Photos that rely on shadow, shape, texture, contrast, and tone to the exclusion of color always seem dramatic and compelling. If you are a fan of monochrome, you have probably wondered how artists like Alfred Stieglitz and Ansel Adams manage to capture images that seem deceptively simple. Minimalist black and white photography is an art form many attempt, but few find a way to master. There are basic techniques to learn in order to get started.

If this is something that interests you, learning to ignore color is one of the first things you need to do. You can try a couple of simple things that might help. There are monochrome viewing filters you can purchase and attach to your camera. You might also pick up some cheap sunglasses, that have dark grey lenses, from a big box or dollar store. Monochrome is an appropriate photographic technique for nearly any subject, including still lifes, people, cityscapes, and landscapes.

Most people who teach photography, and other art courses, put a big emphasis on composition. Composition is certainly an important element, but that is true of both color and monochrome. The difference is that some compositions that work beautifully in color won't work at all in black and white. You have to learn how to judge the elements of composition to make your monochrome photos distinctive.

Tone is an important part of the foundation of good monochrome photo taking. It is similar to contrast, but not exactly the same thing. If you are photographing a street scene full of vibrant colors for instance, those colors may just end up being uninteresting shades of gray in a monochrome photograph. You can adjust the tone using colored filters or change the lighting. By changing the lighting, you will create instant highlights and shadows.

You must be aware of shadows. Shadows are powerful tools in your arsenal when you are creating minimalist art. The stronger your shadows the higher the possibility you have of taking a good picture. It is just a fact that people are drawn to shadows. Not all shadows are black and empty of shape. You should consider how shadow, and what's contained in the shadows, will affect the observer.

Shape may be part of shadows, but it is also about contrast. Shapes can be the defining element in your photos. When you think about it, shape is the way the human brain defines what it knows about its surroundings. We recognize objects in part by the way they are shaped. When you are working in monochrome, it's necessary to look for shapes, and the way they work with tone and contrast.

Light and shadow can create texture. When eliminating texture in order to create a flat surface effect, your photo will become more abstract than if you had chosen to include it. Texture can be emphasized with the lowering of your light source's level. The light will create highlights and shadows. This in turn reveals texture.

The decision to strip your work of color can be scary. Color can hide a lot of technical mistakes. Monochrome doesn't give the artist that cover.