Introduction

In the age of Instagram’s over-saturation and eye-popping imagery to catch the attention and double taps, is there still room for black and white landscapes? My hopes and dreams shout, “YES,” however the likes and comments say otherwise. Now, we could all say that engagement doesn’t matter, but to a certain extent, it does. As social creatures, it’s nice to have validation from those around us to keep the motivation high, especially if you are at a low.

Throughout this article, I would like to look at a couple of examples of black and white photos I’ve taken over this past year and dive deep into if they are “good enough” for social media. Understandable, this is my opinion, these are my images, and social media is only a testing ground for me. For an added layer, I will also toss in other possible uses for the images, like this blog.

Photo Examples

Black and white image of Mount Whitney from Alabama Hill, CA

Mountains

Mountains are the quintessential black and white image. Okay, well, maybe portraits are but in terms of landscape images, mountains are the cream of the crop. The mountains have the opportunity to humble and place us in the state of AWE that we can not get in many other landscapes. Please, don’t get me wrong here, awe does occur in every landscape, but the mountains are the most consistent.

Mount Whitney, an icon of the Eastern Sierra mountains, HWY 395, and the highest point in the lower 48, is a massif well documented by the greats and the not-so-greats. Regardless of skill, what matters here is the attempt to capture the grandeur this peak exudes. I would say most days this is difficult, however, if you live around the area for a couple of seasons you’ll find the day.

I have not dedicated seasons of looking at this peak daily, hoping to get the shot. While I do believe this image above is solid, an 8 out of 10, it could be much better. One of the many challenges of shooting in black and white is always looking for the best opportunity for contrasting light. What does this mean? Well, to improve this shot, I need more weather, ideally a clearing storm, sunrise light (instead of the sunset), and a little bit more snow. All-in-all the photograph of Mount Whitney is still a solid image that I am happy to have in my archive.

Potential Uses

Is it worthy of a print? Yeah. I would hang this one on my wall. Why? Well, this is a classic landscape that still has a little bit of a flare with the clouds in the top left, as well as a really good contrast level with the lighting.

Could this be used for commercial purposes? It totally could, but most likely the client would look for that 10 out of 10 images assuming they have the time and resources to hand-select an image from Ansel Adams or other great photographers.

Would this image do well on social media? Probably not. Why? Well, this location is photographed hundreds of times a day, so people want to see the pop in color. I would make the argument that very few landscape shots, of popular places, will perform well in black and white.

Forest

One of the most difficult landscapes to photograph in black and white because of the contrasting light and minimal amount of “good” light. The thick canopy makes for a dark layer full of broad leaves with a vibrant green color, but a black and white photograph doesn’t show that!

Potential Uses

Yup, this one is a social media banger. Why? Well, the solar flare through the trees will immediately catch the eye of the viewer scrolling. Once they register that the image is of a forest, if they are a nature lover, they will appreciate it for a split second, double-tap, and head on down their feed.

Meanwhile, this image would be great for commercial use for a client that wants to highlight cleanliness blended with old fashion. Why? Well, at the bottom of this image, you can add text and a little bit of graphics, maybe with some color, to make the extra little pop. Put this in a magazine, people will stop and stare, then be delighted.

In terms of prints, I would say if this was a small piece to accent something larger, this would be great. However, this image wouldn’t hold up over time as a centerpiece.

Black and white fine art photograph by dalton johnson of an Oxbow Bend outside of Seattle, WA in the Pacific Nortwest

River

Now, I enjoy this image! There are TONS of elements here in the black and white space that pop, mainly because of the contrast with the clouds. Let’s break this image down:

There are three layers:

The foreground of the river and the peninsula. Using the foliage at the very bottom of the image to the treetops of the peninsula, this first layer has a lot of depth and chaos. Because of this chaos, most people do not even look at that to start, which doesn’t help this image. However, if you look long enough, these details keep your eye wandering.
The mid-ground is the first clouds bank to the mountain tops. This space is where my eye looks first, which I would assume yours does as well, but I could be wrong. This layer holds the weight of the image and gives the context of a storm clearing in the mountainous woods. Pretty cool.
In the background are the storm clouds looming over the entire image. These are great and moody, but not much can be said besides, “They are moody.”

Potential Uses

Could this be licensed commercially? Yeah, this image has the potential for those clients looking for a PNW image that is in black and white.

For prints, this is a solid black and white image that could hang on a cabin wall, especially if they are from the Pacific Northwest.

For social media, this image would be a hit-or-miss because it is so chaotic. Some people would double-tap away, and others would scroll directly over it because there was no color.

Aerial

This image is rad and that landscape is cool, especially with the layers in the sediment which create horizontal lines, and the spines of the plateau seemly melting away make for a composition that catches the eye of the viewer. Sadly, I would say that Black and White does NOT do this image justice. Why?

In the color version, this sediment is a rusted red. The color absolutely pops and adds to the composition. So, in this case, if I were to share this only as a black and white, I would be shorting myself.

Potential Uses

As a print, again, the color is the way to go... CLICK HERE

For commercial use, once again, the color would be the best option.

For social, no thank you.

Clouds

High in the sky, these fantasy-filled bundles of ice have fascinated me for years. What’s even crazier than the possibility of water to be floating, is its ability to hold color. Just think about those amazing sunsets that are so beautiful from the beach while sitting atop a blanket you just “have to grab your phone”. While these images never do that cloud view justice, the memory will forever stay.

In terms of clouds images, most are best with color, however, there are a couple of classic images that have stood the test of time in black and white. Can you still make these images today? Yes! If you end up in the right place at the right time, you can snag those images of a storm breaking, or looming over a mountain range or city. The possibilities are endless, you just need to time it correctly, or get lucky.

For this example, I just so happened to be in the right place at the right time for some crazy clouds. Since this was shot mid-day, the colors were… meh, hence black and white. These lenticular clouds are typically the sign of an oncoming storm, which, for those who know this, makes the image more daunting. Oftentimes, the more knowledge you have of a subject, the better one can appreciate, to a certain point. Sadly, I was driving along a highway and there wasn’t anything obvious that I could/should have placed under these clouds to be the subject, so I decided to shoot the clouds themselves.

How to Use:

Now, is this image good for social? Maybe. Some people will like this and think it is cool, but most would scroll over it.

Is this image a good print? No. There is way too much chaos and the addition to a room would be unwanted.

Could this photo be licensed commercially? I would be hard-pressed to think you could find an opportunity, but anything could happen. That was my long-winded way of saying... No.

So, if these are all no’s, why did I pull out my camera? Well, I liked the moment, was impressed by it, and took some photos because it is what I do for fun as well as for work. Now, I can stumble upon this image from time to time and smile, recalling a fun drive home to see my parents.

Final Thoughts

Overall, there is room for black and white photographs on social media but be prepared for low engagement. However, don’t let low engagement hold you back from sharing those black and white stunners from time to time. Remember, social media is as much, if not more, for you as it is for your followers. To be a successful black and white photograph on social media, it needs to be something special. Packing a punch on the gram is the minimum bar, hence the high saturation or jaw-dropping stories which draw you deeper into the app. So, share those jaw-dropping black and white images with the world!

Lastly, remember social media isn’t the end-all-be-all. Just because your Instagram feed might not be the place for black and white landscape photographs doesn’t mean it doesn’t belong in your portfolio, on somebody's wall, on your wall, in a magazine, or, hell, on a billboard as an advertisement for a Fortune 100 company.