subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 4 April 2020 15
Think in mono
‘Black & white photography is much
more than a colour image without the
colour,’ Edmond Terakopian explains.
‘Composition, the use of light and even
the exposure are different for a good
monochrome shot. Most of the time,
when I’m looking at a scene, I already
know it’s going to be in black & white
and take this into account when setting
my camera.’ If you are wondering how
to learn to see in black & white, maybe
check out some of your favourite street
photographers and really think about
why they decided to shoot a particular
scene without colour?
Don’t worry so
much about clichés
Terakopian is a firm believer in there are
no clichés, so don’t get hung up on this.
‘Who knows, your clichéd shot of x, y or
z, may become the defining image. My
advice is not to stop making pictures
that have been done before. That’s not
to say copy, but if you like Cartier-
Bresson’s work and you feel it, then
shoot like that. Keep shooting,
sharpening your eye, mind, soul and
camera skills. Your own style will
eventually and organically come
through.’ So in other words don’t let
anxiety ever get in the way.Don’t rush around
‘I think my first mistakes, which apply to
street photography generally, were
twofold,’ Terakopian observes. ‘One
was the nervousness of causing
offence to others and the other was
always rushing around and hunting for
an image, often unsuccessfully, as
opposed to finding the scene and the
light, then waiting for the elements to
come to me.’ So, as with many other
genres, patience is crucial in black &
white street photography. Finding a
location is one thing, but you often also
have to wait for the right subject to
come along, and the right light.Great black & white portraits
‘Street photography is not just about shooting candid shots when nobody is
looking,’ notes Brian Duckett, who recommends setting yourself a street portrait
project. ‘Try to shoot to a specific theme, such as people with a certain look,
people in a specific location, people with dogs, motorbikes, doing a specific job...
the possibilities are endless.’Always have
something with you
Terakopian’s biggest tip is to always
have a camera with you. ‘Smartphones
are fine, but nothing beats a real
camera. Sometimes though, a
smartphone is the best tool for the job
and when I’m shooting with my iPhone,
I tend to shoot raw using the Halide app
and then process on Lightroom Mobile.’
This is a good reason to upgrade your
smartphone to one capable of taking
high-quality images which can work in
mono: the latest Google Pixels and
iPhones are stand-out examples, as is
the Samsung Galaxy Note10+.white st reet shot s
Patience and skilful night
technique helped Ed
Terakopian nail this shot© BRIAN LLOYD DUCKETT
© BRIAN LLOYD DUCKETT
© EDMOND TERAKOPIAN