Black & White Wedding Photos

 

Do you love Black & White Wedding photos? I do. Although most of my work is in colour Black & white accounts for my most emotional moments. I love Black & White wedding photography because it turns photography into an art form, and you can feel the moment’s emotion. There is s timeless quality to black & white, maybe its because we associate black & white with the past, since all photography was monochrome at one point. It has been said “The art of black and white photography, expressing the colours of the soul” I love colour photography too but some photos need to be in Black & white. I will explain why in this article. I would also like to say at this point that I consider myself a documentary wedding photographer who shoots 90% of my photographs with the 35mm Prime lens. In fact every image on this post was shot with a 35mm prime lens

In the image below, colours would pull the eye away from the mother of the bride in the foreground who is expressing her sadness of losing her little girl. Using monochrome helps the leading lines of the row of guests lead to the bride’s mother. It’s one of my favourite ever images I have taken. It’s this type of shot that I live for as a wedding photographer. It’s such a powerful moment that shows the bride how much her mother loves her. 

 

The mother of the bride is overwhelmed with emotion after seeing her daughter start her walk up the aisle (ISO 1000, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2.8, Shutter speed 1/250^th sec)

The Power of Black & White Wedding Photography

When I first started my journey as a black & white documentary wedding photographer, I will always remember a photograph by one of the top wedding photographers at the time. It was a photograph of what looked like the father of the bride praying in a church. It blew my mind. The light, the moment and the composition, (the holy trinity of photography) were all there and then some. Black & white wedding photos also made me want to shoot with the documentary side of wedding photography. Most of my Black & White images are candid moments, (like most of my photography) and are converted to Black & white if they are a powerful moment. I use the 35mm prime lens for 90% of my work. It is the perfect wedding lens for my style of photography. I can go wide enough to shoot a scene and quickly step in and fill the frame with the subject when needed.

I chose monochrome for the image below as it accentuates the bride and the veil seems to glow around her. Her dress, veil and wedding crown looked timeless so another reason to use Black & White.

 

The bride arrives at the church in the wedding car accompanied by her big brother (ISO 100, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/2000^th sec)

Black  & White Photography Connect You to the Photograph – Colour Photography Can Distract

We see in colour, but on certain photographs, it distracts you from the essence, the feel, the soul of the moment. With a Black & white wedding photo, you can see the moment, and the emotion so much more clearly without the distraction of colour. It allows you to focus on what is happening in the photograph and moment so much more than colour, It does seem to reveal the soul of the subject. Capturing a special moment is the main reason I convert a photograph to Black & white. It gives more emotional power to the image. This is why I shoot in the style of a documentary wedding photographer. There is so much power in a candid documentary photograph in Black & White.“I think it’s because it was an emotional story, and emotions come through much stronger in black and white. Colour is distracting in a way, it pleases the eye but it doesn’t necessarily reach the heart.” – Kim Hunter 

In the image below, there is nothing else of interest but the couple in the photograph, and it is a lovely intimate moment of the bride and groom. The groom’s suit and the bride’s dress are also quite vintage giving another reason for timeless monochrome.

 

 

 

The groom kisses his bride on the cheek after the first dance as they enjoy the evening reception (ISO 200, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/200^th sec)

The Timelessness of Black & White Wedding Photography

At one time wedding photography was only in Black & white. Today it is used as an artistic choice. Desaturating an image, adding more contrast, deepening the blacks and boosting the whites is the technical process of creating a black & white photograph. It is fair to say that black & white wedding photography adds a timeless touch to a photograph. It is certainly harder to gauge the era it came from, and with the right scene, say a church, the photograph could have been taken any time.  Fashions come and go, but a black & white wedding photograph gives the image a timeless quality and is less likely to age.

Black & white is made for the image below. The little page boy had watched his mother walk away with the groom and was very confused. Mum picks him up and soothes him. Any of my close-ups of such a powerful moment use the magic of monochrome!!

 

The bride comforts her son who just watched his mum walk back down the aisle without him!! (ISO 100, 35mm focal length, Aperture f3.5, Shutter speed 1/1000^th sec)

The Storytelling Power of Black & White Wedding Photography

My whole ethos as a wedding photographer is to tell your story as artfully and discretely as possible. Although I love shooting great portrait photographs for my clients I consider myself a documentary wedding photographer. The three most important elements of a photograph – The moment, The composition and the light, are all greatly aided by the use of Black & White. I also only use prime lenses, and here are the advantages of prime lenses for wedding photography.  The image just would not be as powerful in colour. Tears of joy during the speeches or ceremony, the hugs and kisses after the wedding ceremony, and the look of love between a couple, are all going to be processed in Black & white. “With black and white, what you get is a timeless capture that doesn’t lean on colours but the pure essence of the subject.” – Anonymous

The little boy (the son of the bride and groom) was a little overwhelmed during the ceremony which makes for a very powerful image. It was so life-affirming to document his father soothing him and I made a conscious effort to tell his story too. 

 

The bride & Grooms son becomes a little overwhelmed after he walks up the aisle before the wedding ceremony (ISO 800, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/1250^th sec)

 

 

The groom consoles his son after the wedding ceremony (ISO 800, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/1250^th sec)

 

 

The groom hugs his son who was a little overwhelmed during the wedding ceremony (ISO 800, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/1250^th sec)

 

 

Grandad strokes his grandson’s cheek during the drinks reception (ISO 1600, 85mm focal length, Aperture f2.2, Shutter speed 1/1600^th sec)

 

 

The bride and groom’s son having fun with the guests (ISO 800, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/320^th sec)

 

The Decision to Change a Photograph From Colour to Monochrome

My choice of Black & white or colour is a very subjective decision. I don’t desaturate a set percentage of photographs from a wedding or anything like that. During the wedding day, I am looking at the emotions happening all around me and how I can use the light and a specific composition to capture the mood of the scene. It’s when I edit the images, I think in terms of monochrome or colour.

I will change a photograph from colour to Black & white when I feel colour will distract from the moment and will lose some of the impact of the emotion in the scene, so this decision is made during the editing process. As a professional photographer who specialises in natural documentary-style photography, I love using black & white to enhance a real moment. I tend to use black & white a lot during the speeches and church weddings look amazing in monochrome!

 

I hope you enjoyed reading the article! Here are more of my Black & White Photos for you to enjoy.

 

 

 

Reflection of the bride in the mirror putting on her wedding dress. (ISO 800, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/1250^th sec)

 

 

Big smile from the mother of the groom after congratulating the groom during the drinks reception (ISO 3200, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/250^th sec)

 

 

Profile of the bride having lipstick applied during the bridal preparations (ISO 3200, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/250^th sec)

 

 

A Wedding guest hugs the bride during the drinks reception. (ISO 100, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/250^th sec)

 

 

Close-up of Mother of the groom and her son’s hands as they hold hands during the speeches. (ISO 400, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/200^th sec)

 

 

A wedding guest dances with the happy couple after the first dance (ISO 200, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/200^th sec)

 

 

The mother of the bride hugs the bride during the drinks reception (ISO 3200, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/250^th sec)

 

 

Wedding guests enjoying themselves at the drinks reception (ISO 2000, 35mm focal length, Aperture f3.5, Shutter speed 1/250th sec)

 

 

The groom gets a group hug during the drinks reception (ISO 200, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/1250th sec)

 

 

The bride looks excited as she looks down at her dress (ISO 800, 35mm focal length, Aperture f1.8, Shutter speed 1/160th sec)

 

 

The bride and groom are congratulated after the wedding ceremony (ISO 3200, 35mm focal length, Aperture f1.8, Shutter speed 1/200th sec)

 

 

The bride and groom kiss after being announced married as the guests erupt into applause. (ISO 2500, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/200th sec)

 

 

 

First look between the bride and groom as the bride arrives at the altar (ISO 200, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/320th sec)

 

 

The groom hugs his bride as they dance during the evening reception (ISO 200, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/320th sec)

 

 

The bride wipes away a tear during the wedding ceremony (ISO 200, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/320th sec)

 

 

Bridesmaids congratulate the bride after the wedding ceremony (ISO 2000, 35mm focal length, Aperture f1.4, Shutter speed 1/200th sec)

 

 

Bride and groom applaud the best man’s speech (ISO 720, 35mm focal length, Aperture f4, Shutter speed 1/400th sec)

 

 

A Bridesmaid wipes away a tear during the wedding ceremony (ISO 320, 85mm focal length, Aperture f2.8, Shutter speed 1/250th sec)

 

 

The groom kisses a letter from the bride during the groom’s preparations (ISO 125, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/160th sec)

 

 

The bride and groom’s daughter gets a hug from the groom after the wedding ceremony (ISO 800, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2, Shutter speed 1/1250th sec)

 

 

Wedding guests applaud the happy couple during the wedding ceremony (ISO 2000, 35mm focal length, Aperture f2.2, Shutter speed 1/320th sec)

 

 

 

Wedding guest hugs the bride during the drinks reception (ISO 1000, 35mm focal length, Aperture f4, Shutter speed 1/320th sec)

 

 

Little flower girls walk up the aisle with a big smile for the groom (ISO 1000, 35mm focal length, Aperture f1.8, Shutter speed 1/1000th sec)

 

 

 

If you love candid moments in your wedding photography I would love to hear from you! Get in Touch to tell me about your plans. I photograph all over the UK and a select number of destination weddings.