Man seated by a rickshaw
Monochrome Madness,  People,  Photographic techniques,  Street photography,  Themed galleries

Gallery: Monochrome Madness, seeing people in black and white

June 12, 2024 / 65 Comments

When you photograph people in colour, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls!

Ted Grant

The appeal of black and white portraiture lies in the way it simplifies the image. Without the distraction of colours, the focus shifts more to the subject’s face and expression. The eyes in particular seem to stand out more, and consequently as a viewer you often feel more connected to the person.

Meanwhile in street photography the use of black and white creates an edginess to the shot. And as in portraiture, the absence of colour results in an emphasis on shape and form, often making the people seem more significant than their surroundings.

I think I must have used the Ted Grant quote above before, and even if I haven’t, others have. But it perfectly suits my theme for this week’s Monochrome Madness, people. You can either share posed portraits or candid street photos, or a mix of the two. I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

Do please remember to tag your post Monochrome Madness so it is easy to find in the reader. And check out Leanne’s Monochrome Madness page to learn more about this fun challenge. Maybe you’d like to host a theme from time to time? If so, do contact Leanne via her page.

Many of my shots were taken on recent travels so hopefully most will be new to you, at least in this format. My feature shot is from our visit to Delhi in 2015. All were taken originally in colour and edited with Nik Silver Efex Pro.

Man sitting painting

Artist on the streets of Mexico City

Young woman on a park bench

In the Plaza Hidalgo, Coyoacan, Mexico

Man in a straw hat by a stone sculpture of a face

In the garden of a restaurant in Teotihuacan Pueblo, Mexico

In a village in Madagascar

Smartly dressed man with a phone
Old man in a cap sitting next to a stall selling eggs

In Moramanga, Madagascar

Busy market scene

The market in Hellville, Nosy Be, Madagascar

Man in a cloak and cloth hat

Crew member on a Hurtigruten ship, dressed for the Arctic Circle crossing ceremony

Man holding a stringed instrument

Musician in Essaouira, Morocco

Woman in African dress holding a baby

In Serrekunda Market, Gambia

Outside Bar Italia, Soho, London

Woman looking at her phone under a neon sign
Man sitting on a stone wall and talking on his phone

Outside the Chiesa di San Michele, Cagliari, Sardinia (currently undergoing restoration)

Another artist, this time in Split, Croatia

Man sitting painting
Man in a cap by a window

The captain of the Hermes II, Tromsø, Norway

In Panajachel, Guatemala

Young boy with a bundle of wood
Old lady in traditional costume

In Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala

And to illustrate the point made by Ted Grant, here’s the colour version of the shot from Guatemala.

I’m willing to bet you’re paying a lot more attention to her clothes now you see them in colour, and consequently a little less to her face and personality.

In Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala

65 Comments

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