Black and white photography is a part of photography where a monochromatic image of the object is created with the help of a camera. Actually, throughout the history of photography B&W photography has been there; it was only when color photography took over that it moved into the background. To call B&W photography as monochromatic is actually a misnomer as there are thousands of shades of gray in between black and white. This is how photography began and was dominant until color photography took over in the middle of the 20th century. Even today, there are ardent fans of this subtle art form who believe that B&W captures the essence of the object in a more subtle and mysterious way than color photography which is bare all and leaves no room for guessing. They say that color photography is so vivid and the color details are so real that they leave no room for experimentation for the man behind the camera. In B&W photos, however, there is a timeless quality, a touch of romance which is impossible to achieve with color photography.
There are many who say that black and white photography is a waste of time and loved only by those who are retrograde. It is something that should be learned only in school labs and grow out of. But those who understand the subtleties of B&W photography know how distracting colors can be when a photographer wishes to convey something but the viewer is distracted by vivid colors. Black and white photography seems to have a soul so utterly lacking in color photography. This is why B&W photography remains a favorite with those who are in this profession as they find it easy to showcase their talent with B&W photos.
Taking a B&W photo is altogether different than shooting color photos as a photographer has to keep in mind the lighting factor to take clearer and sharper photos. It is actually contrast which is the most important factor when taking a B&W photo. With no color, it is shapes and shades that become dominant in the photo. Shadows play a great role in black and white photography.