5 Reasons to Make It Monochrome - Waterloo Family Lifestyle Photography

I'm having a real love for black and white these days! There's something so timeless about a monochromatic picture, isn't there? But did you know that using black and white can have other benefits as well? Here are 5 reasons why you might want to consider a monochrome (black and white) picture to hang on your wall.

1. It's classic.

A black and white picture is harder to date, because many of the elements that are telltale signs of a particular era, like the colours of outfits or the colours of processing (think 1970s photos), are absent. Especially if the person in the picture is wearing clothing in a timeless style, like this little girl, your image will look classic and timeless.

2. It can put emphasis on emotion.

When you take the colour away from a picture, the viewer is able to focus on other things in the picture, like the emotion on the subjects' faces. It can also eliminate distractions from the background, and help show off what's really important in the image. Removing the colour from this image allows the joy on the parents’ faces to shine through.

3. It shows off texture, light, and shapes.

Without colour to attract the viewer’s eye, other elements of an image, like texture, light, and shapes, get to be the stars of the show. I love the texture of the rug and the patch of sunlight around this little boy.

4. It shows something ordinary in a new light.

We’re used to seeing things in colour, so when our eyes are surprised by a black and white image, we take an extra moment to look closely. This is a great chance to take an image of an everyday activity and find greater beauty and meaning in it. This little boy is getting into the Cheerios like he’s done this before, but this image makes it seem like a special moment, frozen in time.

5. It enhances details.

Black and white images are flattering to all skin tones, and place focus on small details, like the light in this little girl’s eyes, the texture of her hair, and the mischief in her grin. 

Are you feeling as in love with monochrome as I am? Would you ever think of doing a wall gallery in black and white? What kind of session do you think would produce great monochrome images? Let me know in the comments!