My Favorite Black and White Shots
Contributors' Picks from Around the WorldPublished in X-Ray Magazine
Issue 110, February 2022
Text and Photos by Michael Rothschild
Underwater photography is often about the brilliant colors of marine life. But I am drawn to the incredible power of black-and-white images, and for some subjects, this is a far better way of engaging the viewer.
Strobe-lit macro shots show rich, vibrant hues, but the water column between the photographer and larger subjects mutes the contrast of the scene. It washes out details, and beyond usable strobe range, results in muddy ambient-light scenes. By using black and white, contrast and punch are restored. Composition and framing once again take precedence. I find these photographs far more rewarding than the lucky discovery of a flashy nudibranch, where evolution did all the design work for me.
The photo of the freediver is one of my favorite portraits. The black-and-white image accentuates the angles of the freediver, the tension of the breath hold, and the path to the surface.
The photo of the sand tiger sharks is a distance shot with a macro lens. I was planning on shooting little critters when these sand tiger sharks cruised by. I love the way the lens compression makes the sharks look so stocky and powerful.
The Lady Luck wreck photo uses black and white to draw attention to the diver cruising over the wreck, adding a 3D effect to the shot. And in the Stolt Dagali wreck photo, monochrome highlights the diver over the wreck’s rich marine life cover. The taut anchor line keeping the dive boat above firmly in place describes tension and power, like in the image of the freediver, adding dynamics to a still photo.
Strobe-lit macro shots show rich, vibrant hues, but the water column between the photographer and larger subjects mutes the contrast of the scene. It washes out details, and beyond usable strobe range, results in muddy ambient-light scenes. By using black and white, contrast and punch are restored. Composition and framing once again take precedence. I find these photographs far more rewarding than the lucky discovery of a flashy nudibranch, where evolution did all the design work for me.
The photo of the freediver is one of my favorite portraits. The black-and-white image accentuates the angles of the freediver, the tension of the breath hold, and the path to the surface.
The photo of the sand tiger sharks is a distance shot with a macro lens. I was planning on shooting little critters when these sand tiger sharks cruised by. I love the way the lens compression makes the sharks look so stocky and powerful.
The Lady Luck wreck photo uses black and white to draw attention to the diver cruising over the wreck, adding a 3D effect to the shot. And in the Stolt Dagali wreck photo, monochrome highlights the diver over the wreck’s rich marine life cover. The taut anchor line keeping the dive boat above firmly in place describes tension and power, like in the image of the freediver, adding dynamics to a still photo.
