Spring Means Shooting More Black & White

Today’s Post by Mark Toal

Now that it’s spring (at least here in the Portland area) and the flowers are blooming and the sky is turning blue again it makes me want to set my camera to black and white modes.

I once read something about always trying to do the opposite of what you think you should do and so, to me, shooting the most colorful time of the year in monochrome seems like a perfect challenge.

Because mirrorless cameras have Live View you can see what you’re shooting in black and white on the LCD or in the electronic viewfinder. If you shoot RAW files they will still be in color when you look at them in your computer so switch to JPEG and everything will be in beautiful black and white.

Tip from Joe: Concerned that in the future you might wish that shot was in color? Shot RAW+JPEG with the camera still set for monochrome capture. This will give you two files: one in color (RAW) and one in black & white (JPEG.)

Joe’s book Creative Digital Monochrome Effects is available from Amazon with new copies under $6 and used copies less than five bucks. The money we make from affiliate marketing with Amazon costs you nothing but keeps us online, so thank you for your continued support!