34th & Now

I’ve previously stated—here—my belief that black and white photography enhances the storytelling aspect of a photograph by allowing the viewer to focus in on the intended subject. At the same time, however, black and white photography presents a challenge for the photographer by eliminating one of the main tools—color—that photographers use to help set the scene for the photo.

For instance a photo of a child running through a field might relay to the viewer, through the use of color, the time of day, the season, or why the child is running in the first place. That same photo, shot in black and white, would lose much of the “background” information that set up the tone for the scene being captured. With that being the case, the photographer in question might have to work just a little bit harder; pay just a little more attention to framing and contrast, in order to tell the same story.

That’s why I find it all the more impressive when a black & white photo comes together perfectly, like the one above. The use of sharp (the clothing) and subdued (the newspaper) black and white contrasts give the photo both a chaotic and a serene feeling; as if at any moment the model might jump up from her reflections and begin ripping the newspaper down from the walls.

(photo via freakalert)