I was first introduced to monochrome photography by an experienced club member at the Gold Coast Photographic Society in about 2017. This led me to explore a range of text and video based resources and, more recently, I have enjoyed Mieke Boynton’s video resources on monochrome (black and white) photography. As with all aspects of my photography, I expect to continue learning for as long as I have a camera in my hands.

My interest in monochrome also stems partly from being a little colour blind. With colour images, I need to regularly check my histogram to ensure I have not inadvertently oversaturated an image. Ironically, as a result, I can sometimes produce colour images that are a little softer or more restrained in their colour than intended. Monochrome removes much of that concern and allows me to concentrate more directly on light, shadow, contrast and tonal relationships.

Whether presented in colour or monochrome, I believe the foundations of a successful image remain much the same: a well-captured, technically sound and thoughtfully presented photograph. Monochrome, however, provides additional creative flexibility in how light, shadow and tonal relationships are interpreted and presented.

My photography also tends to have a key ‘hero’ or central element, and I find that monochrome can enhance that element even further by reducing competing visual distractions. Flight, Leaping Over and Slider are good examples. In colour, each contains background elements that can be more distracting than beneficial. By removing colour, those distractions are diminished and the viewer’s attention is drawn more strongly towards the central subject.

For me, monochrome is therefore not simply about converting a colour image to black and white. It is another way of seeing and interpreting the image, and sometimes, it is the better way to tell the story.