The Beauty of Black and White Photography

More from Amy

May 31

As I stood in the gallery, tears streaming down my face, (and hoping Kevin wasn’t regretting his decision from a few months earlier to ask me to marry him as he saw me break down in a winery in Napa Valley!) I realized that it is because Ansel’s images - as so many many black and white photographs do - convey such raw emotion and authenticity that I know I will always be drawn to them.

There is something special about black and white images that make a person sit up and take notice. The emotion is deeper. The story is stronger. We enter into that specific moment in time without distraction, without noise, and we FEEL. As someone who tries, but often fails, to “live in the moment”, black and white photographs allow me to return to a specific point in my life to savor it and let it sit with my heart awhile.

I have a few photo books on my shelves that feature images by some of the greats, like Richard Avedon and Ansel Adams, that I pull down when I’m feeling everything from sad to inspired…I find the simplicity in black and white is always a good answer. :)

A few years ago, one of my cousins got married in San Francisco; since we love to travel, Kevin and I jumped at the chance to get out to the west coast and make a whole trip of it! I am a planner by nature and loved that the bride and groom had an extensive “Things to Do” section on their wedding website to help get me started in my research on places to go and experiences to enjoy! They had included a list of their favorite wineries, which was right up our alley - I’ve always dreamed of going to Napa, and Kevin had recently proposed to me at a local winery here in Minnesota, so it was obviously a perfect day trip option for us from the Bay area!

Mumm Napa quickly became the top choice on my list once I learned that their fine art gallery featured an Ansel Adams collection on loan from his grandson. While the tour was wonderful and the tastings along the way delicious, experiencing the gallery at the end was by far the epitome of the day. It wasn’t part of a larger museum, with people wandering in and out of an exhibit while talking amongst themselves; rather it was a quiet, private collection and Kevin and I were the only ones there…and the experience was so overwhelming I actually started to cry!

This brings us back to the beginning (spoiler alert - Kevin DID still choose to marry me!), and is why I love including black and white portraits in my galleries - the color versions are beautiful, but being able to look back and truly FEEL a moment after it has passed us by…that’s something I want for all of my clients.