Color photography seems to be all the rage nowadays, but black and white photography can provide nuance and a certain level of sophistication to your work. Below are quick tips for black and white photography.

1. You can choose from different formats (different film sizes): 35mm (1″ x 1″), medium format- 120 (2″ x 2 “), and large format (4″ x 5″). Usually, beginning photographers will start off on a 35mm SLR (single-len reflex) camera. This camera allows the photographer to view and focus on the subject directly though the lens.

2. Film speed should be taken into consideration, and films are rated by an ASA (American Standards Association) number. 32 ASA film is a slow film and is used in well-lit situations; slow film produces fine grain negatives. 125 ASA film is a medium speed film generally used for outdoor photography, and it produces medium grain negatives. 400 ASA film is a fast film and is good for indoor, dimly lit photography; this film produces coarse grain negatives.

3. The aperture is adjusted to control the amount of light entering the lens. F-stop is a measurement of the size of the lens opening. A smaller F-stop number is a bigger opening and allows more light to reach the film. A larger F-stop number decreases the amount of light that reaches the film. The following is a typical F-stop range: 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22.

4. Focal length is a measure of the lens size, measured in mm. For a lens with a longer focal length, the angle of view is narrower. A short focal length has a wider angle of view. The following are lens types and their focal lengths: normal (50mm), wide angle (21-35mm), and telephoto (105-300mm).

5. Shutter speed refers to the length of time the film is exposed to light. A fast shutter speed means the length of exposure time is short. A slow shutter speed means the length of exposure time is long. Shutter speeds: B, T, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30, 60, 125, 250, 500, 1000. Shutter speed time can be better understood if you place a 1 over the number to turn it into a fraction. When you place a 1 over the 2, that means the shutter speed is a second.

6. Regarding shutter speed, the B means bulb, and the T means time. When using bulb, you just hold the button down for the desired amount of time. When using time, the second time you press down the button is when the shutter closes.