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Having switched over to digital wedding photography from traditional film photography, was a bit of a transition since I enjoyed using black and white film, especially the Illford negative black and white film. I can recall shooting with two cameras while one was loaded with color film and the other with black and white film. Once the wedding was over and the bride and groomed received their film proofs, they where presented with mainly color proofs and the few rolls of black and white proofs I had taken. Note, that the black and white proofs where slightly different than the color since the pose and angle of the image would be different.

Since digital and all the post production software available to photographers, black and white wedding photography is more advantageouSince digital and all the post production software available to photographers, black and white wedding photography is more advantageous in the digital format than film. First, I don't have to photograph in both color and black and white (even though most pro digital cameras offer a black and white mode). Second, every wedding photo I take in color can be easily convereted into black and white giving the bride and groom the opportunity to have a black and white version of the color version. s in the digital format than film. First, I don't have to photograph in both color and black and white (even though most pro digital cameras offer a black and white mode). Second, every wedding photo I take in color can be easily converted into black and white giving the bride and groom the opportunity to have a black and white version of the color version.

The trick is, how well can the the photographer accomplish a near "real" version of the black and white film counter part? I have seen some work by California wedding photographers (and those in other regions of the U.S, but mainly Southern California since I work here and know a few photographers in Southern California). And I must say, that while their color work is great, they lack expertise in the black and white area; mainly because they have never photographed or have photographed very little black and white film so they are not familiar with the characteristics when it comes to making the conversion from color to black and white in digital. They simply desaturate the color image and the result is a flat, almost monochromatic, black and white wedding photograph.

Since I (Alyn Stafford) have worked with black and white film as well as Pola Pan black and white slide film in the earlier part of my photography career, I have mastered the art of converting color digital images to black and white images that resemble its film counterpart. And having the final print made on actual Illford black and white paper versus color photographic paper (as most photographers do nowadays) really breaths life into the wedding photograph shot in color and converted to black and white.

So, if you truly enjoy black and white photography or photographs, then you may want to ask your photographer their experience with actual black and white film. And if they offer black and white prints on actual black and white paper rather than color paper. Keep in mind though that if they do offer prints on black and white paper, there may be an extra charge for this service. The paper, since black and white is not as common as in the past, is a bit more expensive.

To see samples of my black and white wedding photography, Click Here Gallery