How to create shadow in black and white

First we looked into famous photographers who created effective shadow in black and white looking at how they achieved this and found some interesting images taken which will influence us in our filming.

Alexey Bednij- Captured images of animals in black and white with shadows in interesting shapes. Here are some examples of the photos he took:

Andre Kertesz- He experimented with shadow to form interesting compositions. Here are some examples of his work:

Andreas Feininger- Looked at creating shadows when taking photos of buildings, landmarks and cities.Here are some examples of his work.

Things that affect shadows in black and white:


Natural Light- Light at different times of teh day will create different shadows and set a different mood in the image. For example a darker image taken later in teh evening will seem more broody than an image taken early on the morning.

Silhouettes- Silhouettes are important to think about when creating shadow.They can be created by making the background brighter and lighter than the subject to great a larger contrast and more tone. They can also be made into different shapes depending on the angle of the camera to create a different effect.

Meaning- Different shapes and types of shadow can create different meanings which is important to think about when filming for example; Illuminated areas suggest dominance or aggression or a dark foreground can compel the eye toward a lighter center. Shadows to the lower right creates a realistic impression, while shadows to the upper left will invert the image.


Drama- Often in film, the use of dark areas and the contrast between light and dark can create a dramatic mood therefore it is important to think about where shadow will be created and what we want to be emphasized and clearly shown to the viewer for a specific reason. 


Tone- This is important as it helps create the mood. Darker photos create the sense of brooding whereas lighter photos are considered more delicate or upbeat. Lighter images are more effective when light is more diffused therefore should be filmed on a overcast day for example fog, mist or rain would make good filming conditions.

We also looked at the website http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2012/05/13/black-and-white-photography-what-you-need-to-know-for-perfect-mono-pictures/ for some help with our own black and white film editing!