If there is a type of photography that deserves a particularly careful composition, this is undoubtedly black and white photography. Why? Very easy, because the colour is one more compositional element with much more force and visual impact than we are often aware of. By stripping colour images, we lose a lot of compositional strength, which we must gain in other ways. You like black and white? well, let’s see, in a simple way, what these routes are that will make our compositions in black and white a true wonder. Do not forget that you can add more effects to your image with plugins: https://photolemur.com/blog/best-photoshop-plugins.
Work The Lines
By stripping the colour images, the rest of the elements become more relevant; light, texture, shape and composition become more important, if possible than in colour photography.
Play With Visual Rhythm
Anything that emphasizes shapes is, in principle, a right candidate for black and white photography. Repeating patterns in monochrome compositions, being very visual, formal and dynamic, is a good way to add interest to your compositions.
Less Is More
Another aspect to keep in mind when composing in black and white is that he is very fond of compositions with few elements, which is not the same as simple. That is, the compositions must be worked, we have already commented that even more than in colour images, but they work very well with more formal and lightly packed images.
The Light
Experimenting with light is essential to get to know it thoroughly, both in colour and in black and white. Black and white, due to its symbolism and formalism, allows exposure and light to be carried to extremes that colour tolerates worse. Of course, that does not mean that you can burn the image or underexpose it too much, because at the ends is where the information is lost.