Grayscale

Black-and-white images are composed of shades of gray, varying from the weakest intensity, black, to the strongest intensity, white.

When we look at a black-and-white photograph, we see its tones in grayscale.

These are not two-color images of only black and white. Rather, grayscale images have many shades of gray between black and white.

Obviously, the world we see with our eyes is filled with colors of all hues and shades. However, we often find a black and white photo to be more emotional, evoking feelings and provoking memories.

Sometimes a black and white photo seems to reveal more detail and texture of a subject or scene, as if seeing the complete range of colors would distract us.

From white white to black black

Grayscale tones range from bright white to deep black. A better photograph encompasses as many of these brightness values as possible.

A digital camera allows a photographer to select the monochrome mode to capture a scene translated into black and white.

Of course, every shot is a color (RGB) image. The black and white image generated by the camera is a simulation of how black and white would appear.

RGB color is a model in which red, green, and blue light are added together to reproduce a full spectrum of colors. The image processor in a camera has been programmed arbitrarily to see colors as the product engineers see them. To record a monochrome image, the RGB colors are converted to grayscale.

Framing visual elements

Composing a photo means arranging the visual elements in the viewfinder or on an LCD monitor screen.

Whether you stand far away or move in close, you are framing your subject within that window. You can:

• Frame the shot to focus attention on your subject.
• Crop the shot to make the strongest visual statement about the subject.

Framing

Framing allows you to focus attention on your subject – isolating the subject from the larger world.

As you frame a scene in the viewfinder, you crop out extraneous pieces of visual information – getting rid of peripheral visual elements that do not say something about the visual statement you intend to make.

Looking at a scene, you may find something that can be used to frame the subject. It does not need to be a four-sided frame.

Examples of framing elements you might find in a picture could be a doorway or arch, or trees with overhanging branches.

Cropping

Images may require cropping after they are shot.

Cropping removes the outer parts of an image to improve framing and accentuate the subject.

When you view an image later, you may see fat you would like to trim away from the sides, top or bottom.
You will want to keep anything that strengthens your visual statement while removing elements of the photo that have less relevance and weaken the image.

Those could be anyone or anything extraneous, irrelevant or unrelated to the subject, providing background clutter, blaring a distracting hotspot, or showing too much empty space that contributes nothing to the statement you want to make.

Shape after cropping

• You can crop a horizontal photo so it appears to be a vertical picture. You might do that to give the image a feeling of strength or make it more imposing.
• On the other hand, you can crop a vertical picture to make it horizontal. That could give the image a more relaxed feel.
• Or you can crop a photo to a square picture to give the subject a sense of symmetry and quiet strength.