Better Black and White photography (Part two)

By Douwe Dijkstra | 5 November 2024

This is part two of a two part series on shooting black and white photography. See part one, from last week, here.

Geometric shapes captured in a Dulwich Hill laneway, complementing the checkered shirt of the passer by. Apple iPhone 15 Plus. 1/530s @ f2.4, ISO 25;

Graphic shapes

As a graphic designer I love lines, curves, shapes, patterns and typography. My eyes are naturally drawn to them and as a result they feature heavily in my work.

You’ll find lines, curves and shapes for example in much of architecture, a favourite subject of mine. Whether it’s heritage listed old buildings or contemporary concrete brutalist structures, architecture presents many opportunities for photographers.

Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge reflected in a Luna Park restaurant window. A unique way of capturing both icons in the one frame in a creative way. Apple iPhone 6. 1/900s @ f2.2, ISO 32.

Surprising reflections

Reflections are everywhere. In puddles, glass, metal, mirrors, etc. One trick I like to use is to just point my camera at them and see what I can capture.

The results are often very surprising or out of this world! Head out after a rainy day, and there will be puddles everywhere. Flip your smartphone upside down, or hold your camera as close as you can to the water and watch as it becomes a perfect mirror.

Shooting through shop windows is great as well. What you capture is just what you see through the glass and what is behind you reflected in the glass.

My reflection images often look like double exposures, but they are not. They are single frames. There’s no Photoshop wizardry (not that there’s anything wrong with that!), I just challenge myself to capture everything in the one frame.

This image was captured at the Eveleigh Carriage Works in Sydney. After heavy rain, the puddles at this industrial location make for awesome reflections, and the zig-zag roof line is such a unique feature of this building. An added bonus here was the skateboarder willing to do a few flips. And, lucky for me, I was able to take the picture at the right moment. Apple iPhone 15 Plus. 1/690s @ f1.6, ISO 50.

Decisive moments

Every now and then you capture a candid moment that is really extraordinary. These moments are hard to come by. They may only occur once or twice a year, and happen when you least expect it. It’s that ordinary image with an extraordinary element.

A bird flies through your frame. Lightning strikes the same time you hit the exposure button, you witness a rare emotion during a candid shoot, or a person unintentionally photobombs you.

Something totally unexpected happens right in front of you, and you were there to capture it. This is why it’s always worth having your camera with you.

A commuter walking past a video wall showing a moving train inside Wynyard Station. I love it when random video content matches the location’s context. Apple iPhone X. 1/30s @ f1.8, ISO 20;

And finally…

I hope this article has inspired you to shoot more in mono. So, get out there, chase the light, be creative, challenge yourself, think outside the box, break the rules, follow your instinct and above all, have fun! ❂