Black & White Film Photography


The Gold Standard in Fine Art Printmaking
Alfred Hitchcock was a master of the black & white medium. He understood the value, mystique, and intrigue that dark shadows projected to the viewers of his films. Hitchcock commented, with respect to his black & white films and photographic images, "Suspense is like a woman; the more left to the imagination, the more the excitement." Suspense in photography is created by the interplay of light and shadows; the more that's left to the imagination, the more excitement the viewer feels. When it comes to the expression of light and shadow, black & white film photography is king!

Black & white film photography is about shape, form, and texture; but, even more than that, it's about the play of shadows and how they capture one's attention. It's all about reducing a subject down to its basic characteristics and structure. It focuses attention to the thing itself that's being photographed by eliminating a rainbow of distracting colors. You can't forcibly express concepts like poverty, depression, loneliness, and fear—even mystery—through color images. Color masks emotions; black & white images emphasize them.

To be a successful black & white photographer, you must have a reason for shooting black & white images. Any subject or scene that can be shot in color can be shot in black & white; however, color subjects do not require a reason to be photographed. A black & white zebra is a good reason for shooting the subject in black & white (like the photo below); dark storm clouds and ominous shadows forming above a mountain top is a good reason for shooting in black & white (like the photo at the top of this page); as is the study of forms, textures, shapes, and the mystique and intrigue that dark shadows project in a scene. Thus, the key to creating outstanding black & white images is to have a reason for shooting in black & white that cannot be satisfied through the use of color.



An Emphasis On Developing and Printing
The fact that film and film cameras are readily available in the photography market does not mean commercial film processing and development is readily available to the film photographer. In fact, photo labs that develop negatives from film and produce prints directly from the negatives are few in number. Thus, the primary focus is on the film artist's penchant for developing his or her own negatives and enlarging prints from those negatives. Most film aficionados are pleasantly surprised to discover how easy it is to process and develop their own negatives and prints and find much satisfaction and enjoyment in this creative and forgotten aspect of the art of photography.

Fine Art Printmaking
Black & white film photography is and continues to be the artist's gold standard in fine art printmaking. Shooting black & white images and obtaining rich black & white tones with distinct separations of gray is truly an art in itself. Most photographers know that shooting perfectly exposed black & white images and obtaining rich black saturation and high-contrast dynamic range, while preserving aesthetically pleasing "bokeh" (a soft or "creamy" background with smooth round circles of light and no hard edges), and distinct details in the highlights and dark shadows of photographs, is more challenging than shooting color images.

What is a Certified B&W Film Artist?
A Certified B&W Film Artist is a fine art photographer who specializes in black & white film and advocates for the preservation of black & white photography in both the public domain and the visual arts community. Film artists actively encourage and support the marketing and distribution of new and advanced film cameras and associated film technologies to camera manufacturers. They are also active in the preservation of printed black & white heritage photographs (paper-based prints) created from negatives. It is the image itself, and not just the means by which it was created, that is preserved for the purpose of posterity. Photographic preservation is also the practice of restoring the appearance of a physical photograph that has been damaged by natural, manmade, or environmental causes or simply affected by age or neglect.

Medium-Format Film Blows DSLR Light Sensors Away!
The debate about image quality between 35mm film and equivalent 35mm digital formats is an ongoing discussion; however, a 35mm DSLR camera with 36 megapixels of resolution cannot produce a better image than a 35mm SLR film camera. A frame of 35mm film contains the equivalent of 40 megapixels of image resolution. As soon as medium-format film enters the picture, the concept of film still being the king over digital is inarguable! Medium-format digital cameras are priced exorbitantly high; in fact, next to your compact economy car, expect to finance a DSLR medium-format digital camera for the next five years or more. Here's a shocking fact: Medium-format film contains the equivalent of 400 megapixels—not 40… 400!

An Invitation
We invite you to view this unique website to learn more about the Robert Devere School of Film Photography and our passion for fine art black & white film photography, and to discover why the film medium is superior to digital imaging. While viewing this website, be sure to check out the school's B&W Film Artist Workshop and how you can earn a diploma that identifies you as a Certified B&W Film Artist. If you love film photography as much as we do—have fun!