Black And White Vs Colour - Commercial Photography

Before going for a shoot the photographer and the client need to decide on how the image will look and feel. The photographer needs to give the client an idea of how the end result will be, so that there is no misunderstanding. In making these decisions a major subject discussed is if the final image should be in colour or black and white. This decision is made keeping a lot of things in mind. In this article we will discuss if and when you should use black and white or colour.

- Souradeep Roy

SELLING A PRODUCT

One of the primary reasons for a commercial shoot is to sell a product. It can be anything from a car to a toothbrush. Every product you buy has some kind of photograph or digital artwork in the packaging. The photographs can also be for print advertisements or hoardings or even online ads. You need to understand the medium to make a decision. The type of product plays a big role as well. Many premium car manufacturers like Bentley and many premium watch manufacturers also prefer to use black and white because it helps to focus the viewers’ complete attention to the product. Black and white photos also add a premium feel to carefully crafted monochromatic products which is why many diamond advertisements are in black and white. For a colourful product it is best to use the colour to your advantage. Florist’s catalogues, food etc are very colour driven because colour is one of their USP.

PROMOTING A BUSINESS