Black and White Photography Technique

Throughout the history of photography, black and white photography has been gaining its reputation. From ordinary, portrait and later documentary photography, an art of capturing moments has emerged that requires from the photographer not only a sense of aesthetics, but also the ability to combine and play with light, colour contrasts, texture and composition. This confirmed hypothesis 3. Before writing the diploma thesis, the following hypotheses were set: H1: Black and white photography technique has been increasingly popular in recent years.

Problem

Throughout the history of photography, black and white photography has been gaining its reputation. From ordinary, portrait and later documentary photography, an art of capturing moments has emerged that requires from the photographer not only a sense of aesthetics, but also the ability to combine and play with light, colour contrasts, texture and composition. In the period of the emergence of the digital camera and its general acceptance, black and white photography momentarily moved somewhat into the background of the entire photographic scene.

Its timelessness and mysteriousness awakened in individuals the desire to use it. Black and white photography is thus one of the characteristic representatives of timelessness and classicism. With its story, which it tells the viewer through a combination of different forms, textures and motifs, it evokes nostalgia in them.

Thus, we can consider that the popularity of black and white photography amongst people is almost equivalent to the popularity of colour photography. Based on the researched data, we can claim that its popularity is constantly growing, both amongst older and younger people. With this, we can confirm our first hypothesis and reject the second hypothesis.

Although young people increasingly resort to using black and white photography, they remain mostly faithful to colour. Black and white photography is certainly one of the most popular ways of photographing portraits. The characteristics of black and white photography in portraits emphasise even more the individual's features and specificities. By emphasising bodily or facial features, such photography takes us through the life story of the portrayed person. Black and white photography technique prevails primarily in portrait photography.

Results

This confirmed hypothesis 3. Before writing the diploma thesis, the following hypotheses were set: H1: Black and white photography technique has been increasingly popular in recent years. They found that black and white technique does remain in trend, but at the same time its popularity is equivalent to colour photography, therefore in this part we reject hypothesis 1.

H2: Most young people swear by black and white photography. Based on the respondents' answers, we reject hypothesis 2, as black and white technique does not prevail primarily amongst young people. H3: In black and white photography technique, portraits prevail.

From the survey results, it is evident that 96% of respondents agreed with the statement that in black and white photography technique portraits prevail, so we confirm hypothesis 3. Black and white photography technique, despite its apparent ease, requires a great deal of knowledge and experience from the photographer. If we wish to create quality black and white photography, the photographer must consider several important factors that together create harmony between colours, motifs and the background story. All together creates timelessness and extravagance that attracts even the most discerning eyes and awakens attention in them. ** Black and white photography takes you into a world of mystery and mixed colours and a world coloured by individual imagination.** A special feature of photography is also the (usually) individual approach to creating and working.

However, there are also possibilities (especially in larger projects) that a whole team of experts collaborates in creating photographs. In such cases, it is possible to discuss roles in the team and connections between project team members. Unfortunately, not in their case.

I believe that by writing the diploma thesis, she expanded her knowledge in black and white photography. She achieved the goals set in the introduction of the diploma thesis.