John Hedgecoe's Complete Guide to Black and White Photography

This is a manual which starts from the simple premise that one has to see the world differently when photographing in black and white; and that, without colour, other elements - tone, contrast, texture - become the all-important building blocks of the photograph. John Hedgecoe shows how to take the first step - mentally to translate the colours of the original subject into the tones and shades of a black and white image. The aesthetics - composition, choice of subject, capturing mood and atmosphere - are also explored in detail, and examples of the author's own work in a wide range of subjects, including landscapes, portraits, reportage and action shots, are used throughout to reinforce the points being made. The book ends with a step-by-step dark-room chapter explaining how to process film and make your own prints to a high standard.