Black and White and Sepia: Artberry Gallery

Photography as we know it dates back to the 1820s, when the first chemical cameras captured images and recreated images through a process of long exposure and tedious development. Further developments allowed photographers to create images with glass slides, metal templates and even salt-based paper. Until 1908, when inventor Gabriel Lippmann received the Nobel Laureate in Physics for his color photography, images were black and white, or in many cases various shades of soft browns (or sepia).

Although these methods may be characterized as “just plain old” or even archaic by today’s standard of high-definition mega pixel cameras, both black and white photography and sepia-style imaging maintain serious appeal for art and photography lovers. The reasons are simple but unique.

Consider first black and white photography, which was the standard through much of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Color was not part of the image equation, obviously, but what black and white imaging is superb at rendering is detail; it’s easy to pick out the fine elements such as stitching, individual hairs, and other tiny pieces that make the picture more complete. This detail is the direct consequence of the contrast found in all black and white images. With only two colors, the photographer is able to highlight very small details because they very often stand out against lighter or darker shading.

Sepia tones also have their own distinct charm very much like black and white photographs. It is very easy for the casual eye to discern why sepia is still popular. It is not the detail found in black and white images, but rather the warmth and depth of the varied shades of brown which give each picture a classic feel, as if it belongs in a history book, or a long lost album of family portraits.

Now, with computer aided imaging and talented artists, it is possible to take existing color photographs and convert (modify, change, revert, etc.) them into black and white or sepia tone images, replete with the warmth and detail of classic photography methods.

Interested in making your new photographs classic, as if they were traditional old-time portraits or black and white memories? Contact Barbara at Artberry Gallery today by phone, 1-877-217-9073 [toll free], or by e-mail at her website: http://artberrygallery.com. She’s eager to help you preserve precious memories and modify your favorite photographs by combining the newest computer techniques and an artist’s touch.

Artist’s note: The color sepia is named after the English sepia cuttlefish, which is found in the English Channel. The sepia, or “common” cuttlefish, is most often brown in color (just like the pigment used to create the sepia image) and resembles a squid.