Outdoor Photography How To

There's no doubt that some outdoor scenes cry out for a monochrome rendition with all of the striking contrast or moody effects that are possible with b&w imagery. Other times, however, the vivid color you see through the viewfinder makes this decision a no brainer.

This unique video featuring pro Richard Brockwell is an interesting showdown of sorts as it pits magical color creations against stunning b&w art, and then walks through his thought process when deciding which approach to take based upon the specifics of the scene at hand. In just about every situation one style will reign supreme.

Brockwell does an admiral job of demonstrating the why, when, and, how of this conundrum. You can always capture an image in both color and b&w, or shoot in color and make a conversion during the image-editing process, but that's not really the point of today's episode. Rather, Brockwell's goal is to help you get great results whether bright colors capture your heart or the simplicity and elegance of b&w wins your over.

As you'll see, there's more to all this than getting things right in the camera, because post-processing skills can be equally important. Brockwell puts it like this: 'When it comes to image editing, choosing between color and black and white formats opens distinct creative pathways—each with their own challenges and rewards.

Brockwell shares the manner in which her edits both color and b&w imagery so you can decide which approach inspires you most. Color editing, for example "allows for dynamic expression through vibrant hues and tonal harmony. Monochrome, on the other hand, "strips away color to focus on texture and composition. "The ultimate decision is a subjective one, but in either case you'll be better equipped to create attention-grabbing imagery by the time this lesson concludes.



Then head over to Brockwell's instructional YouTube channel where there's much more to learn.

And don't miss our earlier tutorial featuring another accomplished pro who demonstrates how to use your camera's powerful Spot Metering mode to nail exposure every time.