree more about you attitudes to black and white, I partially returned to shooting HP5+ and FP4+. I don’t believe either film or digital is better than the other, but I believe in different situation one is better than the other. Urban, street, outdoor portraits can look better on film, but in a studio working tethered or for wildlife with fast FPS it has to be digital. For landscapes it’s a mixture the film reciprocity rule is a handicap but the colours you can get even with colour negative film can be stunning. Great video, and I would never have guessed it’s 20 years since you were at college.
I think Mark has nailed it here. Some of us still shoot and develop B&W film so we kinda have to "see" in both colour for our digital work and in light and dark for film work. A lot, as you know, depends on the hows and whys of development. Your points are all very valid, great informative vid.
I miss tmax 3200 and Ilford 400. ilford has better tones than Kodak 400 that was developed in color printers.
Studio,architecture and landscape - film
Sport, and wildlife - digital.Anyway,these days people don't know or think about film is already finished story and they are wrong.Film is still the best!Keep film alive.Go and shoot film.
Just discovered your channel; I've been devouring all your content. I love that you treat the audience with intelligence. Your photos at the end are incredible. Thank you so much!
This video is gold, I find myself back on this video from time to time.
Keep up the good work. I often go out with a virtual roll of 24 shots and shoot jpeg in black and white profile and manual mode. I don't check what I shoot and go home when I have finished my virtual roll. It's fun and takes me back to the last century.
Great idea and thanks I will try that sometime, shooting black and white 35mm in college now, this will be good for when I can't afford rolls of film and I have my dslr there to make use of
Im going to try this idea
great self exercise/project. Makes you re-live the "good ole days". i think I need to do this. this also keeps you inspired and the shoot SHORTER and not go into being an all day session where you can get distracted or get sad. better to be short and sweet and get back and review the work, find your weaknesses, and fix the problem before the next days'/weeks mini session. Plan / Do / Check Act ( the basic Process Improvement Cycle)
You can shoot in RAW+JPEG on many mid/upperend cameras to get the JPG on the screen but still have the RAW to be able to edit later fully if you find you got a winner ( or not) :)
wish I had the discipline to stick to that! but i usually cant help myself but take and extra 2-3 frames on digital "just in case" one change is slightly better
Nostalgia overload! Same history of a kid in high school and college in the latter 90s, shooting B&W, developing in the darkroom, seeing color as a point-and-shoot or for studios shooting products for magazines. Thanks for the feels, bro!
because of this one video i am subscribing. thanks for helping me understand how to approach black & white photography a bit better
This is a really good video on black and white photography. The last couple of minutes are brilliant. As you watch the first part, you can visualize how the different scenes might appear in black and white, and then, by golly, he does those visualizations.!
You sir, have just won my subscription!
Very well made clip, lovely photographs and awesome quotes.
Bravo
Miriam Schoon Thank you.
This took me back to my youth when I studied photography . Back then, I used black and white all the time and colour was just for slides . Whether using colour or BW today, I look to create mood and leave the viewer thinking I could do that, but often they cannot . The why is down to feeling the emotion and conveying that thought in to an image. I don’t care for a lot of post production of the image, but small tweaks are all that is needed. Those little touches confirm the image is good enough or not. I found the advice here a refreshing reminder and think others will do so also. Well done and thank you for showing us that training the eye does not always require a camera , but it helps bag it and take back home.
Great video Jamie. I'd 'forgotten' how creative B&W can be.
Thanks. I like how BW cuts down your options and makes you see in only light and dark. This 'cutting it down to basics' thing seems to have become a theme in my videos. I must do an overly complex one to balance it out.
Genius move for showing the magnum photos test prints to explain your point; this could be a part a dodge and burn video in itself. Really like your video and content style and it adds a much needed freshness the the youtube photo channel world.
“Black and white is for art”
Dawn WWI looking hella cool
I'm going back to re-watch things these days. And it is to my benefit. No one, and I mean no one , has been more of an influence on how I approach my time with my camera than you have. Of all the artists and technicians, and walkers that share their methods and efforts, you are the one I am most excited to see post a "blog". (It seems an almost vulgar description of your contributions.) I can't imagine the effort that goes into these videos, but I hope your energy holds up. All the best.
The start was so beautiful, I got goosebumps. One of the best youtube videos ever made. Loved the examples.
If color in the frame isn't contributing, I prefer B & W.
Love what you said about abstracts. I'm always looking for the abstract in day to day objects and places too.
Could you please tell more about tones in B & W (like where you talked using a blue filter for the sky to bring out details)
I almost never hear pro photographers about it.
I know you aren't the only youtuber who puts effort into their channel but it really shows in your creativity
Awesome storytelling mate! Cheers from The Netherlands!
Thanks Jamie. I like where you're coming from. We see the world in colour, and that's why for me Black and White is so special. It can transport us to a different place and it has a drama that is different from our normal vision. I just stumbled on your You Tube channel and I'm really glad I did. Thank you.
Man, you are an amazing educator.
This is inspiring sir, im 38 and have just got a camera to make a black and white portfolio of gothic art, based on marionettes living our world.
I can only see these in black and white with deep shadows and long perspectives.
You are now my go to chap on the matter.
Good luck in everything you create.🖖🏻🎩🤟🏻
Ansel Adams would have been the worlds foremost PS junkie... layers and all the tools available for control/manipulation... add in the high dynamic range of digital captures - so much he had to work around/with on film/paper limitations, developer and expansion/contractions... printing down, lifting up darks... he'd probably have files with a thousand layers and merging many captures in his own flavor of hdr (minus the tone mapping) - to get it *just* right... 'be a heck of an IG feed to follow ;) Good set of points on BW and a very nicely edited vid - Lyle
So true!
Adams's film has so much more dynamic range than digital, it's not even a close comparison.
Yes. I saw a show years ago that showed some prints straight from his negs. Great shots but tonally it really showed how much of his magic was in the darkroom.
actually he'd be a Lightroom junkie as Lr is for true Photographers. Ps is for image manipulators and graphic artists :)
@@sjsphotog he'd be using luminosity masks by the dozens all over the place and LR even with the recent masking add, would never take him there :)
You have perhaps the most informative channel about photography on the TH-cams. Super content foremost, solid editing, you’re to the point and the music sets a great tone. Keep it up.
When I was in college as an art major one of the painting teachers would not allow students to use color for the first term. Students painted still life paintings with silvery looking tea pots, spoons, and glass vases until they got the tricks of using value. I was always a better draftsman than painter and I still draw because it teaches you to see and teaches you how to adjust values to increase the illusion of depth--something photographers take for granted, but painters and draftsman painstakingly achieve with magician-like tricks of the eye. When I want to shoot B&W I use my Infrared camera with a 830nm filter. Once you shoot IR you’ll never think of B&W in the same way again.
Glen Bledsoe I’ve never shot infrared but always wanted to. Thought about buying an old 5D and getting it converted once or twice.
Unless you want to play with all those funny colors I would recommend getting the 830nm filter. I know people recommend getting filters that blend in some visible light and convert from there to B&W, but my experience is that 830nm gives better, richer, silvery tones not matched by the other filters. You’ll find out that IR captures the world in often unexpected ways. It sees through sunglasses, through layers of old varnish in furniture to reveal beautiful wood grain and in some individuals reveals delicate blood vessels just below the skin not unpleasantly. It's great for street photography and of course landscape. Because IR passes through some kinds of coatings IR light tends to bounce around inside zoom lenses and creates over the top lens flairs. I rarely have this problem shooting with primes, though. I don’t think you'll be sorry once you give it a try. Some explanations make the process seem more difficult than it really is.
I watched this vid when it was first posted. Now sheltering in place during the COVID madness, I am seeking different ways to make photographs. For me, this vid, like so many of your vids, continues to have relevance. Thanks for the effort and the sharing. Stay well.
Great video, I love B/W over Color and can relate to your tips.
Color can emphasize a subject but can also be a distraction of the subject if something is more obtrusive by color in the frame than the subject itself. Often you're better of with B/W. Also in the winter time when colors are more shades of grey, you are better of with completely B/W.
Pity you don't make video's more frequently but anyway thanks for sharing.
Love it
RS Thanks. I’m trying to get more content out. Just really busy with work and kids. More coming soon…
This is probably THE BEST video I’ve seen on black and white: when to use it and how to use it. Beautifully done!
Thank you.
Love your work dude. Great teaching, and a profound knowledge beyond the “Instagram photography” that so many bloggers have. Cheers man!
I've started this year shooting film, and mainly black and white and i have realised how much my photography is a color inspired one instead of a form inspired one. The good thing about iot is that now i have to rethink everything i have learnt about composition in the last 10 years
How is he not as popular as McKinnon? His content and production are better imo
I find Peter McKinnon very annoying and I think he’s pretty overrated
Finally a video that doesn't treat me as an idiot or brand new to photography - a heart felt thank you. Like you, I learned B&W on an old fully manual camera - 20 years later I'm picking up the same camera and shooting film again - it feels good and videos like yours really help inspire me to do it again
Good advice. I'm liking your videos. Thanks man
Thanks.
Middle of winter.. I want to get out in the city.. but truly did not know what I was going to shoot.. B&W!!! Brilliant inspiration.. I think I may try to recreate my own shots here.. thank you..
Great video as always. Love your channel.
Kristoffer Nico Valencia thank you
My new favourite presenter. Love his style and method or presenting really sound ideas. He not only knows his stuff, he feels it as well.
Great Vlogtorial here! I have been hesitant to use some techniques here but this has inspired me to shoot more b&w. Thanks!
great one, love how you use examples from all around the world photographers and gives us so much inspiration to look on them, discover their styles and photos and learn more about how to observe the world through the eye of camera
"..a completely different photographic language."
THANK YOU !..
Another excellent piece of content, Jamie. Come rain or shine (strong winds and much rain forecast for this weekend) I'm getting out there taking pictures. You are inspiring.
Bad HDR halos are the worst thing to happen to photography. Not even unnecessary over-use of the clarity slider comes a close second.
のぢGrey I never touch that clarity slider. I hate it.
I saw a Lightroom tutorial and a kid cranked up the clarity to 90 and I clicked off the video.
HDR is a plague. 9 times out of 10, people overdo it.
Very good work Jamie. You, Nick Carver and Sean Tucker are the ones to watch for me.
Well done. Some truly insightful content. Sometimes youtube “tips” videos can be a bit slapdash but this one is really thoughtful. Thanks for that. :)
timskinnercanada Thank you. I’m trying to offer something slightly different in my videos. There’s lots of great TH-cam tutorials out there, but they can sometimes be a bit tech-heavy and concentrate on the _what_ and the _how,_ but miss out on the _why._
Jamie Windsor Good strategy. I really think you’re onto something.
These are really good tips/guidelines on black and white photography. I've done a lot of black and white film photography in the past. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy color, but the equipment to develop color in my own darkroom was just beyond my budget.
So it had to be black and white. I used it so much I could see a potential image in black and white, even considering different colour filters or even an ND filter. So much of that creativity was already there when pushing the shutter. Gradually transitioning to digital over ther years my mind's eye switched to colour, going over years of street work of which I printed the "picks" onto contact sheets I could see that my subjects almost always had something red in/on them.
About a year ago I decided I wanted less choice, more time with my finger on the shutter and less time with sliders behind a computer screen. I still had some savings and did a really scary things... I bought a Leica Q2 Monochrom. In the beginning my proces of shooting was still in colour; I kept shooting scenes that had colour as the main subject. It's been really hard getting that out of my system. Now a year has passed and I walk around again with a set of colour filters and a ND filter, it's slowly becoming second nature again. My eye is on the fixed 28mm, I'll do portraits with that length as well. Having a lot less to think about leaves more room for the image itself, the subject, direction or having a nice moment with the person you're making an image of.
I'm not a gear head at all. I had to invest a serious amount of money to get rid of all the gear that was slowing me down.
Shes precious!!
What a fabulous tutorial. You are so incredibly well-spoken that I was mesmerized listening to you. Your tips are excellent and I can't wait to hear more of what you know. Thank you!
Hi Jamie, great video and ended with great photos you took. Thank you. My friend is a huge B & W fan and I'll forward this to him. Go ahead, Make His Day!
This is the best video I have EVER seen on black and white. It reminded me of doing b&w film photography in high school, which I miss SO bad! THANK YOU!! Thank you for reminding me to get back to what I really love ❤️
Wow there is so much rubbish posted about photography on youtube, guys that shoot one roll of film then make a video about film, talking like they are experts, then you get the funny hair mob looking for a crazy angle and the worse of the lot anyone that starts off by saying they are "so excited".
Then you fall upon a little gem like this, has something creative to say, says it well and tells people something real and useful in a direct but interesting manner. Brilliant mate keep it up, best I've seen in a long time.
Thank you. Made me think of UK sports photographer Mark Shearman whose photos I adored in the early 1970s when I was employed as a sports magazine photographer and photo editor. For sports, b&w really told the inside story. There was so much more drama in faces, bodies, environments, and even sweat.
I love coming across this video now and again. It reminds me photography is not just about trying to take the best pictures.. it’s about capturing God’s mistakes and seeing if I can do better
This is the most powerful tips and video I found to show my students on black & white photography... awesome job!
Mono reprograms the eye towards tone, texture, contrast, juxtaposition. The strength of seeing in grey tones and choosing pictorial elements that generate depth and plasticity is inspiring. Just walking around becomes an exciting collection of scenes to frame and capture. Shooting becomes a way of entering a dialogue with the behaviour of lenses and filters and how light transforms or reveals surfaces. Thanks for another great video. Your ten points are on point and each of your ten points spawn a range of new directions to explore.
I have always been a fan of Black & White and I mostly shoot in Monochrome. This video reinforces my belief and some real good information passed on to viewers!!! Two thumbs up (I don't have more of them) Jamie!!!
I'm revisiting some of my favorite videos. Thank you again for making this one. I hope you and your family are well.
You’ve made this a favorite TH-cam site for me! Your discussions with us on the many aspects of photography - imparting thought, perspective and a bit of history - hits the bullseye! All to often photography TH-camrs talk about form but offer little substance, fact but no idea! You’ve given me a lot to consider in many videos and I’ll endeavor to incorporate some of what I’ve learned into my photography, so that it conveys my truth through the lens.
Thanks, and keep up the great work!
You’re an incredible teacher, this was very easy to follow.
I'd put a "heart" as a thumbs up for this one. Great video. I started shooting about 1950 and went through all the phases. Never a dull moment in photography...
Watching this more than 2 years later. Really excellent video/tutorial.
I started out developing and printing (black and white, then colour) nearly 50 years ago before having a career in PR and industrial photography, and I recognise everything you talk about here. And it's all so spot on.
If I may add or elaborate on one thing. You mentioned the importance or relevance of post-procesing, illustrating the obvious truth that it's not cheating. But I think it's worth stating for the benefit of anyone aspiring to a "pure" form of photography that there's no such thing as "purist" or unmanipulated photography. Every single aspect of photography requires decisions to be made, and sometimes quite a bit of technical knowledge (even if it's someone else's decisions and technical knowledge) in order to manipulate light to form an image. In the "old days" of film there would be no photographs without the wet darkroom or laboratory and the myriad of decisions made there. Today, without the in-camera software, algorithms and file formats there would be no digital images. Photoshop, Lightroom and other image editing programs allow us to work with raw images and make the decisions (and more) that some of us used to make in the dark room.
Anyway, this is a really excellent, inspiring video and I thank you.
dude... i don't stay long on a lot of photography videos/ channels but your videos has fundamentals and substance! Keep up the good work!
I have literally seen hundreds ( maybe even thousands ) of TH-cam videos on Photography and your video are at the summit of quality in every sense. I find myself watching them over and over. You deserve every view and sub you get.
Thank you.
@@jamiewindsor Very welcome
honestly, best photography related channel on youtube. Information is super concentrated, clear and the video length is just on point. amazing, keep it up, Jamie!
The photography bit at the end was worth it alone. Great shots, great eye.
This video goes further in knowledge than in a simple lightroom tutorial and i love it. Simply magnificent, Thank You!
I love the little girl saying, "Black and White"...I'll watch it over and over again. So cute! Oh, and what a GREAT video on B&W!
I brought a canon 70d a couple of years ago, always wanted to get into photography, been playing about over time and get the odd ok pic (nothing I would share) I love black and white pictures, recently I changed the settings to black and white on my cam, and it’s really given me a boost of confidence... Watching this video has just given me a huge boost!!! Thank you so much for making and sharing this, and I hope you make a good living doing what you do👏🏼... you’re an inspiration my friend👍🏻😊 I could chat to you for hours about photography, it’s my chill out time... my mrs just laughs at me, which feels like a kick in the stomach tbh... keep up the good work James😊👍🏻
Today I bought my first colour filter for my sturdy Canon TX and am venturing down the rabbit hole of black and white photography. I am excited. Wish me luck.
Paul Levesque Good luck.
You're getting better with your videos...I won't talk about the content, they were always the best!
You are brilliant. This is the second video of yours that I have viewed and I’m instantly hooked on the information you provide. You communicate valuable opinions with style, humour and a level of coolness (like nobody else).
This is one of the best videos explaining black & white photography.
I think your videos are very insightful, it's generally very hard to make vlogs that aren't too Narracisitic. But it's almost like every episode is you relearning what your teaching as well. Also I think alot of TH-cam photographers aren't very good generally they place more value on being see as a photographer rather than the end product. With your work shows an actual style than just some fad which takes years to learn and for anyone who is learning to develop that's very useful insight
Superb video. The unique quality of B&W is clearly explained. The featured photos are fantastic and inspiring.
Dude... I love your work. And that laid back style, levelheadedness, and story telling approach. Wow!
The reason I have subscribed to your channel is your eloquent way of putting down in words these artistic concepts that take the viewers' understanding of the art and craft that is photography further - not merely by showing techniques or lists of dos and don'ts, but by planting a seed of whys, a kernel of thought that inspires and challenges. Kudos!
And you manage to do so with a literal list of dos and dont's.
There is something deeply profound in your videos that shows your love of photography and the breadth of your knowledge and enthusiasm with the subject. You, sir, would make a brilliant professor, but I'll settle for enjoying your videos.
Hi Jamie, that was one of the most heart felt and passionate videos I've seen on photography on TH-cam in a long long time. Many thanks for making and sharing. I am inspired.
Thanks for the video. Black and white ist just beautiful - you don't need colors to reach the soul.
Great channel I've just discovered. As a french, I have not yet found photo channel on TH-cam where every advice given is not a "golden rule" but a path for self experiment. The video on self overating photographers may have is very interesting. After all, art is about psychology much more that technique. I love this approach.
B&W photography is a way of view on world. Some people just don't have it in them...some have it too much. Balance (not just white) is the answer...like in most things in life. Good vid mate, greets from Croatia!
This might be one of the most helpful videos I've seen regarding black and white photography. Thanks!
Thank you, this is a great take on B&W photography, very insightful and inspiring. Also, your B&W photos are amazing! It really makes me want to try my hand at this too.
I'm very happy to have discovered your channel. Thanks for what you're doing for us, please keep it up
Awesome vid. The first black and white 'conversion' totally made me laugh out loud. Thanks for sharing man, so great to learn from someone who has been around 2 decades instead of just 2 years (like myself).
Your videos are my favorite of all the photography related videos I've seen. Not only do you have very interesting points to make, but your editing is excellent.
I've just started to get into photography and you have no idea how excited this video has made me feel to go out and try something new! Thank you so much
Man I really enjoyed this video, you have such an relaxed way of communicating these points and underlining it perfectly with visual content and examples. Nice natural inspiring vibe there, especially with this intro and outro telling something about you, and you're story with B/W.
Thank you Jamie, keep on rockin'!!
inspirational video. I grew up with black and white photography (Ilford films, developing and printing in my teenage attic darkroom), and this has inspired me to explore black and white more. Some really great tips here.