Like everyone else, I’m always looking for ways to improve my photographs. I’ve read books on foundational topics, such as the zone system and rules of composition, and now, after six years, it’s time to do my photography—time to explore. As with any creative field, the next step is truly an open-ended question. Is the goal to capture interesting scenes, tell a story, photograph interesting people, or explore a concept? When I face questions like these, I look for inspiration, usually in books. 100 Ways to Take Better Black and White Photographs and Complete Guide to Black & White Photography, two recent library additions, have provided timely insights.
100 Ways to Take Better Black and White Photographs, by Michael Milton, as the name implies, presents 100 annotated photographs. The commentary offers suggestions that range from basics like camera techniques to specific types of subjects to explore, such as industrial architecture and shooting at night. At first glance, the topics offered sound like the standard fare found in every photography book. However, with each photograph, he explains the technical aspects of the image (camera, lens, filter) while offering insights into composition, subject selection, lens use, and other useful observations. I have gone through many photography books and put them on the shelf, never to be read again. With this book, on the other hand, I tagged pages with sticky notes to go back and review.
The suggestions offered have helped me see everyday things in a different light and prompted me to consider ideas I had not considered. For instance, one suggestion given is “photograph details,” which I intend to apply to a nearby building. The building has a black metallic frame that I see as a compelling subject. I’ve tried photographing it, but there are no good angles, so I cannot capture the entire building without significant distortion. Switching from the entire building to details, I’m going to try to capture a small portion of the building, framed with the sky (hopefully with clouds) as the background. Whether this yields an image I am pleased with remains to be seen, but I do have a new approach to try.
The second book, Complete Guide to Black & White Photography, by John Hedgecoe, offers a similar approach, with many photographs and commentary on key aspects of composition, lighting, and more. Hedgecoe’s commentary is more general, covering multiple related photos instead of a specific image. On further consideration, I see Milton’s book as a source of inspiration for its analysis and broad range of subjects. Hedgecoe’s main value to me is the number of photo examples it provides.
Would I recommend these books? It depends on the problem you are trying to solve. If you feel secure about the basics—exposure triangle, composition, and zone system— but find yourself trying to decide what to point your camera at and why, 100 Ways to Take Better Black and White Photographs may help. The Complete Guide to Black & White Photography is best thought of as a gallery of subject-based examples. Not sure? Do what I did—find them cheap on eBay and get both—I paid $12.00 with free shipping. That’s hard to beat.
Happy reading!
I have Michael Milton’s book and “The Art of Black and White Photography” by John Garrett.
I have found “Black and White Photography – A Basic Manual” by Henry Horenstein to be another very useful resource.
I have this book and another by Garrett, Mastering Black and White Photography, which is also very helpful. I looked at Horenstein’s book, but chose not to get it because it covers much of the same territory as Photogpraphy by Barbara London and John Upton. I have the 6th edition, which is focused on film, and it may be my absolute favorite photography book.
These days, I’m looking more for ideas and examples than for technical information and instruction. I’ve found old issues of Black and White Magazine from the 1999-2006 or so, to be excellent resources.
Thanks for the reviews. As I’ve been back in film for six years, my work has grown a bit “static”, so the first book sounds interesting.
You’re welcome!
This is now year 7 for me, and I am beginning to focus more on mood and composition. Nuances in metering, filter use, and viewing angles are increasingly affecting what I choose to shot and how. Books like these offer ideas that I can use for experimentation.