Why I'm Committing to Black and White Photography

As I continue to evolve as a photographer, I've decided to embrace black and white as the exclusive medium for my work. This choice is not just aesthetic; it’s a deliberate renunciation that brings me greater freedom.

Please note: if a client specifically asks me for a color job I will not refuse. Fortunately I have already shown that I know how to do it. But this decision concerns my proposal in general, my preference and what allows me to already have a selected clientele.

Premise: black and white is not better than color just as color is not better than black and white. They are two different ways of telling. Two different languages. With this article I have absolutely no intention of directing or proselytizing. I do not want to convince anyone. Follow your path as I follow mine.

Here are my reasons for this shift:

In Renunciation, There Is Greater Freedom

By stepping away from color, I find liberation in simplicity. This renunciation allows me to explore deeper layers of storytelling, focusing on form, light, and shadow without the distractions that color can impose. I don’t think anymore to appeal to an audience and a trend. I have to do what is right to me and through this I am sure there already appreciators of my work. While for Fashion and Portraits is a wide ocean and in a certain sense I am starting again, for my street documentary photography I worked most of the time in black and white despite the last years I have presented most of my work in color. Color is the trend in street photography today and I want to go in the opposite direction, always against trends.

There Are No Things That Cannot Be Told in Black and White

Black and white photography transcends limitations. Every subject has a narrative that can be expressed through contrast and texture. From vibrant cityscapes to intimate portraits, I believe that every moment can be powerfully conveyed in monochrome. I like to think (to me is a fact) that black and white imposes to the observer a different attention, and it asks to imagine things. In color most of things are closed, declared. In black and white an effort is required to the observer.

Straight to the Point

Black and white photography cuts through the noise. It goes straight to the essence of the subject, making the composition less problematic. This clarity allows the viewer to engage more fully with the image, inviting them to explore its core message without the distraction of color. It is simple and complicated to the same time: while with color we can make things where the content is not that important, in black and white you have to propose content. If there is not, there is not a relevant photograph.

Stylistic Coherence

Choosing black and white creates a cohesive body of work. Each photograph speaks the same visual language, reinforcing my artistic identity. This coherence strengthens the connection between my images and the stories they tell. I was thinking also to the skin of people. Especially here in Mexico light condition and the mix of races leads to colors that often become bizarre, generating photographs that I don't like. In the case of fashion photography and portraits I really dislike most of photos I see around: either you tend towards excessively bright colours worthy of a glossy 80s magazine (horror) or that fake vintage that seems like something you've already seen.

Focusing on Emotions and Structure

In portraits, black and white highlights emotions and expressions, stripping away anything that might detract from the subject's humanity. A portrait needs to be focused on details, and the details can’t be menaced by a color which shifts the attention from that detail. As a portrait photographer I play my game, I prefer people come to me with their favorite dresses and feeling themselves, so comfortable in fron of my camera. While I can suggest to dress in sober colors, I feel that I am imposing a choice anyway and therefore I prefer to avoid some problems generated by a red sweater that cancels my attention towards the expression of my subject with black and white.

For urban landscapes, it emphasizes structure, allowing the architectural forms to stand strong and clear without the overlays of color distraction. In practice, on this I feel very close to the lesson of a great photographer like Gabriele Basilico. And I propose myself as a student of structures and therefore of architecture. Even if I am not an architectural photographer and my approach is simpler, I try to offer an observation that focuses on the geometric aspects rather than the color distracting from this.

Distinguishing Myself in Street Photography

In the realm of street photography, where color has become the dominant trend, choosing black and white sets me apart. By avoiding the "noise" of current trends, I return to the essence of the street photography that I learned to love, capturing moments with a timeless quality. My street photos are not following the trend of visual jokes (that I abhor) and they are focised on emotions, gestures, expressions. My street photography is complex and not even limited to people, to me is important to photograph a building, trees, bushes, broken windows, the asphalt, a cigarette butt, a jumping cat…and I feel only in black and white I can work all that respecting my vision.

Enhancing Fashion Street Style

Black and white photography brings out the details in fashion street style, highlighting textures, contrasts, and shapes. This approach allows the viewer to focus on the design and form of the clothing without being distracted by color, making the fashion stand out more prominently. I strongly believe that working in fashion photography is a great opportunity to make highest art. Photographers like Ugo Mulas, Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton are a great reference. While most of fashion photography today is in color, I think black and white can represent a different way to propose my photography to clients interested in going in a certain sense against what is currently in vogue.

Emphasizing Light and Shadow

Without color, the interplay of light and shadow becomes more pronounced. This emphasis enhances the dramatic effect of my images, whether in portraits or street scenes, adding depth and intensity to the visual experience. When you think of sunny places you often think of color photography. But I think this is an overly simplistic and even vulgar way of thinking. The sun generates light, but it also produces shadows. And shadows in black and white are much more visually pleasing than those in a color photograph.

Timelessness

Black and white images possess a timeless quality that color often lacks. This timelessness is particularly important in my commercial work, ensuring that my photographs remain relevant and impactful across different eras and trends. I believe that photography does not have to be beautiful. This is a widespread concept but, as far as I am concerned, I believe it is wrong. For me, a photograph must be good in the sense of proposing a point of view, a particular and as personal as possible look by the photographer author. While I can appreciate many photographers who work in color, black and white photography is my dimension. And this statement has a rational choice on its side that these shared points are explaining. This is the result of a crisis I recently had and resolved with a timely and rational analysis of where I want to take my photographic proposal.

Artistic Control

Working in black and white gives me greater control over the artistic process. By focusing solely on luminance and contrast, I can manipulate the elements of my photographs more precisely, achieving the exact mood and atmosphere I envision.

I am focused on prints: books and prints. this is why I consider those mediums the natural landing place. This fact presents itself in its truth in the publication of my books, in the many exhibitions in which I have participated, with photos that have been in many galleries around the world and were, coincidentally, always in black and white (even if in truth my first personal exhibition presented only color photos). And the clients almost always ask me for black and white photographs.

With black and white it is easier to tell the printer what I want to achieve. Color is much less manageable in this sense and I know that it depends essentially on what you did when you took the shot and with the subsequent post processing.

Simplifying the Visual Experience

By eliminating color, I simplify the visual experience for the viewer. This simplicity allows the viewer to engage more deeply with the subject, drawing their attention to the essential elements of the photograph and fostering a more intimate connection with the image.

Tell me what you want but I always prefer a nice black and white portrait to a nice color portrait.

Do you want an imput about my street photography? Currently for street photography I am using mostly my Olympus Pen EP-5 camera. And I am working in aperture priority and using the zone focusing technique. This brings me to a very basic condition and a certain era of photography, basically the workflow while I work is very similar to working with an analog camera. By using a 28mm and a 70mm lens I can see how anything is reduced to a basic experience and I feel that the black and white is the right choice to take.

Even with the question of the motion blur: honestly I always prefer it in black and white while in color most of the time it looks shitty.

Pursuing Excellence Through Specialization

My ultimate goal is to achieve excellence in my work. I believe this is possible only through specialization. By committing fully to black and white photography, I can refine my craft and push the boundaries of my creativity, striving towards unparalleled mastery in my chosen medium. I tried to manage both. It is not the best thing to do. Because coloro imposes a different approach and so the black and white.

By committing to black and white, I’m not limiting myself but rather opening up a new realm of creative possibility.

Conclusion

In a world saturated with color images, choosing to work exclusively in black and white allows me to carve out a distinct and powerful niche. It is a journey of stripping away the superfluous to reveal the essence, of seeking clarity and depth, and of committing to a path of specialization that leads to excellence. Black and white photography is not just a technique but a philosophy, one that aligns perfectly with my vision and artistic goals.