Black and White Images

Composition and light are essential elements in any form of photography. But remove the colour, and elements such as tone, contrast and texture take on extra significance. The first photographs from the early 1800’s were black and white images and it was almost a century before colour images appeared. But black and white remains as important as ever to this day.

Many of the world’s greatest photographers of the past worked  almost exclusively in black and white. Ansel Adams with his amazing landscapes, and Henri Cartier-Bresson with his unique street scenes. And Australians such as Damien Parer, Frank Hurley and Max Dupain covered everything from world wars to Antarctic exploration. All masters of composition, capturing the moment, and the careful use of light – to this day their work is still held in awe.

Black and white images can evoke many emotions. The lack of colour can actually enhance the power of a scene, making the viewer concentrate of the elements of the image. And the subject matter is endless. So have a browse through the gallery. I’ll never claim to be in the same class as the greats of black and white photography, but I’m sure you’ll find some images here that capture your imagination.