What techniques are used in selecting wardrobe for black and white photography?

-- Connie Robinson (usa_huney@mailcity.com), February 18, 1999

Answers

I pay attention to basically the same things that I pay attention to for anything. Namely how the color will look through the filter set that I am using for the shoot. For instance using a film with an extended red sensitivity like Tech Pan a red dress will appear quite light. The same dress will appear nearly black when shot through a blue filter (or on an ortho film). Textures can be fun on cloth too. Something like silk can be downright sensual when shot on a slow film in medium or large format. With black and white you are working with tonality and texture instead of shade and hue in color. My two cents worth.

-- Fritz M. Brown (brownf{DHWTOWERS/TOWERS3/brownf}@dhw.state.id.us), February 18, 1999.

Connie: I shoot almost all my portraiture in B&W, and use no filters. Here's what I would suggest: 1. Ask the model/subject to bring at least two changes (I don't do Sears-type in-and-out in less than 30 mins. shoots!), including light and darker ranges. It is very difficult to say that a certain colour or material works well with that subject. 2. That said, denim shoots well in B&W. 3. A technique I use which may sound strange, is to squint when looking over the subject's clothing. I've found out that actually a lot of photographers 'secretly' do this. It allows your eyes to concentrate on the tones and textures, rather than the colours. This also works well outdoors.

Mike

-- Mike W. (mbworld@adan.kingston.net), February 28, 1999.