Black and White Wedding Pictures
Many couples today are exploring more unusual approaches to wedding photography by having most of their wedding album composed of black and white wedding pictures. This “wedding noir” theme is void of colourful bouquets, purple bridesmaid dresses and pink carnations pinned to the lapels of jackets and suits. However it allows to showcase an artistic side of wedding photography. It takes a sharper eye to get the composition right, a keen understanding of how the image will look, as well as what impact the gray tones will have on the mood of the picture. In order to deliver black and white images, your wedding photographer will require a different mindset. We need to be conscious of the direction for the light, contrast and shape in the scene.
Benefits of Black and White Wedding Pictures
The main benefit of shooting black and white wedding pictures is that the images will take the viewers straight into the heart of your story. Black and white wedding pictures will be free of “distractions” of tones that could influence the final look of the scene. This way, the shots will be more exciting, direct and distinctive.
Black and white wedding images are great for contrasty images with distinctive shadows, dramatic lighting and silhouette. It’s great to use black and white to amplify a graphical element in the image. Light and graphics are essential components of great photography. Black and white wedding picture makes it easier for the eye to follow the graphical lines and the play of lighting. It creates visual depth to the images. Black and white also ads that nostalgic vintage look that we treasure so much. Also a lot of world renowned famous photojournalists shoot entirely in black and white.
Colour vs. Black and white wedding pictures
A good balance between black and white pictures and colour pictures is essential. Some images look better in colour, some in black and white. It entirely depends on the image. For example a couple session in a garden full of flowers or at the sunset is all about colour. A more graphical urban landscape suggests the use of black and white photography. Buildings and structures look better in monochrome colours. Emotions also look stronger in black and white wedding pictures. The attention of the viewer is directed to the strong moment without distraction of the colour.
It is necessary to have certain aspects of your wedding shot only in colour. For example family portraits and most of the wedding ceremony images are always shot in colour on the wedding day. That said, black and white photography is the perfect choice for creative and photo journalistic shots. It’s great to have a variety of different images in the wedding album.
