I want to start taking pictures, preferably black and white, where should I start?

[clara_bereuter]

I have seen some beautiful black and white photographs and they have always interested me. I would love to take photograph of people and animals. But I have no idea where to start. If any of you would like to help me out with it, I will greatly appreciate it.

[olliesteiner]

Step one: See as many examples as possible of great b&w photography.

Go to your local library and get books of Karsh, Steichen, Winogrand,

Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans, Frederick Evans, Ansel Adams, to name

the first seven photographers that leap to mind. The more examples

of excellence you see, the more you learn.

Step two: Get some Ilford XP2 (black and white film that can be

processed by your local color mini-lab) and take pictures.

Step three: After you get into b&w picture taking more heavily, you

will want to do your own processing. Go here:

a

href="http://photography.about.com/library/weekly/aa051401a.htm">ABOUT

>COM</a> and use you search engine and local library to learn more

about developing and printing. Learn about traditional films such as

Pan F+, and traditional developers, such as Rodinal.

step four: If you are in an area where there is a local art or

photography museum displaying beautiful black and white prints, visit

it.

Have fun and good luck.

-Ollie <a href="http://www.web-graphics.com/steinerphoto">(my web

site)</a>

[olliesteiner]

<a

href="http://photography.about.com/library/weekly/aa051401a.htm">about

.com</a>

 

<p>

 

Here's another try at the "about.com" link

[don_karon1]

I have always found a good instructional book an invaluable aid to

getting started in something new. For photography my favorite is:

Basic Techniques of Photography by Ansel Adams and John Shaefer. It's

available at Amazon.com among other places and costs about $25.

Absolutely first rate, clearly written, nicely printed, thorough.

[christian_harkness]

Well, I think if you can possibly manage it, start by taking an intro

class/workshop at a college or arts center. Be sure you sign up for

a class that gets you into the darkroom, with hands-on experience.

While I really like XP-2S and chromogenic films, I think you might be

frustrated by getting straight, and often lousy prints, form your

local photo finisher. Much of what you see as the beauty of black

and white photography, comes from superb printing [enlarging] of the

negative. This is something you won't get from the majority of your

labs.

 

<p>

 

If you have to teach yourself I recommend:

Well, I think if you can possibly manage it, start by taking an intro

class/workshop at a college or arts center. Be sure you sign up for

a class that gets you into the darkroom, with hands-on experience.

While I really like XP-2S and chromogenic films, I think you might be

frustrated by getting straight, and often lousy prints, form your

local photo finisher. Much of what you see as the beauty of black

and white photography, comes from superb printing [enlarging] of the

negative. This is something you won't get from the majority of your

labs.

 

<p>

 

If you have to teach yourself I recommend:

Well, I think if you can possibly manage it, start by taking an intro

class/workshop at a college or arts center. Be sure you sign up for

a class that gets you into the darkroom, with hands-on experience.

While I really like XP-2S and chromogenic films, I think you might be

frustrated by getting straight, and often lousy prints, form your

local photo finisher. Much of what you see as the beauty of black

and white photography, comes from superb printing [enlarging] of the

negative. This is something you won't get from the majority of your

labs.

 

<p>

 

If you have to teach yourself, I recommend:

 

<p>

 

Black and White Photography: A Basic Manual -- by Henry Horenstein,

Carol Keller (Illustrator); Paperback Price: $17.47 [At amazon]

 

<p>

 

Computers and inkjet prints are really coming into their own. If you

are willing to forgo the traditional darkroom, you can get superb

results working with a good imaging program and a good scanner and

printer.

 

<p>

 

Best wishes,

 

<p>

 

chris

[christian_harkness]

That one really got messed up - here is what it should have said:

 

<p>

 

Well, I think if you can possibly manage it, start by taking an intro

class/workshop at a college or arts center. Be sure you sign up for

a class that gets you into the darkroom, with hands-on experience.

While I really like XP-2S and chromogenic films, I think you might be

frustrated by getting straight, and often lousy prints, form your

local photo finisher. Much of what you see as the beauty of black

and white photography, comes from superb printing [enlarging] of the

negative. This is something you won't get from the majority of your

labs.

 

<p>

 

If you have to teach yourself I recommend:

Black and White Photography: A Basic Manual -- by Henry Horenstein,

Carol Keller (Illustrator); Paperback Price: $17.47 {At amazon]

 

<p>

 

 

Computers and digital prints are really coming into their own. If

you are willing to forgo the traditional darkroom, you can get superb

results working with a good imaging program and a good scanner and

printer.

 

<p>

 

Best wishes,

 

<p>

 

chris

[ann_clancy3]

If you live in the Atlanta area, come take some classes at the

Spruill Art Center.

[middle]

I suppose, the 101 class has to be take all by your self. So as to

set your own identity right from beginning!

 

<p>

 

But you can always look in a book, most books don't hurt.

 

<p>

 

Middle

[scott_walton2]

Clara, shoot lots of film and it wouldn't hurt to take a class...

whether it is an adult ed, a workshop or classes in a photo school,

they all help to iron out the beginning steps. Hands on is always

easier than trudging through books but there are alot of books that

have useful info also.

[gary_gilino]

There are already many good replies to your question and I agree with

them all. One thing to also keep in mind is that most of the really

great well-known B&W images are done from large format negatives (4x5

or larger). If you are on budget and need to use 35mm film like me,

you will soon find out that with 35 mm it is possible to get very good

images enlarged to 8x10 or even slightly larger but it is not

realistic to compare your images made from 35mm negatives to images

made from an 8x10 negative. The tonal range with 35 mm is just not as

good no matter what film or camera or lens you use. I say this to

keep things in perspective and prevent disappointment and unrealistic

expectations. Having said this, if you learn good darkroom technique

(which I'm still mastering), you can get some pretty satisfying B&W

results from 35mm and not have to spend a fortune to do it. Have fun.

[kevin_kolosky]

Clara

 

<p>

 

I am all for safety and all of that good stuff, but you have to learn

to trust people sometime in your life. Therefore, my best answer to

this question is that you say what state your in and quite possibly

somebody that reads this forum can get together with you for a few

sessions and show you what to do using their equipment. Classes are

great, but its an hour here and an hour there. And books are great

as well ( I recommend Zone VI workshop by Picker and Ansel's books as

well). But there just is no substitution for riding around with

someone "cruising fer pics" and watching how its done. You could

learn it in a couple of days. Per has some free workshops going

later on this year. Maybe if you are in California you could attend

one of them. Good Luck. I hope that your interest turns into a

lifelong passion for seeing the light. Kevin

[todd frederick]

I would suggest you ease into this very gradually.

 

<p>

 

Get a roll of Ilford XP-2Super, expose it at 400, and take it to a

reliable Fuji Frontier lab for proofing. (I saw some chromogenic B/W

today at the school where I teach processed at Costco and they were

horrid...looked like vomit). Have them done on a Frontier printer in

the b/w channel. Good way to get started.

 

<p>

 

Interesting: I teach 5th grade. Will retire in 18 days! I was

setting up a photo display board for open house tomorrow of a field

activity with the Marine Science Institute near San Francisco, and I

did some of the photos in black and white (XP-2) and some of these

5th graders had never seen a black and white print in their

life...amazing! Some don't even know that humans have reached the

Moon! I am a teacher and even I ask: where is our education?