Wedding photos: color or b&w?
Color or black and white, obviously I prefer black and white.
Let's face it, if I could make and deliver only black and white photos, I would. The depth of blacks and whites, textures, light patterns, shadows and, above all, the ability to refocus attention on the subject being photographed are its undeniable assets. Processing takes much longer than for a color photo, but the result is well worth the time invested. What's more, when when colors are part of fashions or trends, b&w renders reality timeless, and for me this is its greatest strength.
But I deliver most of my wedding photos in color.
Having said that, I mainly photograph weddings, which are happy, dynamic events. It's usually a beautiful day, and everyone is getting ready for it, giving time and importance to the choice of colors... So I have to adapt.have to adapt, so I usually usually in my reports a maximum number of color photos
It's often pointed out to me that there are a lot of black and white photographs on my website, far more than in my photo reports. Also, many brides and grooms ask me why some images are in color and others in black and white. Are there any rules? Is there any logic to the use of a color or black and white process in post-processing and at the shoot? Is it at the time of shooting or afterwards? I've sometimes spent time in interviews explaining the whys and wherefores of a color or black and white breakdown in a report. Sometimes I even go so far as to ask the bride and groom clearly if they have a particular preference. For some weddings, I've also had to deliver 100% color or 100% black and white reports at the explicit request of the bride and groom.
The bride and groom's preference, an artistic or cultural choice
For me, there is a real logic and determining factors to the rendering of the image, but there are also particular circumstances to take into account that sometimes go beyond photography. I'm referring in particular to certain cultural particularities that sometimes associate color and black & white with beliefs about life, happiness, love and death. As the photographer of the bride and groom, I must systematically adapt to their desires and preferences, as well as to their culture, habits and customs, so that the reportage is carried out with respect for each person's authenticity. So it's a combination of factors that determines my choice, with certain nuances of priority.
Right from our first meeting, we clearly discuss the subject so that I can anticipate and prepare myself as well as possible for the shoot. Most brides and grooms give me carte blanche as to the color and B&W split. Sometimes, for cultural reasons or artistic preferences, they may ask for a marked majority or even a 100% color or black & white reportage.
On the day, I shoot in color, but sometimes I look at my black and white photo directly on the camera.
When I shoot, I work with a raw file format, called "RAW" (for Canon cameras). This format allows the sensor to capture all the raw information, lights, colors, contrasts... The software built into my camera then shows them to me on the camera screen in color or black and white, depending on my settings, but the photo is always taken in color. So it's during post-processing of the photo report that I make the final choice. By default, the photo dictates the choice.
My post-processing depends on several elements:
Above all, I analyze the photographic intention behind the shot. What did I want to capture in this photo? What's the subject? What's the emotion? What's the space like (dimensions, lines, location)? What is the context (the precise moment, the weather, etc.)? Based on this intention, I already know whether the photo will be in color or black and white.
In the photo below, what really stands out is Coralie's reaction to the mirror at the end of the preparations. The multiple colors in the background would inevitably have interfered with the image, and here the black and white allows us to strongly reinforce the focus on Coralie's emotion and smile.
I then analyze in greater detail the light of the scene photographed, the contrasts and the colors. It's the colors that I focus on the most. In photojournalism, we don't always choose how we're going to decorate the scene, especially in interior spaces such as a town hall or church. On the other hand, I make sure that they don't detract from the initial intention, and that they work well together to create a pleasing effect.
In the examples below, not only are the colors too beautiful not to keep, but they also help define the intention.
A few basic, common-sense principles also help me decide. Not wanting to offend or frustrate guests and relatives who may have spent hours choosing the right color for their D-day attire, I deliver all group photos in color. The same goes for table decorations, estate decorations, bouquets and other images where colors are of prime importance or have been carefully chosen by the bride and groom.
In the end, it's the photo that dictates my choice.
To conclude, you'll have understood that for me, each photo must be considered independently of the reportage in order to know what post-processing to apply. Black and white is often my preference, for the simple reason that the strongest photos are often documentary-type photos where action and emotion, captured on the spot, take precedence over the colors present in the image. Above all, black and white allows me to render these moments timeless, to bring more power to the emotion and to be able to refine the contrast and light in the image.
Now you know almost everything about how black & white and color are used in my photos. Feel free to browse the entire portfolio to discover my most beautiful wedding photos.
