I've always loved a good black and white print, especially hanging on a wall with black and white tones running through the rest of the room, or against neutral, earthy tones that suit a more modern home. It's one of the most requested looks in my gallery, and one of the most misunderstood, so I've pulled together a proper guide to how I shoot it and where it works best.
What actually makes a black and white photograph work
Colour photography leans on colour contrast to pull your eye to the subject. Black and white doesn't have that option, so it has to work harder on tone. That means paying close attention to the whites, the shadows, the darks and everything in the mid-tones, and deciding whether the subject should sit as the brightest part of the frame or the darkest, depending on whether it's a high-key or low-key image.
You've probably converted a colour photo to black and white before and thought, no, that doesn't work. Usually that's because the original photo relied on colour contrast to bring the subject forward, and without it, the image falls flat. Not every photograph looks good in black and white. That's why, when I'm shooting for it, I'll often set my camera to monochrome on the back screen while I'm out shooting. Seeing the scene in black and white in real time helps me frame it properly and pre-visualise the final tones before I've even pressed the shutter, rather than deciding afterwards in the edit.
Four ways I shoot in black and white
Black and white shows up across pretty much every genre I shoot, but four collections get asked about the most: surf, ocean and wildlife from the air, textures closer to home, and city landmarks. Here's a real example from each.
Surf, stripped back to grain and motion
Kirra Surf is one of the Gold Coast's most famous waves, and taking the colour out of it puts all the attention on the shape and the motion instead. Surf photography is one of the strongest black and white categories in the gallery for exactly this reason, a wave in monochrome reads as pure form rather than a postcard.
Ocean and wildlife from above
Migration is a drone shot of two humpback whales moving north along the coast. Stripped back to monochrome, the photograph removes the distraction of colour and puts the focus purely on the shapes, the ripples and the behaviour, a quiet, commanding scene rather than a busy one.
Texture and shadow, closer to home
Shady Palms is a simple, local subject, Gold Coast palms throwing shadow patterns, but it's a good example of how black and white can bring a calm, tropical feel to a bedroom or living space without needing to add colour at all.
Sydney's landmarks in monochrome
Sydney Opera House Aerial is shot from directly above, from a helicopter, and it's a good example of how black and white can turn a subject everyone already knows into something new. Take away the colour and the familiar shells become a study in pattern and texture instead of a straight postcard shot.
Why black and white works in modern homes
A black and white photograph works in almost any home. It brings a classic, timeless look that doesn't compete with your existing colour palette, which is exactly why it suits modern interiors and black and white or neutral colour schemes so well. It's an easy way to add a striking piece to a wall without it fighting the rest of the room for attention.
You can see the full range in the Black & White collection, curated for contrast, structure and composition across surf, ocean, wildlife, nature and city subjects.
