Monochrome Photography: It’s All Black and White With Some Grey Areas
Location: Haverigg Beach at Hodbarrow RSPB Nature Reserve
Cast a Light Photography© by Matthew Shaw
Nikon D500, Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500 f/ 5.6 ED VR
220mm, 1/2500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 450
Before you roll around the floor laughing at the hilarious pun in this blog post’s title, let me start by saying that I LOVE colour! I really do.
I’ve even been somewhat guilty of overzealously cranking up the “Vibrance” and “Saturation” sliders in post-processing.
You need only take a glance at the Gallery page of this website to understand that it forms an integral part of what has become my recognised signature style.
In this blog post, I present some of my latest photographs taken from the dark side…
Cast a Light Photography© by Matthew Shaw
Nikon D500, Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500 f/ 5.6 ED VR
200mm, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100
So why monochrome all of a sudden?
I was inspired by the work of Gary Gough, an extremely talented photographer, with an enviable online following, who is fast becoming one of my favourite creators on YouTube.
Although a multi-disciplinarian, Gough excels at creating fine art prints of stunning minimalist landscapes. He employs slow shutter speeds to achieve a dreamy, etherial atmosphere.
To his mind, anything remotely superfluous or tautological is an unnecessary eye-grabber and must go - including, sometimes, the horizon in seascapes. Check out his YouTube channel below!
Exhibit A: Haig Colliery Mining Museum
From 1916 to 1986, Haig Colliery was once the largest coal mining pit in Cumbria. Three explosions between 1922 and 1931, sadly claimed the lives of 79 men.
Shooting in B&W is an artistic choice that removes the distraction of colour. It is a real enhancer of compositions that feature a strong subject. It’s moody, sombre and invites reflection.
In this example, emphasis is placed on SHAPE and TEXTURE. The strong lines of this weather-beaten, metallic structure are enhanced by monochromatic simplicity.
I used the “Texture” and “Contrast” sliders in post-processing to amplify detail and increase the separation between dark and light tones (shadows and highlights).
The resulting photograph appears hard as nails as a visual representation of industrialism.
Location: Harrington, Cumbria
Cast a Light Photography© by Matthew Shaw
Nikon D500, Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G
35mm, 15 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100
Location: St Bees coastal walk
Cast a Light Photography© by Matthew Shaw
Nikon D500, Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500 f/ 5.6 ED VR
460mm, 1/3200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 450
Ready to give it a go?
Whether or not these images represent my best work is beside the point. Photography is a creative pursuit and one should not hesitate to experiment with different styles and techniques.
There is something charming and otherworldly about B&W photography; it is calming, nostalgic, and serves to remove the overwhelm from our technicolour lives.