Lately, I’ve been perusing the Internet for vintage black and white photos, partly because I’m enrolled in a photography class this semester and mostly because I’ve always appreciated photography as an art. As I glance over countless images ranging from the Kennedy wedding photos to modern day remakes of Audrey Hepburn’s classic portrait, I can’t help but notice the striking simplicity that black and white images have over colored ones.
Since the advent of colored photography, photographers have utilized color to enhance their intended descriptions of their subjects. And while a photograph’s color temperature is often times essential to the photograph’s descriptiveness, sometimes a lack of color can prove very telling in terms of a photograph’s story.
Black and white photography is and will always be a favorite choice of photographers for its aged elegance, classic romance, and ability to turn a boring color scheme into an enchanting image with a different perspective.
To get a better grasp for what black and white photography means to a master photographer himself, I caught up with my old friend, skilled filmmaker and photographer Sam Sulam.
“Nothing in life is black and white, but black and white photography still has an authentic feel to it. I love the nostalgia that it brings,” Sulam said. “You can’t simply decide to make your photos black and white while editing – you need to know you are doing it when shooting. It’s something I think out before hand in order to ensure I capture the contrast, and more importantly the mood.”