Chasing the Light: Improving Your Photography with Available Light

Personal Reality through Black-and-White

Of the five visual draws, four of them—contrast, brightness, sharpness, and pattern—are as important in my black-and-white work as they are in my color. Each is still rooted in how I evaluate the light and the resulting photograph.

So, when I’m shooting, even for the specific purpose of black-and-white imagery, I’m still considering those visual draws when I select and create my compositions. If my approach to the visual draws changes at all when it comes to black-and-white photography, it’s in my increased focus on contrast. The contrast between dark and light tones is what shapes the heart of any monochrome photograph.

This image of a young pool player is one of my earliest successful images. Even before ...