Monochromatic Photography

Black and white images appear to be more timeless than color images. As evidenced by the color schemes produced by particular types of film or by trends in digital processing, color can sometimes suggest a specific era. Removing the color makes it more difficult to put an exact date on a photo. A lack of color in a photograph often accentuates the light and shadows. Backlit subjects and dramatic shadows are brought to the audience’s attention quickly in black and white images its also known as Monochromatic photography.

Many fine art photographers such as Steven Meisel prefer black and white images for their tendency to distance the subject matter from reality.

Steven Meisel

One of the most iconic fashion photographers of all time, Steven Meisel easily remains the one photographer with whom all the models aspire to work. Has photographed every cover of Vogue Italia since 1988. And for the last two decades and every Prada campaign since 2004.

Stevan Meisel:Photographer 1

Stevens work is amazing from the photography to the lighting, his work is very unique. Steven Meisel is fashion's pre-eminent image-maker prolific and innovative visualizing the trends of every season. Along with his ability to cast the faces and characters that come to represent the look of today, Meisel has a prodigious talent for scripting story lines that reflect culture.
Meisel not only depicts fashion, he defines it and gives it cultural resonance. His inspirations are varied, culled from design, architecture, art, cinema and literature. Meisel has also portrayed our leading actresses and entertainers, defining the relationships between celebrity and fashion in the process.
He has also created some of fashion's most memorable campaigns for Prada, Miu Miu, Loewe, Moschino, Coach, Valentino, Lanvin, Versace, Balenciaga, Calvin Klein, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, and Dolce & Gabbana. Steven Meisel continues to lead and influence our understanding of contemporary fashion.
How to Shoot



Thanks to digital post-processing, we have the advantage of deciding to present photos in colour or black and white after taking the photo. Cameras usually have monochrome modes that let you preview your images in black and white on the LCD screen. If you use this feature, make sure you’re set to capture the image in the RAW format rather than (or in addition to) JPEG. Shooting RAW gives you flexibility. While it helps to envision your final photograph when looking at a scene, shooting RAW allows you to test out black and white on an image after it’s been shot. If you decide later that the photograph needs color for impact, the RAW file’s colour information will be available. If you only shoot a black and white image saved as a JPEG, however, the color information will be lost.Ultimately, the choice of whether to use colour or black and white for an image is subjective. Try looking at your photos in both black and white and colour to get a feel for what works and what does not work. No matter which option you go with, make sure you know why you chose it. The colour or lack of colour in an image should contribute to its impact.

Bibliography

http://www.photographyvox.com/a/color-vs-black-and-white-photography/

https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/steven-meisel

https://www.artandcommerce.com/artists/photographers/Steven-Meisel/bio

Pictures
http://www.famousphotographers.net/steven-meisel  1