1. Shoot In Black & White

Did you know the iPhone camera lets you shoot in black and white?

Most people shoot in color and convert to black and white later. But for the best results, you should shoot in black and white.

(Don’t worry, you can always convert the photo back to color later!)

So why shoot your street photos in black and white?

Well, there are certain elements that make a black and white photo successful… light, shadows, patterns, shapes, lines, etc.

Removing the color allows you to see these elements more clearly.

Shapes, lines, and patterns will stand out. And you can instantly see whether a particular kind of light will work in black and white.

So how do you shoot in black and white on the iPhone?

It’s super easy!

Simply open the iPhone Camera app. Then swipe up on the screen (or tap the little arrow at the top of the screen).

Swipe across the icons above the shutter button and tap the Filters icon (three circles). Then swipe across the filter styles and select Noir.

Now you can shoot your photos in black and white!

Note that the iPhone camera filters are non-destructive. This means you can change them after taking a photo!

So if you decide you want your photo in color, just go to the Edit option in the Photos app and select a different filter.

2. Capture Minimalist Black & White Street Photos

The best photos are often the simplest ones!

The fewer elements you have in your photos, the more eye-catching they’ll be.

This is especially true for black and white street photography.

So if you want to capture striking black and white street photos, you should aim for minimalist compositions.

And the best way to do that?

Include lots of empty “negative” space in your photos.

But how do you find empty space in an urban environment?

Well, it might sound challenging. But it’s easier than you think!

The best way to create minimalist street photos is to find an open space in the city. Squares, parks, and cultural sites are great places for minimalist street photography.

If you’re not familiar with the city, you can easily find these kinds of spaces by exploring Google Maps.

Now, just wait for a single human subject to appear in the scene. Compose your shot so the person has a huge amount of empty space around them.

The negative space allows you to control the viewer’s attention. It guarantees the viewer’s eye will be drawn toward the subject.

When composing your photo, think about where you want the subject to appear in the frame.

I usually like to have my subject in the center of the photo as this often has the most impact. But you can experiment and take several photos with the subject in different positions.

Finally, make sure you avoid any unnecessary visual distractions. You might need to adjust your position or shoot from a different angle to avoid unwanted elements in your frame.

Shooting from a low angle is a great way to get more sky in the frame and eliminate a distracting foreground.

3. Use Leading Lines In Your iPhone Street Photography

The most important goal for us as photographers is to control the viewer’s attention…

And there’s no better way to do that than using leading lines!

Leading lines literally lead the viewer’s eye to the subject. And they add amazing depth to your images.

Cities are full of leading lines that you can use in your iPhone street photography.

Roads, paths, bridges, walls, fences, road markings, tunnels, underpasses, and other architectural elements can be used as leading lines.

Simply position yourself so the line leads from the foreground into the distance.

Ideally, you want your subject to be at the point where the lines converge in the distance.

For the most powerful visual impact, compose your shot with the lines starting from the corners of the frame.

This will add more structure and completeness to your photo. And it draws the eye right from the foreground of the scene.

But don’t worry if you don’t get the lines perfectly positioned. You can always crop the photo later to create the perfect composition.

Most leading lines in cities are straight. But don’t forget to look for curved leading lines, such as spiral staircases. These will create truly magical images!

For the perfect shot, climb to the top of the staircase and shoot downwards to capture the beautiful spiral line.

If possible, capture a person somewhere along the line or even right at the bottom of the staircase.

But spiral staircases look great by themselves, so always capture a few shots even if there’s no person in the scene.

4. Look For Patterns In The Urban Landscape

Patterns offer another way to make your black and white street photography more interesting.

I love patterns so much!

Repetitive patterns instantly catch the eye. And they hold the viewer’s attention while they spend time examining the details.

In cities, you’ll find all sorts of patterns in modern buildings and architecture.

Many modern buildings have facades with repeating shapes or lines. Even a row of windows, pillars, or arches can be used to create patterns in your photos.

If you’re not familiar with the city, use Google to search for images of modern buildings in the city. You can also use Instagram or Google Maps Street View to preview images from the area.

Once you start looking, you’ll find so many modern buildings with patterns you could photograph.

When you’ve found a scene with a repetitive pattern, decide which angle you want to shoot from.

I usually like to shoot straight toward the building, creating a symmetrical composition.

But shooting from a side-on angle can also work… as you’ll see in the photo below.

When you’ve composed your shot, just wait for a person to enter the scene.

The pattern will create an amazing backdrop. The person will add a strong focal point and give meaning to the image.

5. Frame Your Subject With Architectural Elements

Here’s a great technique to draw attention to your street photography subjects…

Frame your subject with architectural elements!

This technique works so well in black and white street photography. The strong shape of the frame stands out more clearly when you remove the color from the scene.

There are many opportunities to use framing in the city. Archways, tunnels, doorways, and windows make great frames for your photos.

Once you find a good “frame,” compose your shot and wait for a person to walk into the scene.

Use burst mode to capture multiple shots as the person walks through the frame. You can then choose the best photo with the subject in the perfect position and pose.

To activate burst mode, drag the shutter button to the left. Or hold down the volume-up button on the side of your iPhone.

I love to create symmetrical compositions with the subject in the center of the photo. But having the subject nearer the edge of the frame can also work.

If you’re shooting from inside looking out toward the light, you might need to adjust exposure (image brightness).

Often, you’ll need to reduce exposure to ensure the bright areas don’t lose their detail.

I usually start by reducing exposure to -1. But sometimes you’ll need to drop it further, e.g. to -2.

To adjust exposure in the iPhone Camera app, swipe up (or press the arrow at the top of the screen). Tap the +/- icon near the bottom of the screen. Then use the slider to adjust the exposure.

Once you’ve set the exposure value, you can keep taking photos and the exposure will remain at that setting. Just remember to set it back to zero after!

Note that older iPhones don’t have this exposure value setting. But you can also adjust exposure by tapping on the screen to set focus and then swiping up or down.

When you reduce exposure, keep in mind that the shadows will become darker – sometimes even pure black. And while you will lose some detail in the shadows, it can actually look really great.

You’ll see exactly what I mean in the next tip!

6. Shoot Striking Silhouette Street Photos

Have you ever tried capturing silhouettes in your photos?

Silhouettes are perfect for creative street photography. And they look amazing in black and white!

The dark outline of your subject will grab the viewer’s attention. And the lack of detail adds a sense of mystery and intrigue!

So how do you shoot silhouette photos with the iPhone?

First, you need to shoot toward the light… with your subject in front of the bright background.

The golden hours of sunrise and sunset are perfect for silhouette photography. When the sun is close to the horizon, it’s easy to get the bright light behind your subject.

But a bright sky at other times of the day can work. Or try using other light sources, such as street lights, illuminated shop windows, or even a brightly-lit wall.

If you’re shooting against the sky, try shooting from a lower angle to get more bright sky behind your subject.

When you’ve composed your shot, reduce exposure to make the image darker. Remember, the goal is to have the subject as a dark outline against the brighter background.

To reduce exposure, you can tap the screen where you want to set focus, then swipe down to make the image darker.

On newer iPhones, you can also swipe up on the screen (or press the arrow at the top of the screen) and tap the +/- icon. Then use the slider to adjust exposure.

7. Use Shadows For More Unique Street Photos

Do you want to shoot more unique black and white street photos?

Then try using shadows in your images!

This technique isn’t used by many people. So your photos will definitely stand out!

Shadows add mystery and drama to your image. And they really grab the viewer’s attention.

Now, you won’t get shadows on an overcast day. So you’ll need to shoot when there’s direct sunlight in the scene.

The best time of day to shoot shadows is during golden hour (just after sunrise or just before sunset). When the sun is low on the horizon, you’ll get amazing long shadows.

Just like silhouette photography, you’ll need to reduce exposure to make the shadows dark and dramatic.

Don’t worry about losing detail in the shadows. This can actually create a really powerful image!

When photographing shadows, remember the basic elements that make a great black and white street photo… leading lines, patterns, frames, etc.

The only difference is that you’re capturing the shadows of subjects instead of the subjects themselves.

And of course, this is a great opportunity to include yourself (well, your shadow) in the photo!

8. Clean Up Your Street Photos In Editing

Shooting with the iPhone Noir filter is a great start for your black and white street photos. But you can improve your photos even further in post-processing.

There are plenty of iPhone photo editing apps you can use.

I like to use Lightroom. But the built-in Photos app has a great set of editing tools which are perfect for beginners.

Simple adjustments to brightness, contrast, shadows, and highlights can make a big difference to the final image.

[Drag the slider to compare the original and edited images]

When it comes to black and white photography, increasing the contrast (or adjusting shadows and highlights) is a great place to start. A simple adjustment can add drama to your image and really make it stand out!

Cropping is another simple, yet powerful, way to improve your images.

Why? Because it can be hard to achieve perfect composition at the time of shooting.

Perhaps you shot too wide and want to crop in to make your subject stand out. Or maybe you didn’t notice distracting elements at the edges of the frame.

Perhaps the horizon appears slightly tilted. Or maybe you didn’t get your leading lines starting right in the corners of the frame.

All of these issues can be fixed with the Crop tool.

Remember, the most powerful photos are usually the simplest ones. For stunning minimalist street photos, you’ll need to remove distracting objects from images.

The cleaner the better!

Luckily, there are several apps that make it easy to remove objects (or people) from your photos. Adobe Lightroom and TouchRetouch both have tools for cleaning up your photos.

In the example above, I used the Healing tool in Lightroom to simply brush over the sign and make it disappear!

About The Author
Maksim Kyshtymov is the founder of a design studio specializing in designing websites. His photography journey started in 2009, and he has experience shooting with DSLR and mirrorless cameras. But three years ago, Maksim realized he prefers to shoot with the iPhone due to its portability. He loves the freedom of going for a long walk in a new location with just his iPhone to capture photos. Those are moments of true happiness for him.

The post 8 Tips For Striking Black & White Street Photography With iPhone appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Brave The Rain For Fascinating iPhone Street Photography

Does a rainy day put you off taking photos?

If so, you’re definitely not alone! But rain offers so many amazing opportunities for street photography.

And the best thing? You don’t even have to get wet!

When it rains in the city, I usually find a covered area to shoot from. There are plenty of awnings, bus stops, archways, and doorways to keep you dry.

One of the great things about rain is that people use umbrellas!

The bold shape and colors of umbrellas allow you to create a strong focal point in your image.

And they’re perfect for adding an interesting storytelling element to your iPhone street photos.

So the next time it rains, don’t stay at home. Head into the city for some spectacular rain photography!

2. Get Creative With Your iPhone Rain Photography

If you want to get really creative, try shooting photos through raindrops on a window.

You could sit in a cafe and capture photos as people walk past the window. Or shoot through the glass of a bus stop.

You could even hop on a bus and take photos through the windows as you pass by interesting scenes.

A great way to capture creative window shots is to get your camera lens quite close to the glass.

Compose your shot, then tap the camera screen to set focus on the raindrops in the foreground.

When you do this, the background will appear beautifully blurred. And the image will have a wonderful abstract quality that really draws the viewer in.

As you can see, taking street photos in bad weather adds a whole new level of creativity.

And once you start shooting in the rain, this might become your favorite kind of weather for iPhone street photography!

3. Capture Stunning Puddle Reflection Photos

When the rain stops, you’ll have another opportunity to capture some fascinating street photos.

All you need to do is walk around the city and look for reflections in puddles!

Try to find reflections that include buildings or architecture. These add interest to the reflection and help you create a stronger composition.

You’ll need to crouch down low to get more of the reflection in your frame.

You might get some funny looks, but don’t worry about that. You’re about to capture some really stunning photos!

Flip your iPhone upside down to get the lens really close to the water. Then adjust the camera angle until you’re happy with the composition.

When a person walks by, take multiple photos as they walk through the frame. You can use burst mode to help you capture the subject in the perfect position.

To activate burst mode, drag the shutter button towards the image thumbnail (bottom left if holding the phone vertically). Or if you’re using an older iPhone, just hold down the shutter button.

Your iPhone will take multiple photos until you release the shutter button. You can then choose the best shots from the burst and discard the rest.

4. Add A Creative Twist To Your iPhone Reflection Photos

After you’ve taken your puddle reflection shots, try this simple photo editing trick to make it even more interesting:

Flip your photo upside down so that the reflection appears at the top!

You can do this in any photo editing app, including the built-in Photos app on your iPhone.

Flipping your reflection photos creates a more intriguing image as the viewer tries to work out what’s going on.

It’s simple but very effective!

One last thing to think about is how much of the reflection you include in your photo.

You could compose the shot 50-50 so that half of the image is taken up with reflection. This is great for creating striking symmetrical compositions.

But don’t be afraid to fill most of the frame with the reflection. In the image below, I included just the legs of the man walking by, while the rest of the frame is filled with reflection.

Creating unusual compositions like this is a great way to capture more unique reflection photos.

5. Capture Snowy Scenes For Wonderful Storytelling

Snow is my favorite weather for street photography!

It completely transforms the city, turning familiar places into brand new environments to shoot.

And it’s perfect for capturing interesting stories of people as they fight the winter elements.

So wrap up warm and head into the city with your iPhone to capture some incredible winter photography!

Start by finding a good place to set up your shot.

Instead of always walking around searching for a scene, I like to go to my usual spots or ‘fishing holes.’ These are places that I’ve photographed many times, so composing my shot is easy.

I like to use the architecture of the city to frame my subject or create an interesting backdrop.

Buildings, bridges, and crosswalks make great backgrounds for your snowy street photography.

If you want to capture falling snowflakes in your photos, you’ll need a darker background so that the white snowflakes show up.

Once you’ve found a good location, compose your shot and wait for a person to enter the scene.

Ideally, you want someone who has something visually interesting about them… something that tells a story.

Perhaps they’re holding an umbrella, wearing a hat, or wrapped up in a colorful coat. Maybe they’re working out on the streets to sweep up the snow. Or perhaps their body language tells a story of fighting the elements on a cold winter’s day.

Take a few shots as the person walks past. Or use burst mode to capture a series of photos as they move through the frame.

6. Adjust Exposure For Perfect Snow Photography

When you’re doing snow photography, keep in mind that snow can affect the exposure (brightness) of your photos.

If most of the scene is white, it can trick your camera into under-exposing the shot. This can result in a photo where the snow looks grey instead of white.

But here’s the good news! You can easily adjust your iPhone camera’s exposure.

Simply tap on the camera screen to set focus on your subject, then swipe up to make the image brighter (or down to make it darker).

You can also use exposure to create different moods in your photos.

If you want a bright and airy image, swipe up to increase the exposure. For a dark and moody photo, swipe down to reduce it.

Of course, you can also use photo editing apps to adjust exposure after taking the photo. But it’s always better to get it right in-camera!

7. Shoot In Fog To Add A Sense Of Mystery

Fog offers another great way to capture street photos in bad weather. It’s perfect for moody street photography with an added sense of mystery!

I will literally drop everything I’m doing to capture some mysterious photos in the fog!

Fog adds a grey, murky feel to your images. That might sound unappealing, but the results can be dramatically beautiful.

Your photos will have a dream-like quality to them… which is quite unusual in street photography.

The key to great photography in fog is to have an interesting subject in the foreground.

A lone figure is perfect for fog photography. It adds to the eery atmosphere!

So be patient. And keep your eyes peeled for a person that stands out against the fog.

It also helps to have some kind of architectural element that gradually fades into the fog.

A bridge or road will create a strong leading line in your composition. And as it fades into the distance, you’ll get an amazing sense of depth in the scene.

Compose your shot so that the person in the foreground stands out against the brighter background. You might need to shoot from a low angle to achieve this.

Having a bright background also allows you to capture your subject as a dark silhouette. This is a great way to create dramatic and mysterious street photos.

To create a silhouette, ensure the subject’s outline is clearly defined against the brighter fog.

Tap to set focus on your subject, then swipe down to reduce exposure so the subject appears dark or completely black.

Don’t worry if the silhouette doesn’t look perfect when taking the shot. You can always edit the photo later to increase the contrast, making the silhouette darker and the foggy background brighter.

8. Convert Your Bad-Weather Street Photos To Black & White

There is one downside of doing street photography in rain, snow, and fog. The colors in your photos can end up dull and ‘muddy.’

But here’s an easy solution that will transform your moody-weather photos:

Convert your images to black and white!

A black and white edit accentuates the tones and textures in your image. And it creates wonderfully moody images that convey emotions and stories.

For successful black and white photography, you need a good amount of contrast in your scene. That means you need bright highlights as well as dark shadows.

As you become more familiar with black and white photography, you’ll begin to notice areas of contrast in a scene.

While I shoot in color, I see only the many shades of blacks, whites, and grays.

As you’re walking about the city, try to pick out areas of contrast that might look good in your black and white photos.

Notice bright areas such as the sky, natural sunlight, street lamps, and headlights from passing cars.

Then look for dark areas such as shadows cast on buildings, the darkness inside a tunnel or archway, etc.

You can then choose a location that has both bright and dark areas, knowing that the photo will look great when you convert it to black and white!

Capturing a lone figure against a well-lit background also works well.

Just make sure you adjust the exposure so the subject appears as a dark silhouette against the brighter background.

9. Experiment With Black & White Photo Editing Apps

There are many editing apps for converting your iPhone photos to black and white.

Some of my favorites are Lightroom, Snapseed, and Blackie. But you can also use filters in the built-in Photos app to quickly turn your photo black and white.

Each app brings something different to the final edit. So experiment with different apps and settings until you achieve a look that you like.

For example, you might prefer clean, crisp edits with high contrast levels.

Or perhaps you’ll go for a grainy, grungy look that emulates the look of old film.

There’s no right or wrong. It all comes down to personal preference and what kind of look will suit the photo you’re editing.

And of course, if you prefer to keep your moody-weather photos in color, that’s perfectly okay too!

About the Photographer
Andrew Gimblet is a fine art street photographer from Philadelphia, USA. He loves to venture out in ‘bad’ weather, using his iPhone to capture lone figures against the backdrop of the city. When he’s in the streets, he’s constantly people-watching and looking for ways to use light and shadow to create stunning black and white street photos. You can see more of Andrew’s compelling iPhone photos on Instagram.

The post 9 Tips For Amazing iPhone Street Photos In Bad Weather appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Obscure The Subject’s Face To Create Mysterious Characters

Street photography is all about photographing people.

But that doesn’t mean you have to show their faces in your photos.

In fact, obscuring a person’s face is one of the easiest ways to create mystery in your street photos.

And it’s what I do in most of my pictures.

When you hide the subject’s face, they become a mysterious character.

And this is perfect for creating intriguing stories in your iPhone street photography.

Mystery creates the strongest sense of story.

So it’s always a good idea to leave something to the viewer’s imagination.

If you exclude the person’s face, the viewer will create their own story about the photo.

They’ll start to ask questions…

Who is that person? What do they look like? What are they feeling?

The viewer might even imagine that it’s them or someone they know in the photo.

So how do you obscure a person’s face when you’re taking photos on the street?

Here’s a really simple trick:

Shoot from behind your subject.

Or find a high perspective and shoot down from above.

You could also look for a person whose face is obscured by another object.

Perhaps they’re wearing a hat or holding an umbrella that hides their face.

Maybe they’re holding up a newspaper or standing behind a street sign.

Or perhaps their face is obscured by another person in the scene.

One of my favorite techniques is to capture the subject’s face in shadow or as a dark silhouette.

(You’ll learn more about shadows and silhouettes shortly!)

Obscuring the subject’s face encourages the viewer to engage with the photo on a deeper level.

So go ahead and try it out for yourself.

If you hide the subject’s face, your iPhone street photography will become more moody and mysterious.

And that’s exactly what you want!

2. Capture Dark Shadows For Moody & Mysterious Street Photography

If you want to capture moody and mysterious street photography with your iPhone…

…include shadows in your composition.

Dark shadows create wonderfully moody images.

And they’re fantastic for adding a sense of drama and mystery to your street photography.

So how do you find great shadows in the city?

First, you have to find the right kind of light.

An overcast day is no good because the light is soft and even. You need direct sunlight for dramatic shadows.

Early morning and late afternoon are the perfect times for capturing street photography shadows.

When the sun is low in the sky, it casts amazing long shadows. And you can use these long shadows to create intriguing images.

Look for areas in the city where you have bright shafts of light and dark shadows.

Then compose your shot to include both light and shade in the frame.

You can use shadows to obscure your subject’s face.

Or capture just the shadow of a person for a fascinating composition.

Now, here’s an important tip for shadow photography:

Before you take the shot, adjust the camera’s exposure to ensure the shadows appear dark and dramatic.

Fortunately, this is easy to do in the iPhone Camera app.

First, tap on a bright part of the scene to expose for the highlights. This ensures the bright areas retain color and detail – rather than being over-exposed.

You can now darken the image further by swiping down on the screen.

If you can’t get the shadows dark enough while shooting, don’t worry. You can always darken them further in post-processing.

But your aim should always be to capture dark and mysterious shadows.

That’s the key to shooting moody photography with an amazing sense of mystery!

3. Create Dark Silhouettes For A Dramatic Sense Of Mystery

For the most dramatic sense of mystery, you should capture silhouettes.

Silhouette photos are incredibly powerful.

The black outline of the subject creates a strong focal point in your image.

But more importantly, the lack of detail creates amazing mystery.

So how do you capture jaw-dropping silhouette photos in your street photography?

It all starts with breaking the first rule of photography – which is to never shoot into the light.

To create a silhouette, you have to shoot towards the light!

The golden hours around sunrise and sunset are perfect for silhouette photography.

When the sun is low in the sky, it’s easy to get the light behind your subject.

When you’ve framed your shot, tap to set focus, then swipe down to darken the exposure.

You want your subject to appear very dark or completely black against the brighter background.

When shooting silhouettes, you only see the outline of your subject. So the position of the subject is very important.

A side profile of a person makes an amazing silhouette because it reveals the shape of their face.

If your subject is wearing a hat, you can also capture interesting silhouettes by shooting from in front or behind.

If the subject is walking, try to capture them in full stride so that their limbs are clearly defined.

If you follow these tips, you’ll be able to capture stunning silhouettes with your iPhone!

4. Use Creative Blur To Distort The Detail In Your Photos

Here’s another tip for creating mysterious street photography on iPhone:

Use blur in your photos.

Normally, we strive for clear and sharp, blur-free shots.

So why would you want to create blurry pictures?

Here’s the reason:

Blur distorts the detail in your photos. And this is perfect for creating a sense of mystery and intrigue.

If the blur is caused by movement, it also adds a wonderful sense of motion to your images.

So how do you create blur in your photos?

One technique is to use an editing app to add blur in post-processing.

But for the most natural blur, I recommend capturing blur at the time of shooting.

You can capture motion blur by using a slow shutter speed when taking the photo.

Slow shutter speeds enable the camera to capture movement as motion blur.

Anything that’s moving will appear blurred, while stationary objects remain sharp.

You can use a dedicated long exposure app, such as Slow Shutter Cam. Or you can use an iPhone camera app like ProCamera which lets you change the shutter speed.

Whichever app you use, select a slow shutter speed. Then simply press the shutter when a person walks past.

You won’t always get good results on the first shot. You might need to experiment with different shutter speeds until you find one that works.

The trick is to take lots of photos until you capture something interesting.

You can also create blur using intentional camera movement.

So rather than capturing blur from the movement of your subject, you create blur by moving the camera.

When you use blur intentionally, you open up a whole new world of creativity.

So for more unique street photography with magnificent mystery, try creating blur in your images!

5. Capture Reflections For Mesmerizing iPhone Street Photography

Reflections offer another great way to create unique iPhone street photography.

Reflections create mirroring and distortion that can confuse the viewer.

Confusion can be a good thing in photography. It makes you stop and look at the image while you try to work out what’s going on.

So where can you find reflections in the city?

They’re actually all around you… in glass, in mirrors, in metallic objects, and in water. Even a small puddle offers the potential for an incredible reflection photo.

Reflective materials do interesting things with the light. So this kind of photography is great for when the light isn’t perfect.

For example, if you’re shooting at noon when the light is too bright to capture good pictures, try taking reflection photos instead.

Here’s a fun technique for capturing interesting reflections in your street photography:

Find a store or cafe window. But don’t just look through the window at what’s behind it.

Take a second to look at the reflection in the glass. The street behind you will appear in the reflection.

Now, try to capture an interesting composition. Include a subject behind the window as well as the reflection in the glass.

The resulting image will have multiple layers. And it’s these layers that create the mystery and intrigue needed for amazing photos.

So don’t forget to look out for reflections as you’re walking the streets.

Once you start looking, you’ll see them everywhere. Then all you have to do is capture an interesting composition!

6. Experiment With Different Shooting Angles & Perspectives

Most people shoot straight ahead from the height of a standing adult.

But for more unique photos, try to show the world from a perspective that we don’t normally see.

This is a great way to shoot more mysterious street photography. It creates something a little bit different. And that’s what grabs the viewer’s attention.

The easiest way to experiment with perspective is to shoot from a low angle. Get down low and point your camera up.

The scene above you will appear imposing as it looms over you.

Next, try to find a high vantage point and shoot down onto your subjects.

Shooting from high up can help to obscure the faces of your subjects.

Try shooting down onto the street from a bridge or a tall building.

Or pay to go on one of those double-decker sight-seeing buses. I do this whenever I go to a new city. You can’t get that high perspective right on the street from anywhere else!

Here’s another way to use perspective to create mystery:

Shoot through a window with raindrops.

The water droplets distort the scene behind the glass. They also add an extra layer of visual interest in the foreground.

Try sitting in a cafe on a rainy day. Get a seat by a window and capture photos as people walk past.

You could also shoot through the glass at a bus stop when it’s raining.

Finally, look for interesting elements in the foreground to frame your subject.

The more unusual the object, the more intriguing your photo will be.

Switching up your shooting angle allows you to create more unique street photography.

And the fun part is that you’ll never quite know what you’ll get until you try it!

7. Compose Your Shots To Leave Out Certain Elements

Choosing what to include and what to leave out of your compositions is the key to great street photography.

If you want to create a sense of mystery, you have to compose your photos carefully.

You have to include enough information to create a story.

But you also have to choose what to leave out.

Excluding certain elements from your photo adds to the sense of mystery.

It allows the viewer to fill in the missing elements using their imagination.

Imagine you’re photographing a person looking at something across the street. If you compose your photo to include what they’re looking at, you’ve revealed the whole story.

But if you compose your shot to leave out what they’re looking at, the photo will be more mysterious. And this allows the viewer to create their own story about what caught the subject’s eye.

When composing your street photos, try to be more deliberate. Don’t just point and shoot. Take a few moments to look at the scene.

Start by deciding which elements you want to include.

As well as having a person in your shot, you want the viewer to see the context in which the subject appears.

You might need to step back a bit to include some more of the surroundings.

Now, it’s time to take your composition skills a bit further.

Could your image be more interesting if you exclude certain elements from the frame?

How could you create a sense of mystery? How could you create a more intriguing story?

You might need to get closer to remove certain elements from your photo. Or perhaps you need to change your shooting angle.

Maybe you could capture just the shadow or reflection of a person, rather than the actual person.

Leaving out certain elements from your photo might not come naturally at first. But try to resist the temptation to include everything in your shot.

Practice choosing what to include and then what to exclude from your composition.

Once you master it, your iPhone street photography will dramatically improve!

8. Edit In Black & White To Create Beautifully Moody Photos

Knowing how to take mysterious photos is just the first step to creative street photography.

Of course, you have to follow the above street photography tips to capture mystery in your pictures.

But for me, creating mood is usually done in post-processing.

When I’m shooting, I’m concentrating on the light and the interesting moments I see. I’m not thinking too much about whether the photo looks “moody.”

It’s only afterwards, using photo editing apps, that I create the final dark and moody image.

So how do you edit your photos to make them moodier?

You convert them to black and white!

It’s true that some of my photos are edited in color.

But I only do this if there’s a strong sense of color in the original shot – such as the red hat in the photo below.

In most cases, I prefer black and white street photography.

As well as creating wonderful mood, black and white cuts out “visual noise.”

When you remove the color from a photo, it takes away the distractions. It allows the viewer to focus more on the subject matter and story.

There are many apps for converting photos to black and white. But I usually use Snapseed.

There are a couple of ways to remove color in Snapseed. You can go to Tools > Tune Image. Swipe up or down and select Saturation, then swipe left until the color is completely removed.

Another option is to use the black and white filters in Snapseed. Go to Tools > Black & White, then choose a filter style from the bottom of the screen.

You can tweak the filter settings by swiping up or down. Fine-tune the Brightness, Contrast, and Grain to achieve your desired result.

I love to add grain to my black and white photos. It’s great for creating moody images that look like they were shot on film. For me, the perfect level of grain in Snapseed is 68!

Once you’ve converted to black and white, you can make further edits to enhance the mood of your photo.

For example, you could bring down the brightness to create a dark and moody image. Or darken the shadows and brighten the highlights to add more contrast.

I sometimes use the vignette tool to darken the edges.

This is great for creating dark and moody photos. And it helps to draw attention to the brighter part of the scene.

Of course, everyone has their own unique editing style. So play around with a few editing apps until you find what works for you.

Remember, great photography is a combination of shooting and editing.

So shoot to capture interesting moments with a sense of mystery and intrigue. Then edit to enhance the mood.

The post 8 Tips For Moody & Mysterious Street Photography On iPhone appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Shoot In Black & White To Envisage The Final Image

Many people shoot in color and then convert to black and white in post-processing.

But I recommend shooting in black and white.

Why?

Because it allows you to see the scene in black and white before you even take the picture.

It helps you visualize whether a scene will work as a black and white photo.

There are many third-party camera apps that let you shoot in black and white.

But I always use the built-in iPhone Camera app. With this app, you can use an in-camera black and white filter while you’re shooting.

This technique lets you view and capture the scene in black and white.

To shoot black and white photos with the Camera app, tap the Filters icon (three circles) at the top right. Swipe across the filters at the bottom of the screen and select Mono.

Now everything in the viewfinder will be black and white.

You can hide the filters by tapping the Filter icon at the top right of the screen. (To return to shooting in color, select the Original filter.)

The great thing about the Camera app filters is that you can remove them after you’ve taken the shot.

So, if you decide the image would look better in color, you can simply remove the black and white filter.

You can also use the color version of the image in editing – converting it to black and white yourself using an editing app. (More on editing later!)

This will give you more control over the final look of your black and white photo.

If you want to convert a photo back to full color, open the image in the Photos app. Then tap Edit at the top right.

Tap the Filters icon (three circles) at the bottom of the screen. Swipe across the filters beneath the image and select Original. Tap Done to save the changes.

2. Seek Out Contrast For Incredible Black & White Urban Photography

Not all photos look good in black and white.

So what makes a great black and white image?

First, you need plenty of contrast.

In other words, you want to find an urban scene that has both bright and dark areas.

The contrast between dark and light is what makes a black and white photo so powerful.

For incredible black and white city photography, seek out dark shadows and beams of bright light.

Where can you find this kind of light and contrast in a city?

Tall buildings are perfect for casting large shadows on roads and sidewalks. Look out for areas of bright light surrounded by dark shadows.

Alleyways, underground staircases, and tunnels are also perfect locations. Position yourself in the darkness, facing towards the light.

Remember, you can always increase the contrast in post-processing – making the shadows darker and the highlights brighter.

3. Shoot In Harsh Light For Amazing Contrast & Shadows

One of the best ways to capture high-contrast black and white pictures is to shoot in harsh light.

This means taking photos in bright sunlight.

A cloudy day isn’t good as the clouds will diffuse and soften the light. This means you won’t get those hard shadows that work so well in black and white photography.

For the sharpest contrast, shoot in the middle of the day when the sun is high in the sky.

Look out for bright beams of light and dark shadows. Then use this contrast to create a striking black and white photo.

The dark shadows can act as a frame around the brighter area, drawing the eye to the illuminated part of the scene.

Another great time to shoot is in the late afternoon (around 5pm).

When the sun is very low in sky, it casts amazing long shadows.

And you can use these shadows to create intriguing and mysterious street photography.

When the light is behind your subject, you can also capture dramatic silhouettes.

A dark silhouetted figure against a bright background is an amazing way to create contrast in an image.

And just like shadows, silhouettes add an air of mystery to your photos.

4. Look For Lines, Patterns, And Shapes

Other elements that work well in black and white photography include lines, patterns, and geometric shapes.

These add a graphic quality to your image. And they create natural contrast without the need for light and shade.

Urban environments are perfect for finding lines, shapes, and patterns.

Crosswalks offer a great opportunity for creating striking black and white photos.

Try getting up high and shooting down on them. Fill the entire frame with the crosswalk for maximum impact.

Or shoot from the sidewalk and use the crosswalk as a leading line – drawing the eye from the foreground into the distance.

Windows on buildings and trains provide bold shapes that look great in black and white pictures.

If you include a person in the shot, the window will act as a frame. This helps to draw the viewer’s eye towards the person in the window.

Repetitive patterns are a great way to create an abstract quality in your black and white photos.

And the city is the perfect place to find patterns. Once you look closely at architecture and other urban design elements, you’ll notice repetitive patterns all around you.

Train your eye to notice lines, shapes, and patterns… and your black and white urban photography will instantly improve.

5. Use Street Lights For Black And White Night Urban Photography

Cities provide fantastic opportunities for shooting at night.

The contrast between bright street lights and dark shadows is perfect for black and white photography.

The key to great black and white night photography is to seek out some kind of light source.

In urban locations, you’ll find street lights, neon signs, and illuminated storefronts.

All of these light sources will create contrast with the darker surroundings.

When shooting in low light, you need to watch out for exposure problems.

The dark conditions can trick the camera into making the scene brighter. The image will be over-exposed, making everything appear too bright.

If this happens, simply tap on the screen to set focus, then swipe down to reduce exposure and darken the image.

iPhone night photography might sound challenging if you haven’t done it before.

But if you look for contrast between light and shade, you’ll be able to create incredible night photos in the city.

6. Include A Person In Your Black & White Urban Photography

For truly captivating black and white city photography, you need to convey some kind of emotion.

And the best way to do that is to include people in your pictures.

Adding a human element helps you tell more compelling stories in your iPhone street photography.

People make your photos more intriguing. They encourage the viewer to ask questions about the image.

“Who is that person?” “What are they doing?” “What are they thinking?”

Including a person in the photo is a great way to break the pattern of an otherwise static scene.

A person also adds a sense of scale to the image. It gives the viewer a sense of the size of the surroundings.

A great trick is to shoot from a distance so that the person appears tiny compared to the buildings towering above them.

When you’re out shooting street photos, keep your eyes peeled for interesting looking people.

I love to photograph people wearing hats or trench coats. They create bold shapes that are perfect for black and white photos.

People with umbrellas make great subjects too. The shape of the umbrella will add a strong focal point to your image.

I also like to photograph people on bikes, especially when they cast a long shadow on the ground.

If you’re worried about photographing strangers in the street, start by shooting from afar.

Or photograph a person from behind so that they don’t notice you.

The iPhone is the perfect camera for street photography because it’s so discreet.

People won’t even realize you’re taking a photo. And this means you can capture natural poses and expressions as people go about their business.

7. Compose Your Street Photography Shot In Advance

To shoot the most compelling black and white street photography, you need to be patient.

Once you’ve found the perfect location with great light and contrast, don’t just take a shot and move on.

You might need to wait a while for the perfect moment when a single person walks through the scene.

And when that moment arrives, you need to be ready to take the shot.

That’s why it’s important to compose your photo in advance.

Take a few minutes to explore different angles and shooting perspectives.

Would a low angle work well? Or would it be better to find a high vantage point and shoot down on the scene?

Think about how you can isolate a person from the background. For example, you could ensure the person will be positioned against a bright part of the scene.

Are there any leading lines that you could use to draw the viewer’s eye into the image? If so, compose your shot so the lines lead from foreground to background.

Can you find any symmetry in the chaos of the busy city? If so, take a few moments to line up your composition for a perfectly symmetrical image.

Once you’re happy with the composition of your photo, you can set focus and exposure.

Setting focus and exposure in advance means you’ll be ready to press the shutter as soon as a person walks into the scene.

It’s a good idea to lock the focus and exposure using the AE/AF Lock camera feature. That way, you can take multiple shots with the same focus and exposure settings.

How do you lock focus and exposure in the Camera app?

Simply tap and hold until you see AE/AF Lock at the top of the screen. Just make sure you tap to set focus at the point where you think a person will walk through. A yellow box with a sun indicates the focus point.

You can now adjust exposure (brightness) by swiping up or down on the screen.

To create high contrast black and white photos, I often swipe up to brighten the exposure. This is because I want the highlights (bright areas) to blow out.

This means that the brighter areas will appear completely white – which looks amazing in high-contrast black and white urban photography.

When you’re editing your photo, you can then darken the shadows to make them black or very dark.

8. Use Burst Mode To Capture The Perfect Moment

When you’ve composed your photo and someone enters the scene, you only have a few moments to take the shot.

So, how do you ensure you capture the person in the perfect position? How do you capture the perfect pose or stride?

The answer:

Use burst mode.

Burst mode is an iPhone camera feature that lets you take a series of photos in quick succession.

You can then select the best photos from the burst and discard the rest.

To activate burst mode, simply hold down the shutter button in the Camera app.

The camera will keep taking photos until you release your finger.

To select the images you want to keep, open the Photos app. Open the burst that you captured (the image thumbnail will appear as a stack of images). Then tap Select at the bottom of the screen.

Scroll across and select the images you want to keep. Tap Done, then choose to Keep Only Favorites.

The photos you selected will appear as individual images in your photo library. The rest of the burst photos will be deleted.

Burst mode is perfect for photographing moving subjects.

So don’t forget to use it to increase your chances of capturing the perfect moment.

9. Boost The Contrast When Editing In Black & White

One of the biggest mistakes people make with black and white photography is not adding enough contrast when editing.

Even if you shot the photo in black and white, you’ll still need to edit it to create an eye-catching final image.

If you don’t add enough contrast in editing, the photo will look flat and lifeless.

Below is a simple editing workflow for converting a photo to black and white in post-processing.

We’ll be converting this color image…

… into the high-contrast black and white photo below.

In this example, we’ll use the fantastic free Snapseed app. But you can use a different photo editing app if you prefer.

Open your image in Snapseed. Tap Tools, then select Tune Image.

Swipe up or down on the screen to access the list of adjustments.

If your photo is in color, you’ll need to convert it to black and white. Select Saturation, then swipe left to set the value to -100. This removes all of the color from your picture.

At this point, your black and white photo probably won’t look great. This is because it lacks contrast between the dark and bright areas.

So the next step is to boost contrast – making the highlights brighter and the shadows darker.

Swipe up or down to access the list of adjustments. Then select Contrast. Swipe right to increase the contrast.

Notice how the highlights become much brighter and the shadows become much darker.

Most people are afraid of adding too much contrast, preferring to keep some detail in the shadows and highlights.

But for striking black and white urban photography, high-contrast is exactly what you want.

Don’t be afraid to make the shadows pure black and the highlights pure white.

If you want to make the shadows even darker, swipe up or down and select Shadows. Then take the shadows down to pure black.

To brighten the highlights even more, swipe up or down and select Highlights. Then increase the brightness so the highlights become pure white.

When you’re happy with your edit, tap the checkmark at the bottom right.

Of course, you can tweak your image further using other editing tools within the app. But the workflow above is all you need to get started with creating high-contrast black and white edits.

To save your Snapseed edit, tap Export > Save A Copy.

The post 9 Tips For Striking Black And White Urban Photography On iPhone appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Shoot During The Golden Hours For The Best iPhone Street Light

Great photography starts with great light.

So, to get great black and white street photography…

…you need to find some light that really blows people away.

You see, light can make or break a black and white photo.

If your shot has poor light, it just won’t work.

But if your shot has good light?

Then it can be amazing.

Notice how the light created a long shadow in the photo below. If the light had been different, I wouldn’t have captured such a powerful shot.

What counts as good light?

When it comes to black and white street photography, I recommend you only shoot during early morning and late afternoon.

(These are known as the golden hours.)

During these times, the sun is low on the horizon. The light is soft and pleasant.

But, most importantly, you get great shadows and silhouettes.

These are fantastic for creating dramatic and mysterious street photography.

So, here’s the bottom line:

Shoot during the golden hours. That’s when you’ll get the most stunning photos.

2. Use The Rule Of Thirds For Perfect Black And White Street Photography Compositions

How do you create gorgeous black and white compositions?

That is, how do you decide how to arrange the main elements in your photos?

Mastering composition might seem tough.

Fortunately, there are a few simple tricks you can use–tips that will immediately take your compositional abilities to the next level.

Here’s the first of the street photography composition tips:

Use the rule of thirds.

Now, the rule of thirds is quite simple. It states:

Find the main elements in your composition. And place these elements a third of the way into the frame.

Here’s a neat trick:

Your iPhone has a built-in rule of thirds grid to help you get your subject in the perfect position.

Notice how the person in the photo above falls along the right gridline. That’s because I followed the rule of thirds when composing my photo. I placed the person a third of the way into the frame.

To turn on the grid, simply open the Settings app, select Camera, then switch the Grid option to On.

And voila! Your iPhone camera screen will display a grid.

This is super useful for composing your street photography shots. I’d recommend you keep the grid on all the time.

That way, when you’re out shooting, you can reference the grid. And you can line it up with the main elements of your photos!

If you have a horizon in your photo, place it along the top or bottom gridline.

If you have a person in your photo, place them at the intersection of two gridlines.

But the rule of thirds isn’t the only compositional trick out there. Read on to find out another…

3. Look For Shapes, Lines, And Patterns For Eye-Catching Compositions

Here’s another composition tip for incredible black and white street photography:

When you’re out shooting, look for shapes. Look for lines. And look for patterns.

These elements all look stunning in black and white photos. They make a bold statement that really catch the viewer’s eye.

Let’s take these elements one at a time:

First, you should look for obvious shapes. For instance, arches create clear ovals.

And windows are powerful squares–or sometimes even circles.

Second, you should look for lines.

Just look for poles, railings, and the edges of buildings. These will all make for great compositional elements.

Shadows also create amazing lines. I can’t emphasize this enough: Take advantage of shadows.

Use them whenever you can to create mesmerizing street photography shadows.

Try composing your shot so that the lines lead from the foreground to the background.

This creates amazing depth, drawing the viewer’s eye into the photo.

Finally, look for patterns.

Now, patterns exist everywhere in the city. You just have to look carefully.

There are huge walls full of windows.

There are blocks with identical doors.

And you’ll often find interesting patterns in paving on the ground.

Once you’ve found a pattern, compose your photo to emphasize it.

Try filling the entire frame with the pattern. This will have an incredibly strong visual impact.

Using graphical urban design elements, such as shapes, lines, and patterns will blow the viewer away.

4. Add A Single Person To Complete The Shot

When I do street photography, I almost always include one person.

Why?

Because a person acts as a focal point. A person gives the viewer something to focus on in the photo.

However, it’s important that you don’t have too many people in your photo. One person is perfect.

Because too many people will be distracting. The viewer won’t know where to look.

Here’s what you should do:

Start by finding a beautiful background.

The best backgrounds have lines, shapes, and patterns. Notice the geometry in the background below:

Then simply wait for a person to walk into the frame.

You might have to wait a bit for the perfect moment. But be patient. Someone will walk through eventually.

Now, here’s the key thing to remember:

You want to make sure the person is standing in the best place possible.

Use the rule of thirds for this. Place the person at the intersection of two gridlines. Or place them along one of the gridlines.

Notice how the person in the photo below stands along the left gridline.

If you can include a person in your shot, you’ll get the absolute best image possible.

People add so much to a street image.

It’s exactly what you want.

5. Find A High Vantage Point For The Most Unique Photos

If you want truly unique black and white photography, then you’re going to need to change things up a bit.

You’re going to need to capture black and white pictures that nobody else has thought of–which is a tall order.

But here’s a great way of taking unique photos:

Find a high vantage point.

And then shoot downward.

A high vantage point could be a bridge, a cliff, or a window. Just find a place that lets you look out at the scene in an unusual way.

Look at the photo above. Without my high vantage point, this shot would be boring.

But, by finding a high vantage point, I took an extremely unusual photo.

High vantage points work best when the shadows are long and heavy.

So you should definitely wait until the golden hours before trying this.

Remember, a high vantage point really can take your images to the next level.

6. Shoot In Black And White To Master The Medium

If you want to master black and white street photography…

…then I recommend you shoot in black and white.

That is, your iPhone screen should show the image in black and white (rather than color).

I shoot in black and white all the time.

Because shooting black and white helps you see the world without color.

You’ll start to notice what contrasts with what. And you’ll notice how you can take incredible photos in black and white.

Here’s the good news: Your iPhone has a handy filter that lets you photograph in black and white.

Simply tap the filter icon (three overlapping circles) in the built-in Camera app.

Then scroll to the three black and white filters, and choose whichever is to your liking.

Now, you’ll be able to take black and white photos–in real time.

After taking the shot, you can always remove the filter and convert the photo back to a color image if you like.

But shooting in black and white will really give you a head-start.

7. Return To The Same Place Repeatedly For The Best Shots

Powerful street photography is all about good light.

But the light actually changes…

…on a day-to-day basis.

So, when you find a location you like, don’t just shoot it once and then leave.

Instead, think about how the location might change over time.

What would the location look like under an evening sun? What would the location look like in the winter or in the rain?

If you return to the same location, over and over again, you’ll start to notice unique photogenic qualities about that location.

You’ll become intimately familiar with it.

And you’ll take unbelievable photos over and over again.

The post 7 Tips For Stunning Black And White Street Photography On iPhone appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Shoot Into The Light To Capture A Gorgeous Silhouette Picture

In silhouette photography, proper lighting is essential.

So if you want to create stunning silhouettes, you have to choose your lighting carefully.

What light is best for black and white silhouettes?

There’s a simple answer: backlight.

Backlight is the type of light you get when you shoot toward the sun. That is, your subject should be between you and the light source.

In the photo below, the light is clearly coming from the sky behind the subject.

In ideal situations, the light source (generally the sun) is directly behind your subject. However, it’s okay if the light source exists slightly off to one side. Just make sure that your subject is lit primarily from behind.

You also need to make sure that your photo is sufficiently dark.

(After all, silhouettes require dramatically dark subjects.)

You can do this pretty easily. When you’re about to take a photo, first tap on the iPhone screen. You’ll see a yellow box (as pictured below). Then swipe downwards. This will darken the photo. And it will create a gorgeous silhouette.

But why is backlight so good for a black and white iPhone silhouette?

First, backlight renders the main subject completely dark. It results in a bright background–but a very dark subject. This is what you want in a silhouette, as explained above.

Second, backlight creates a lot of contrast between the subject and the background.

(Notice the dark subject against the bright background.)

Contrast is great for black and white photos. It makes them dramatic. In fact, when it comes to black and white, more contrast is almost always better.

To recap: If you want gorgeous black and white silhouettes, shoot toward the light.

Your pictures will be much more striking.

2. Shoot In Late Afternoon For The Best Light

Do you want to create jaw-dropping silhouettes?

Then you should pay attention to the light–and make sure you shoot in the late afternoon.

Late afternoon light is great for silhouettes. This is because the sun is low in the sky. And this makes it far easier to shoot into the sun.

Plus, late afternoon light is rich and golden. It can even add a halo to your backlit subjects.

But late afternoon light is also great for black and white photography. Because late afternoon light creates long, dramatic shadows.

Look at the dramatic shadow in the photo below. I could never have achieved this shot without late afternoon lighting.

And you can use these shadows in your black and white photography. You can use them to create interest or to lead the eye around the frame.

For instance, try focusing on just the shadow of your subject. If you do this during midday, your subject will have hardly any shadow at all. You won’t get a good shot.

But if you do this in late afternoon…

…your subject will have a long, dark shadow.

And this will really draw the eye!

So shoot in the late afternoon. Your pictures will quickly improve.

3. Use A Human Figure As A Focal Point For Amazing Silhouette Pictures

Now that you know how to create a striking silhouette, you need to choose a silhouette subject.

That is, you need to choose the element of your photo that the viewer should focus on. You need a focal point.

What makes a great black and white silhouette subject?

A great subject is easy to recognize. And a great subject catches the eye.

That’s why I recommend that you use people as your main subject.

People offer very clear outlines–which makes for easily discernible silhouettes.

Plus, people are abundant. You can walk around town and find lots of people to shoot.

Here’s a trick: When you’re shooting people, make sure that you capture them walking alone. A single person is much more compelling than a group.

Why is this?

Groups of people make for messy silhouette photos–because the people tend to overlap in a chaotic way.

Whereas individual people draw the eye. They offer the viewer something to focus on, which is exactly what you want to do in your photography.

Here’s another trick: Shoot people wearing interesting hats. Hats create unique silhouettes. And these silhouettes are far more eye-catching than those of a normal person.

Note the interesting silhouette in the photo below. Would it be quite so powerful if the subject weren’t wearing a hat?

Remember: Shoot people as your black and white silhouette subjects.

They make for powerful focal points.

4. Look For Streaks Of Light For The Most Original Black And White Pictures

If you want to create silhouette photos that rise above the rest, then here’s a great trick:

Look for streaks of light.

And then incorporate them into your photos.

Let me explain: When the sun is setting, it drops down low. This means that it often shines through objects–for instance, tree trunks and buildings.

You’ve probably seen this effect while out walking in the evening: a single beam of sunlight falling between two trees.

Or maybe you’ve seen a single streak of sunlight resting on the wall of a building.

Now, when you’re out looking for silhouette subjects, actively look for these streaks of light.

As soon as you find one, stop. Carefully compose your image so as to include the streak of light.

Next, tap on the streak of light. Swipe down so as to darken the image.

Note where I’ve tapped in the image below: On the brightest part of the shot. Then I’ve swiped down to darken the entire photo.

You want the whole photo to be black–except for that streak of light.

Then wait for a person to walk through. And take their photo.

It’s important to note: A photo like this isn’t technically backlit. You’re not shooting into the sun.

However, you are shooting toward the light–the bright streak of light resting on a wall.

And it can make for truly striking silhouette compositions!

5. Look For Shapes To Create Stunning Black And White Compositions

Composition is all about shapes.

When you compose an image, you’re simply arranging shapes. Ideally, you try to arrange them in a pleasing way.

That’s what a gorgeous composition is: A pleasing arrangement of shapes.

This is especially true in black and white photography. After all, there are no colors to distract the viewer.

So if you want to do the most gorgeous black and white silhouette photography, you need to think in terms of shapes.

How do you do this?

Start by observing the world around you. Look for obvious shapes. Windows and doors are some of the easiest shapes to find, as they’re obvious rectangles.

But then try to go deeper. Look at the shadows. What shape are they? Are they triangles? Squares? Lines?

Once you’ve noticed the shapes around you, it’s time to arrange them in your composition.

Here’s what I recommend:

Only include a few shapes in your images. Too many shapes cause chaos.

Instead, one or two shapes should be just fine. Try to make one of the shapes the focal point of the photo. You can do this by making sure there are no surrounding distractions.

Look at the shapes in the photo below. Do you see the geometry? And can you see how simple the photo is? You only need a few shapes to take a great photo!

Hopefully, you’re starting to understand how to see in shapes.

But even if you’re not, don’t get discouraged. Because I have a tip that will really help you to see in shapes.

And it will help you compose better photos…

6. Shoot In Black And White For The Best Compositions

If you want to create unbelievable black and white photos, then you need to see in terms of shapes.

And if you’re struggling to see shapes, then you should try photographing in black and white.

That is, you should set the screen of your iPhone camera to display in black and white.

This will strip all color from the scene. It will allow you to focus on the fundamental components of the image: shapes!

How do you set your iPhone to display the screen in black and white?

You have a couple of good options.

First, you could use a dedicated black and white camera app such as Blackie. This allows you to take photos in black and white. That way, you can compose with the black and white composition in mind.

Second, you could simply use the built-in camera app.

Here’s how:

Go to your iPhone camera. Then tap on the filter icon (the three overlapping circles). This gives you access to all the built-in camera filters.

Finally, scroll to the end of the filter selection. Here you’ll find several black and white filters. Which filter you choose isn’t important.

Once you’ve selected a filter, the camera screen will display in black and white.

(Note: You’ll need to select the filter again each time you want to start a black and white photo outing.)

Once you start shooting in black and white, your ability to see in shapes will take off. And your photos will immediately improve.

7. Include Layers In Your Photos For Striking Black And White Photography

I have one more composition tip for you. When used correctly, it results in really stunning black and white silhouette images.

Here it is:

Include layers in your photos.

What do I mean by this? Simply that you should look for individual layers in a single scene. And try to compose with multiple layers.

For instance, I love to include at least two layers in a scene. I might have a background layer (for instance, the boat in the photo below).

And then I’d have a foreground layer with a silhouetted person.

However, you have to be careful. It’s not always easy to isolate layers–and you want to make sure that none of them overlap with one another. The individual layers must remain separate.

Here’s the bottom line: Layers are extremely compelling.

So include them in your black and white silhouettes for more powerful photos.

You won’t regret it.

8. Edit To Enhance Your Black And White Silhouette Photography

Do you want to create the best photos you possibly can?

Then there’s one last step you need to follow:

You need to edit your photos.

Fortunately, you don’t have to do much editing to make your black and white silhouettes pop.

And the editing you do need to focus on is quite easy! To do this, use an editing app such as Snapseed.

First, open your photo in Snapseed. You can do this by pressing Open, and selecting your photo.

Next, tap Tools, then Tune Image.

Swipe up to access the Adjustment menu.

If you’ve shot in color, scroll down to Saturation, and swipe left until the image is completely desaturated. This will remove the color from your image (and turn it black and white).

Then tap the checkmark to save the edit.

The next step is to raise the contrast. Silhouettes require a lot of contrast!

So swipe up to access the Adjustment menu. Scroll down to Contrast, and swipe right. This will add some drama and punch to your photo.

Finally, I like to add a bit of a vignette to my silhouette photos.

(A vignette is a dark circle around the edges of the frame.)

You can do this using Snapseed’s Vignette tool.

Tap on Tools, then scroll down until you find Vignette. Select this option.

Now you can experiment with different vignetting effects. You can make the vignette larger (for a more dramatic effect), or smaller (for a more subtle effect).

No matter what you choose, the vignette will help create drama in your images.

And the careful editing will enhance them!

To conclude: Don’t forget to edit your photos.

Because a little editing can make a big difference.

The post 8 Tips For Stunning Black And White Silhouette Photography On iPhone appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

How To Do Stunning Black And White Editing

Today, I’m going to show you how I edit my own color images–and turn them into beautiful black and white pictures. I’ll take you through my editing process, step by step, using one of my photos as an example.

You’re about to learn the editing process that I use to create black and white photography like this:

And this:

So I invite you to follow along!

I’d like to note: I generally do my black and white editing in Snapseed. It’s not a black and white app. It’s a free, all-around photo editing app.

But it might be the best black and white photo editor out there. It’s that powerful.

However, if you’re looking for a dedicated best black and white photo app, check out Blackie. It allows you to take stunning images in black and white.

Here’s the original photo for today’s edit:

To access this image full-size, click here. You can use this to follow along on your own!

The Story Behind The Color Image

I took the image above at an architectural memorial in Liberty State Park, New Jersey. The memorial commemorates all New Jersey residents who died in the 9/11 attacks.

One evening, I stood between the walls of the memorial. I looked out toward lower Manhattan–where the World Trade Center towers once stood.

Previously, the Twin Towers had dominated the skyline.

But now the skyline is empty.

Hence the name of the memorial: Empty Sky.

I took this Empty Sky image just after sunset. The sky was blue and bright.

Now let me show you how to edit it.

Step 1: Open The Image In Snapseed To Begin The Edit

Snapseed is a fantastic tool for black and white editing. Best of all, it’s free!

Before beginning, make sure that the image is in your photo library.

Then tap on the Snapseed icon on your Home screen to start the app.

Select Open in the top left corner. Then tap Open from Device.

Finally, tap All Photos, and scroll until you find the original image you’re looking for.

Tap on it, and it will open in Snapseed.

Step 2: Straighten Your Image For More Professional Black And White Photography

When you edit your image, begin by looking it over.

Ask yourself: Are the horizontal lines straight? Are the vertical lines straight?

If not, you can make adjustments to correct them.

This image has no obvious horizon line, but it felt slightly off-level to me.

So I began by opening the Perspective tool in Snapseed.

To do this, tap on Tools. Tap on Perspective.

I then selected the Rotate option.

By simply swiping your finger left or right, you can adjust the angle of the image. As the image rotates, the Rotate tool fills in any pixels around the edges.

I used the tool to rotate the image counter-clockwise just a touch–a couple of degrees at most. Finally, I tapped the checkmark to save the edit.

Step 3: Crop Your Image For The Desired Display

Next, I cropped the image.

The point at which you crop your images isn’t particularly important–you can crop your photos at the beginning or the end of the edit.

In this example, I wanted to decide on my final composition early in my editing process.

So I opened the Crop tool.

You can access this tool by tapping Tools, then Crop.

In general, I like to use a 4:5 aspect ratio. This is because I upload my images to Instagram, and 4:5 images will display the most pixels possible on Instagram (i.e., 4:5 images display largest!).

I tapped the 5:4 crop option, and composed the image within the crop borders.

I ended up placing the image in the center of the Crop tool, like so:

Then I tapped the checkmark to save the edit.

Step 4: Use The Vintage Tool For Richer Tones

One of the most important aspects of a black and white image is the richness of its tones.

But how do you achieve rich tones?

Here’s a tip: Start by editing your image in color. Deepen and darken its shadows.

This ultimately results in a black and white image with richer blacks.

To deepen this image’s shadows, I turned to the Vintage tool.

The Vintage tool affects images in several ways.

Here’s the most important one: it darkens the edges of the frame, creating deeper shadow areas (a vignette).

To access the Vintage tool, tap Tools and then Vintage.

You’ll see a series of Vintage filters. For this image, I used Filter 12, because it creates very deep blacks.

Tap on 12 to apply the filter.

Then you can adjust the settings of the filter by tapping the Adjustments menu at the bottom of the screen.

For this image, I increased the brightness by 10-15. I also increased the saturation by 5-10, and dialed up the style strength to about 50.

The purpose of these edits was to create a richer, deeper, more dramatic image. The changes are more obvious in color–but these effects can also be seen in black and white (as you’ll realize in a moment).

Step 5: Use The Vignette Tool To Deepen Your Shadow Areas Further

I had already created deep blacks with the Vintage tool. But I wanted to see if I could deepen them further, especially in the foreground.

I used the Vignette tool to do this.

Tap Tools, then Vignette.

Now, the Vignette tool creates a dark circle–a vignette–around the edges of your image.

The Snapseed Vignette tool allows for some customization of the vignette. You can move the position of the vignette by tapping and dragging your finger around the screen.

You can also pinch to decrease and increase the size of the vignette.

For this image, I wanted to increase the shadows in the foreground of the image.

So I placed the vignette in the sky just above the standing figure. This darkened the foreground significantly.

I also wanted to convey a sense of quiet hopefulness in the image. So I tapped the Adjustments menu to access the Vignette tools.

Then I raised the Inner Brightness by a slight amount (5-10). This created a slightly brighter sky above the standing figure.

Step 6: Use The Selective Tool To Remove Distractions

If you’ve been following along, you should now have a richer, deeper image (but one that’s still in color!).

At this point, I like to do some selective editing.

In particular, I noticed that the figures huddled near the wall were slightly distracting.

Do you see how the figure in the red coat draws the eye? Even once converted to black and white, I knew the strong red tone might be a distraction.

My first goal was to desaturate the red coat.

Tap Tools, then Selective. Tap on the red coat to add a selective point.

Selective points allow you to edit the space just under and around the point–leaving everything else untouched.

Now, pinch to make the selected area extremely small.

Then swipe up to select the Saturation option. Finally, swipe left to desaturate the red coat.

I set saturation to about -75, which was the point where the red coat became a more neutral color.

Then I selectively added contrast (about 25-30). This served to heighten the presence of the figure, helping it stand out a little more.

You see, I liked the addition of the figure–I just didn’t like how the red coat distracted from the image’s focus. So I used my first selective point to remove the red coat while making the figure more noticeable.

My second goal was to bring together all the background figures as a unified group. They were all wearing different colored clothes, and I wanted to make sure this didn’t make them into noticeably separate people.

So I tapped the Plus (+) icon at the bottom of the screen to create a second selective point, and I added it to the image.

I placed the selective point on the figure with the tan coat, and pinched to make it small.

I used this selective point to decrease the contrast by about 50 and decrease the brightness by about 70.

These adjustments increased the unity of the group by drawing the different figures into one single huddle.

Then I added a third selective point. I placed this point just to the left of the figures on the wall. I increased the brightness to 25-30 and the contrast to about 33.

I did this for two reasons. First, I wanted to heighten the contrast between the wall and the figures. I knew that this would further increase the unity of the group.

Second, I wanted to make the names etched into the memorial’s wall more noticeable.

I placed a fourth selective point just below the reflection of the main figure’s head (at the bottom of the image). This point was medium-sized–about the width of the glass.

I set the brightness to 10 and the contrast to 20. This made the reflection pop a bit more.

I placed my fifth (and final) selective point at the bottom of the image, in the center.

I adjusted the diameter of this point to a medium size.

I dropped the saturation by 25-30. I decreased the brightness by about 30 and increased the contrast about 50. This helped emphasize the figure’s reflection and to deepen the darker foreground tones.

Step 7: Use The Brush Tool To Enhance The Tiny Details

The Brush tool is fantastic for making slight enhancements.

How do you access the Brush tool?

Tap Tools, then Brush.

I used the Brush tool to enhance several parts of this image.

Make sure that Dodge & Burn is selected and set to +5. To change the value, simply tap the arrows.

Now you can “paint” on the image with a finger, and the image will be slightly lightened.

For this image, I wanted to enhance the line on the right of the image. I wanted to give it more presence–make it into more of a leading line. I painted over it with my finger.

I also wanted to enhance the reflection of the figures on the left wall. So I painted a bit of light there, as well.

In general, the Brush tool is wonderful for making these subtle changes. For this image, those are the only adjustments I made. But you can use the Brush tool to make slight changes to much of your image, if you desire.

Step 8: Desaturate To Convert The Image To Black And White

Up until this point, you should have been editing the image in color. That’s what I did.

It was only at the end that I converted the image to black and white.

Why did I make the conversion?

I felt that the black and white image evoked a more somber tone, which fit the memorial.

Plus, I was planning on posting the photograph on 9/11–to memorialize the tragedy.

There are multiple ways to convert to black and white in Snapseed. But this one is my favorite–as it allows you to create richer tones.

Tap Tools, then Tune Image.

Tap to access the Adjustments menu.

Scroll down to the saturation, and then drop it to about -90.

Why didn’t I desaturate the image completely?

Because if you leave a bit of color in your black and white images, they’ll have a slightly richer tone.

I often do this with my black and white photos. And that’s what I did with this shot.

To complete the edit, I increased the brightness and highlights by 10-15 each. This made the brighter parts of the image pop out even more.

And I dropped ambiance by 35-40, in order to add additional contrast without sacrificing subtle tones in the image.

Step 9: Save A Copy Of The Image For Future Use

Here’s the final black and white editing step you should follow: Save a copy of your image to your photo library.

If you save a copy, rather than save the edits as-is, you’ll be able to access the history of the edit later. This can be useful if you want to go back and tweak the photo.

To do this, simply tap Export, then Save A Copy.

You’ll now be able to access your edited image in your photo library.

And that’s it! You’re done.

You’ve successfully created a stunning black and white edit!

The post How To Use Black And White Editing To Create Magnificent iPhone Photos appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Do A Bit Of Planning For The Best Black And White Photography

If you want to create amazing black and white photos…

…then you need to plan your shots in advance.

It’s as simple as that.

The best photos take thought and previsualization. If you just go out and see what you can find, you probably won’t capture anything incredible. There will be too many things left up to chance.

So don’t leave things up to chance.

Instead, you should plan your shots in advance.

Previsualize your images. Think about what you want to convey.

Do you want to create a sense of awe and wonder? Then identify some huge buildings that you might include in your shots.

For the photo above, I used a huge building as my focal point. Look at how the building conveys a sense of breathtaking power!

Do you want to create drama? Then think about the lighting. What lighting will best create a dramatic image?

For the shot above, I used dark shadows and a silhouette to create drama.

Do you want to create a sense of tension? Then think about the composition. Figure out how you can put your subjects off center–so that there is clear visual tension.

Once you have all of these elements in your head, only then should you go out and shoot.

That’s how you’ll get incredible images.

2. Use Backlighting For The Most Dramatic Black And White Silhouettes

If you’re looking to create drama in your black and white photos, then I have a very simple trick for you.

Use backlight.

To get a backlit photo, place your subject between you and the sun. The light should be coming from behind the subject–toward you.

Backlighting is easiest on sunny mornings or evenings. That’s when the sun is low in the sky.

And this is why planning is essential. You want to make sure that you’re in the right place at the right time–when the sun is low in the sky and backlighting your subject.

How does backlighting create drama?

When you backlight your subjects, the light source comes from directly behind them. The light is extremely bright. And this ensures that everything in the photo loses detail.

Any objects become silhouettes.

And silhouettes are fantastic for creating drama.

To create the best silhouettes, I recommend using the manual exposure feature in the Camera app. This allows you to adjust the brightness of your image.

Before you take your shot, simply tap on the sky or light source behind your subject. A small yellow square will appear around your finger (as shown above). The iPhone will darken the photo to compensate for the bright background.

And your subjects will become dramatic silhouettes.

Note: If the image isn’t quite as dark as you like, you can always swipe down on the camera screen (right after you tap). This will darken the image.

That’s why you need to use backlighting. It’s the key to dramatic black and white photography.

Don’t forget that.

3. Keep Your Images Simple For The Best Compositions

How do you decide on the best compositions for black and white photography?

How do you arrange the elements within the frame?

Here’s a huge tip. I follow it religiously.

Keep it simple.

In practical terms, this means that you should eliminate as much as possible from your photographs.

For instance, cut down on the number of subjects in your images. Ideally, you should only have a single subject.

The image below has one subject–and therefore one focal point. This makes it very powerful.

Also, make sure that your main subject doesn’t overlap with any objects.

Once you’ve identified the main focus of your image, scan the background. Look for anything that might overlap with the subject–or distract the viewer.

I don’t want any other people walking behind my subject. So I make sure to wait until there is a single person (or couple) alone on the street. For the photo above, I made sure that my subject was completely alone before taking the shot.

So just keep your images as simple as possible. If you can do that, you’ll be well on your way to creating beautiful black and white photos.

4. Include A Person In The Frame For The Best Story

What’s the best way to engage the viewers of your black and white photography?

Use your photograph to tell a story.

This may seem difficult. How do you tell a story with an image?

But a story doesn’t have to be complex. It can be a feeling. Or it can be a brief, compelling moment.

In my images, I often tell a story of lonely, small individuals. I like to photograph people standing beside giant buildings. I like to convey a sense of scale and smallness.

You can tell stories, too. In fact, black and white photography is fantastic for telling stories. Black and white images lack color. And so the story comes through much more powerfully.

Look at the photo above. Do you see how the tiny figure stands in relation to the hulking building? Does this bring a feeling to mind?

Let me emphasize: If you want to tell a great story, then include people in your photos. People are great for establishing interesting characters.

Plus, when there’s a person in your photo, the viewer is often drawn to them. The viewer wants to know: What is the person doing? Why are they there? How are they feeling?

A final tip for telling a great story is to include mystery in your photographs. That is, make sure that there are some aspects of your photos that leave room for interpretation.

Look at the mysterious figures in the photo below. Don’t you want to know what’s happening?

In fact, you already know a great technique for adding mystery: shooting silhouettes!

Silhouettes lack detail. Viewers start to wonder: Who is this person? What are they doing?

Notice the silhouettes in the photo above. Can you sense the mystery? Silhouettes really do make for a great story.

So, if you want to create brilliant black and white photographs, then tell a story.

5. Use Burst Mode To Get Your Subjects In The Perfect Position

In black and white photography, the placement of your subject is extremely important.

You need to make sure that your subject doesn’t overlap with any other distracting elements. You need to make sure that there is a single element that the viewer can focus on.

This is even more important if you’re shooting backlit silhouettes. If your silhouette overlaps with another object, then the whole shot is ruined.

So the placement of the main subject is critical.

Yet this can be tough if your main subject is a person. After all, people are always on the move! They’re walking, running, or riding a bike.

So how do you ensure perfect placement of the main subject? How do you get them in the perfect position?

Here’s how: You use burst mode.

Burst mode is an iPhone camera feature that allows you to take over 10 photos per second.

It’s fantastic for ensuring that you capture that perfect moment!

With burst mode, you never have to worry about missing a critical shot.

To use burst mode, simply hold down the shutter button when your subject begins to move into the frame. Keep holding down the shutter button–and don’t let go until the moment has passed.

Your iPhone will take dozens of pictures.

And after the shoot, you can go through all of your images. You can pick out your best ones and delete the rest.

Without burst mode, I might not have captured the shot of the biker above. I wanted to photograph them in a very specific place–and burst mode helped me do that!

Let me emphasize: If you use burst mode, you’ll start capturing all the shots you’d usually miss.

Burst mode is a fantastic feature. Don’t forget that!

6. Put A Clear Subject In The Foreground For Unique Black And White Images

Do you struggle to create unique black and white photography?

There’s so much photography already out there. It can be tough to create photos that are truly your own.

So I’ve got a technique for you. It’ll allow you to take a truly unique B&W photo.

Start by finding a clear foreground subject. You want to find something that is recognizable. Ideally, it will lead the eye from the foreground to the background.

Then get extremely close to the foreground subject, so that it looms large within the frame.

Finally, make sure that you compose with a second, smaller subject behind this large foreground subject. For instance, I made sure there was a smaller person toward the top of the photo below.

Then take your shot!

The point is to create strong visual interest in the foreground. This draws the viewer in. Then you can lead the viewer’s eye to the background.

Notice how the railing in the photo above leads the eye to the tiny figures in the distance. This is the effect that you want to create.

Of course, be sure to experiment. Try approaching your foreground subject from different angles. Try getting lower and higher. Or try moving to the right or left.

One of the best foreground subjects is a large arrow on the ground. That’s what I used for the photo below.

You can get down low over the arrow. Make sure that it dominates the frame. Then you can position yourself so that the arrow is in line with your second subject in the background.

I love the images that this technique produces. I know you will, too.

They’re original. They’re unique.

And they’re truly compelling.

7. Shoot In Train Stations For Special Black And White Photos

B&W photography is a versatile genre. You can find good black and white subjects anywhere.

That said, I want to give you a place where you can have a lot of fun doing photography. Because there are certain locations where it’s far easier to find good subjects.

One of those places is a train station.

If you shoot in a train station, you’ll find lots of stunning image opportunities.

What makes train stations so special?

For one thing, train stations often have deep shadows and fantastic lines. These all work very well in black and white photography.

But another reason that I love train stations is that there’s so much going on. You have people passing in every direction. This means that there are lots of great stories to tell!

Also, you have lots of artificial lights–many of which can be used to backlight your subject.

Here’s how I recommend you approach a train station photo shoot.

Start by positioning yourself near some stairs. That is, place yourself against the wall, just where the stairs let out.

Stay still, so you essentially become invisible.

Then just wait.

Eventually, you’ll get a truly special moment. For instance, a single person may walk down the stairs, backlit by the light from above.

When this happens, be prepared. Snap your image!

(And don’t forget to use burst mode!)

If you photograph in a train station, you’ll get some truly special images.

Just try it.

8. Edit To Enhance Your Black And White Photography

It’s important that you get beautiful black and white photos in the field.

But you can’t let this be the end of your photography process.

Because if you want the best black and white photos possible…

…then you have to edit your images.

Editing isn’t about making your photographs fake. It’s not about pushing them beyond reality.

Instead, editing is about creating the photo that you imagined from the beginning. It’s about portraying reality.

The fact is, cameras are limited. They can’t capture everything you see with your eye. And so you need to edit to depict what you originally saw.

You need to edit to portray the moment that you initially envisioned.

How do you edit black and white photography?

I use the Filterstorm Neue app. Snapseed is a free alternative. VSCO offers some nice black and white filters, as well. In fact, most basic photoshop apps include all of the necessary tools.

I start by envisioning the final image. This is key.

You have to think to yourself, “What is it that I want to achieve with this image?” This should go back to the previsualization you did at the very beginning.

Now, I always shoot my images in color. Then I convert my images to black and white using an app like Filterstorm Neue or Snapseed. However, you can start by shooting with a black and white app such as Blackie.

To convert an image to black and white in Snapseed, tap Tools, then Black & White. You’ll be given several black and white filter options.

The Camera app has a decent black and white filter, too: the Noir filter. I like contrast-heavy filters. And the Noir filter is sufficiently contrasty for my tastes.

You can access the Noir filter in the Editing module of your photo library.

To use the Noir filter, open your photo in the photo library. Tap on Edit. Then simply tap on the Filter icon (the three overlapping circles), and then select Noir.

Then tap Done to save the edit.

And speaking of contrast…

I always add lots of contrast to my images. Contrast is extremely important for black and white photography. It adds drama and helps create a sense of tension.

Adding vignettes to your black and white photos can help, too. Vignettes create a slight darkening around the edges of a photo. You can use them to emphasize the main point of interest.

Notice how the slightly darker corners emphasize the person in the photo below.

Editing is always essential. I use it to create the image I originally envisioned.

So edit your images.

You won’t regret it.

The post 8 Tips For Stunning Black And White Photography On Your iPhone appeared first on iPhone Photography School.