Choose Your Technique

While you’re shooting, think about how to make your work more artistic

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Location and light are certainly important when your quest is to create artistic black-and-white images. However, the techniques you use while shooting those images also play an important role, because they help to define the way your subject is recorded and the mood of the final image. It also allows you to put your own creative stamp on those images.

Capturing motion can make a big difference to impact and appeal, as it adds an extra dimension that takes the image beyond the realms of a ‘straight’ photograph. Instead of merely freezing a moment, you’re recording the passing of time in some way, whether it’s a fraction of a second or many minutes.

There are numerous ways to record motion. The most popular these days is by using one of the many ‘extreme’ neutral density (ND) filters available from Lee, Hitech, NiSi, Hoya and others, to enable exposures of several minutes in broad daylight. Moving water ends up as smooth as silk, drifting clouds record as streaks of tone across the sky, while static elements remain pin-sharp and contrast dramatically. For the best results, try to keep the composition bold and simple. Cropping the final image to a square can also enhance its artistic appeal.