When browsing through my wedding photography portfolio, people tend to pause at the ones in black and white tones. Color television and over-saturated social media shots make up most of the images people see each day, so the purity of a black and white photo makes them stop and appreciate the simplicity of this type of picture. Perhaps it jolts their consciousness to recall those vintage images of their grandparent’s wedding when black and white film was the only way to capture this special occasion. Or maybe in their minds, they link the photos to images of charismatic Hollywood actors and actresses during that glamorous era of black and white movie-making. Why are black and white wedding photos so popular? It’s because of its illustrious past and the fact that monochrome photography is trendy again.
Famous Photographers Love Black and White
Photographers from the golden age of movie production became household names based on their ability to express evocative emotions through stylish portraits. Masters of this craft include George Hurrell, an American photographer who produced iconic portraits of movie stars in the 1930s and 1940s. Some of his most famous images depict Rock Hudson, Katherine Hepburn, Greta Garbo, and Humphrey Bogart. Around the same time, Yousuf Karsh, an Armenian-Canadian, was photographing hundreds of celebrities. His subjects included Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth II, Ernest Hemingway, Albert Einstein, and John F. Kennedy. The glamour and drama of these images are incredible. Black and white photography hasn’t been left in the past. Many modern photographers, such as Peter Lindbergh, still like to shoot in black and white. Even when photographing supermodels for illustrious magazines such as Vogue, Peter said he prefers black and white because it is a creative choice that “helps a sense of reality to come through”.
Black and White Puts the Focus on You
Having some black and white photographs of your wedding adds an extra dimension to the images you can share with your family and friends. Black and white photos have a timeless quality that is simple yet classy. Black and white tones elevate wedding pictures into an artistic expression of elegance and sophistication. These images suggest intimate and romantic moments.
As a professional wedding photographer at bryllupsfotograf København, I’d never suggest shooting all of a wedding in monochrome, but having a few portraits in black and white hues, especially of the bride and groom, makes those images special. One of the main reasons black and white wedding photos are appealing is that all of the viewer’s focus is drawn to the person being photographed and enhances the raw emotion on the faces of everyone involved. When a person is standing in front of a colorful background, anyone looking at the scene is always distracted by the brightness behind. But in a black and white wedding photo, any backdrop is transformed into shades of gray, and it cannot draw attention away from the story being told. And when there are many competing elements in the scene, such as guests in a broad range of colors, black and white strips away the clutter and allows the viewer to focus on the subject of the photo. In black and white images, it’s easier to discern the intended focus of the picture, especially when I use specific composition techniques to bring attention to you as the focal point of the photo to create a special memory.
It’s a Sentimental Option
Having a few black and white images amongst a collection of your favorite wedding photos also makes a statement. The simplicity of the shot brings a sense of calm and tastefulness to the gallery of images. There is a classic appeal to the black and white tonal range that suits wedding pictures. Individual portraits can benefit from this treatment because gray tones produce a mood appropriate to the occasion’s seriousness. Weddings are full of emotion. It’s a joyful time of celebration, but there’s also uncertainty associated with starting a new phase of life. When paired with the right expression from the subject, black and white photos elicit authentic feelings of yearning and hope that goes beyond anything that can be shown in a color image.
Black and white wedding photography brings out the sentimental aspects of an occasion. The understated appearance of a black and white photo holds a soft but tangible moodiness that shows tenderness and the connections between people. It communicates depths of emotion in a way that color photos are incapable of reaching. You can feel its power in the thoughtful expression of the groom as he’s putting on his suit, the manner of the bride as she looks out the window and contemplates her future, and the reassuring gaze of the father as his daughter stands before him in her wedding dress.
Black and White is Timeless But Trendy Too
When ‘retro’ became trendy, vinyl records and film photography found a new lease of life. Along with this, black and white filters arrived on Instagram, and a new subculture arrived. But this is not a fad; black and white wedding photos have stood the test of time. It’s a technique that will never go out of fashion because it’s the foundation of photography itself. Black and white photography is basic, but in the hands of a professional wedding photographer, it becomes an exquisite art form. Through the use of contrast, shadows, and grain, these subtle yet refined images are appealing to the eyes and the heart. Without the distraction of color, the viewer is free to enjoy the combination of light and darkness and can easily discover the faces, the body language, and the emotions within the image.
The Perfect Combination
Perhaps because it forces us to see the world differently from our normal vision, we find black and white wedding photographs captivating and enticing. They surreptitiously demand our attention and hold it as we study them with reverence. Whatever the reason, the ability to convey emotion and capture true beauty is a quality that means it will remain a favorite format in wedding photography for many years to come.