black and white images in books
1. To create atmosphere.
2. To give a timeless feel to the image.
3. When every penny counts.
Yes, colour catches the eye but black and white images allow the mind to imagine.
With so much technology around doing things for us, these give our brains opportunity to create.
Ever watched those old films on TV, all in tones of black and white? Before ‘our little grey cells’ (as Hercule Poirot would say) can even register there isn’t any colour, we can admire the direction of light and the nuances of facial expression.
My young childhood consisted of these old films, colour TVs were expensive and few could afford them. Even watching the news was in black and white. The world around was still colour but these b/w programmes were like another world.
The old photos like those we find of our ancestors, when the only colour was sepia toning or hand tinting, give a timeless feel. A good retro ‘modern’ photo can produce a similar effect.
Printing books as an independent author is not a cheap process. Yes, much less expensive than say 30 years ago, though perhaps not one that can be afforded when every penny counts. One avenue is to make an impression with black and white images.
