Emphasizing a subject

It is usually hard to emphasize a subject when photographing in black & white so I was wondering if anybody had tips on how I could try to put more emphasis on my subjects when photographing in black & white.

To emphasize a subject in black and white photography you can use a lower F stop to keep the subject as the only thing in focus, or choose a background that isnt very busy

Selective focus is one way, another is the use of vignetting - either in post processing or with special vignetting accessories:

 

one of the many Spiratone thingies from the day of film, tho' it'll work with digital too:

 

BTW, these methods work for color too.

Also, whether you do or don’t blur the background, consider the composition itself. Adopt an angle and perspective where other elements don’t compete too much with your subject. Don’t be afraid to get close to your subject in some cases which will naturally emphasize it. A subject can also be naturally emphasized when it’s getting more light than other parts of the scene. It can be emphasized by being shot up at a bit or down at in some cases. And, something to keep in mind is that a subject can be more a part of its environment and get its vitality through its relationships to other things in the frame, not just in isolation from them.

Is your question from an assignment set by your Teacher at a school or college?

 

WW

And if so (see question above) what school or college?

Seems like we get to answer a lot of course assignments here lately. Someone must have pointed you and your fellow students towards Pnet.

And if so (see question above) what school or college?

Seems like we get to answer a lot of course assignments here lately. Someone must have pointed you and your fellow students towards Pnet.

 

That is correct.

If you look at my recent history, a teacher and a college is mentioned in one of the threads by one of the students responding to a similar request of mine for discloser.

 

To the OP -

My question is a prompt for you, (if it is an assignment), to relate the exact assignment so that members may choose how to answer, especially so they may craft their answers to be of the best assistance in your learning.

 

Other Students have been assisted better by making these disclosers.

 

Additionally, you might search previous questions posted here by (assumed) your classmates.

 

WW

REF: Posts #6 and #7 here LINK

 

WW

1. Fill your frame!
   
2. Light?
   
3. Selective DOF, as mentioned by others above
   
4. Contrast filters, to differentiate one color from another?
   

5. The printing process is equally important. As in painting, saturation or local contrast can be increased to enhance and give three-dimensionality to specific areas. It's surprising how many successful images come from really mediocre negatives.

--

I still don't know if this college questions are related to traditional or digital photography. It'd be nice to know.

Lighting plays a big part, and keeping the background as plain and contrasting to the subject as possible helps immensely. E.g. a light subject against a dark background, or vice-versa.

 

This can sometimes be 'faked up' in printing or post-processing by adding a vignette, or by dodging or burning areas of the image.

 

Natural spotlighting, aided by selective focus and by burning-in the bright sky at top of picture.

Edited November 13, 2020 by rodeo_joe|1

Seems like we get to answer a lot of course assignments here lately.

 

For sure.

 

I think many of us are willing to answer such questions that pose an issue that is reasonably complex and difficult to understand. On the other hand, some questions are so basic to the whole field of photography that .....

 

A botany professor here was doing the last review of Botany 1 before the final. As he wrapped up, he said,"Any last questions?"

 

A big person in the back row of the class, asked

"What is a monocotyledon?"

 

This becomes a much broader generalization of RTFM.;)

Good lighting (modelling) of your subjects is the main thing. Yes, there's more can be done with depth of field, background, etc But things like depth of field, background, lighting adjustment, contrasts, retouching, ... can be adjusted in post-processing too. Backgrounds can be made more diffuse, darkened, edited or replaced altogether.

 

It's always true that the better the original photo are, the better the post-processed photo will be. But my advice is to focus on getting your subject right (lighting, focus, depth of field) . Everything else is adjustable in post-processing.

A big person in the back row of the class, asked

"What is a monocotyledon?"

For a non-botanist, that's a good question.

 

My answer would be: A classic example of an invented and over-lengthy word added to the lexicon in order to obfusticate a simple concept; thus making those 'in the know' appear cleverer than they really are.

 

Wouldn't the short phrase 'one-leafed seed' be just as explanatory and much easier to pronounce?

Beware. You may be suffering from hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia!

For someone in the situation as described, it is a terrible question. A failing grade awaits.

For a non-botanist, that's a good question.

 

But after sitting through a whole semester of Botany???? Not so much, as QG says.

 

BTW, RTFP

hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia!

Fear of large water horses with one-and-a-half sized feet?

 

There's no Latin or Greek for the word 'word' in there. Unless it's hiding behind the water horse.

Edited November 16, 2020 by rodeo_joe|1

Out of curiosity, can anyone tell me how this was achieved:

 

Juliette Greco, Singer, In Saint-Germain Des Pres News Photo - Getty Images

 

(Robert Doisneau portrait of Juliette Gréco in Saint-Germain-des-Prés)

 

All in camera, as a defocussed background will tend toward lower contrast, or was there some darkroom manipulation involved?

There's no Latin or Greek for the word 'word' in there.

 

Apparently it means fear of long words:

 

LINK - - hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia - Wiktionary

Out of curiosity, can anyone tell me how this was achieved:

It might have been helped by mist softening the background contrast.... but the slight halo around Ms Greco suggests otherwise.

 

I suspect that a mask was made - possibly using high-contrast lith film - to burn in the figure/hold back the background. Or maybe the figure was carefully painted with a stronger developer. Who knows?

 

Whatever, it's a masterpiece of printing.

 

Easy as pie with PhotoShop, but a real challenge in 1947.

Edited November 16, 2020 by rodeo_joe|1

Apparently it means fear of long words:

Except it doesn't in a literal translation.

 

The root appears to be 'sesquipedal' - literally one-and-a-half footed. And presumably a feeble multi-lingual pun on liking 18 inch long words. Probably made up by some Victorian 'wit'.

 

More like demi-wit.

 

It loses a lot in the tedious and tortuous translation! It also kind of backfires on the sesquipedant that originated it.

<snip> It also kind of backfires on the sesquipedant that originated it.

 

Aren't you being somewhat sesquipedantic ? (Emphasis on the 'quip') :);):D:D

I could care beans about monocotyledons, but I'd rather hear from a student with questions in the classroom than one with all of the answers elsewhere.

When working in color, there’s also using the color(s) of the subject and its relationship to other colors, tonalities, and degrees of vividness and mutedness effective means of emphasis.