Regular followers of my website and blog will already be aware of my love for black and white wedding photography. There is something very timeless about a beautifully crafted image devoid of colour. Once you strip away the colour it becomes all about the content, the subject, the light, the shape, form and composition. No distractions. Don’t get me wrong, I love a colour photograph too. In every client’s wedding gallery I always include a mix of colour and monochrome wedding photography and I actually find myself switching the balance of black and white to colour on a wedding by wedding basis. It really does depend on the day itself.
If colours plays an important part in the day, there tend to be more colour pictures in the wedding gallery as a result. I process both my colour and monochrome wedding photographs with exactly the same approach. Classic, filmic, timeless. I don’t follow the latest trends or fads with my processing. I want your pictures to still look amazing in 1 years time, 10 years time and even in 100 years time.
This picture is one of my favourites from a recent wedding at Burgh House in Hampstead. The venue is quite dark with warm lights in the main room and much cooler blue lights in the room behind the bride and groom. The focus of this image is obviously the couple and the beautiful little moment they are sharing, and the mixed temperature of lighting would prove distracting. I knew when I took it this shot would be processed in black and white. As strange as it sounds, I actually do see the scene in black and white when I am taking the picture. This particular photograph will look wonderful in their album today and for generations to come.
See more timeless pictures from some of my favourite weddings in my black and white wedding photography gallery.
Great moment captured there Steven… one they will treasure
Nicely put and well written. Good one
Great blog piece Steven, especially as anyone that knows me also knows I love a black and white too! Completely agree with your ‘no distractions’ comment and yes, colour images can also be fabulous, but you only have to look at the above capture and all you can see is the raw emotion of that bride & groom. Love it.