Black & White Editorial
There is nothing more revealing than black and white photography, it strips an image down to its purest elements.
Welcome to This Week’s Edition of The Carty Method Magazine!
This week, we challenged photographers to define their niche through the timeless power of black and white photography.
Why this matters:
Black & White photography removes colour and places full emphasis on light, texture, emotion, and storytelling.
When your images can communicate clearly without colour, it proves the strength of your vision and your ability to craft compelling photographs at a professional level.
This skill is essential for editorial and commercial photography where clarity, mood, and narrative often matter more than color itself.
Mastering monochrome strengthens your storytelling and sharpens your ability to make intentional creative decisions.
Assignment Brief
CARTY gives a tight brief at the end of his photo review shows, outlining exactly what shooters must create for the following week’s review.
Here is this assignment exactly as he shared it:
“This week’s assignment: Your Niche in Black & White.”
Create a single image that showcases your specialty using monochrome.
Use light, shadow, texture, and composition to bring attention to your subject, demonstrating your ability to create powerful, story-driven images without relying on colour.
Produce a single, striking black-and-white photograph that embodies your niche and signature style.
Necumba Booker
What aspect of your niche did you want to highlight through black and white, and how did removing colour help strengthen that focus?
For me it was the focus on getting a good picture that was showing the light I was trying to depict
Monochrome relies heavily on light and texture. What lighting decisions shaped the mood of your image, and why were they essential to your final result?
I chose my lighting prior to this assignment. I wanted the light sculpt around the face a specific way
What story or emotion were you aiming to communicate, and how did your composition guide viewers to that narrative without the use of colour?
My goal was to create a dramatic unique lighting to help myself understand light better.
Were there any specific photographers, films, or artistic influences that shaped your approach to black-and-white work for this assignment?
Nope.
What did this assignment teach you about your own signature style and how will it influence how you shoot your niche going forward?
Just helped me see lighting and contrast a bit better.
Social Media Handles:
IG: @bynecumba
Website: www.bynecumba.com
Kyle Kiyono
What aspect of your niche did you want to highlight through black and white, and how did removing colour help strengthen that focus?
I wanted to see if I could mimic what I saw in Vogue. Black and white helped me focus on certain backgrounds that would be interesting with shadows and no colour.
Monochrome relies heavily on light and texture. What lighting decisions shaped the mood of your image, and why were they essential to your final result?
There’s something about rooftops that fascinate me.
Maybe because I loved Spider-Man and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles growing up and they were on rooftops all the time.
For me, I felt like I was on a movie set. I remember seeing comics that were in black-and-white, so this felt natural in that sense.
What story or emotion were you aiming to communicate, and how did your composition guide viewers to that narrative without the use of colour?
Humans are wired for pattern recognition.
With that in mind, I wanted to make sure that my model was brunette and had black shoes wearing light toned clothes with a lighter background.
This would help make the darker things pop in contrast.
Were there any specific photographers, films, or artistic influences that shaped your approach to black-and-white work for this assignment?
I looked through Vogue and recalled a lot of rooftop scenes from comic books that were in black-and-white.
What did this assignment teach you about your own signature style and how will it influence how you shoot your niche going forward?
I didn’t realize that my years of reading comic books had any value to my photography, but it helps with that cinematic feel.
And I think my style is unique now with this understanding.
I love this question because it enables me to create language for what I didn’t know I needed to hear.
Social Media Handles:
IG: @KiyonoPhotography
Website: www.kiyonophotography.com
William Sedgwick
IG: @will_sedgwick1
Denise Tuggle
What aspect of your niche did you want to highlight through black and white, and how did removing colour help strengthen that focus?
The primary aspect of my niche that I wanted to highlight through black and white was simplicity.
Both the simplicity of the subject matter and the lighting were essential to the success of the photograph.
Simplicity is a core strength in product photography, as it allows the subject to communicate emotion without unnecessary distraction.
Removing color strengthens this focus by directing the viewer’s attention to texture, form, and the clean simplicity of the logo design, allowing the product to speak for itself.
Monochrome relies heavily on light and texture. What lighting decisions shaped the mood of your image, and why were they essential to your final result?
I chose a two-light setup consisting of one primary light to serve as the highlight and a softbox to maintain even, smooth illumination.
The lighting power was carefully balanced to avoid overpowering the subject or causing overexposure.
This setup was essential because it created the dark shadows needed to add depth while preserving soft, controlled highlights.
The lighting also emphasized the black typography, which was a key visual element of the product.
What story or emotion were you aiming to communicate, and how did your composition guide viewers to that narrative without the use of colour?
The emotion I aimed to communicate was simplicity.
The minimal composition guides the viewer to appreciate the product’s clean packaging and straightforward design as a deliberate statement.
By removing color, the viewer’s focus is drawn entirely to the product, allowing it to become the central point of attention without distraction.
Were there any specific photographers, films, or artistic influences that shaped your approach to black-and-white work for this assignment?
I drew inspiration from photographer Tom Medvedich.
I greatly admire his precise lighting techniques and his minimalist approach to product photography.
His ability to create impactful images with seemingly effortless lighting strongly influenced my approach to this assignment.
What did this assignment teach you about your own signature style and how will it influence how you shoot your niche going forward?
This assignment taught me to see light and shadow with greater intention.
I feel that my signature style is beginning to emerge as I become more deliberate in my creative decisions.
When shooting products, I now have a deeper understanding of how lighting and shadow shape the final image.
Moving forward, I will continue to explore a variety of lighting scenarios while maintaining a clean, simple approach to my product photography.
Social Media Handles:
Sean Thomas
What aspect of your niche did you want to highlight through black and white, and how did removing colour help strengthen that focus?
I wanted to highlight craftsmanship from the automotive space.
In black and white the viewer is less likely to be distracted by other elements.
Monochrome relies heavily on light and texture. What lighting decisions shaped the mood of your image, and why were they essential to your final result?
I searched for an angle where the sunlight would highlight the grain in the leather as well as the brand logo.
I then used a sheet of paper to create a shadow dissecting the image to create a sense of drama.
What story or emotion were you aiming to communicate, and how did your composition guide viewers to that narrative without the use of colour?
As usual with my automotive photography, I try to focus on the artistry and craftsmanship of cars.
The people behind it all, the developers, the designers, the engineers etc.
“Zooming” in on a small section of the car instead of shooting it in its entirety allowed me to showcase the quality of materials and the attention to detail.
Were there any specific photographers, films, or artistic influences that shaped your approach to black-and-white work for this assignment?
Yes, I reviewed the amazingly timeless work from the master of B&W landscapes Ansel Adams.
I also recently watched the film “ Following “ by Christopher Nolan, which was shot in black and white.
I believed this helped create the right environment for my eyes and mindset to be in.
What did this assignment teach you about your own signature style and how will it influence how you shoot your niche going forward?
This assignment acted as a reminder that I do indeed have a signature style and I need to pedal down hard on incorporating into my commercial work.
Social Media Handles:
IG: @autoluximagery
Website: www.autoluximagery.com
Donna Crantshaw
What aspect of your niche did you want to highlight through black and white, and how did removing colour help strengthen that focus?
What I wanted to highlight was the name of the product, which had white lettering on the bottle.
Originally the bottle is dark blue, I could see it as a black & white image as well and the name still stood out.
Monochrome relies heavily on light and texture. What lighting decisions shaped the mood of your image, and why were they essential to your final result?
This bottle was very plain and very reflective so I had to think of the best was to light it.
I tried to use a strobe and a continuous light at first but it wasn’t working for me.
So I decided to use just the strobe light and a lot of flags and white broads in order to achieve a rim light on the side and on the cap.
What story or emotion were you aiming to communicate, and how did your composition guide viewers to that narrative without the use of colour?
Everyone knows Ralph Lauren product, but this product only had Polo est. 67 on the bottle.
Since this was his newest fragrance I wanted that name to be in really clear and in focus.
Also by used the gift box top as a background (the RL store was etched on the front) I hoped viewers could get an idea as to when the company was opened.
Were there any specific photographers, films, or artistic influences that shaped your approach to black-and-white work for this assignment?
I love black & white photography anyway, and I found this website call Doers of London.
They sell skincare for men but all the photography is b/w which I thought was really cool, so that site inspired me.
What did this assignment teach you about your own signature style and how will it influence how you shoot your niche going forward?
Yes, it forces you to really see the product for what it is, instead of concentrating on the color and to be able to make that photo pop.
I wish I could shoot everything in black & white, but I know that’s not realistic. I settle for a more minimalistic style.
Social Media Handles:
IG: @donnacrantshawphotography
Website: www.donnacrantshawphotography.com
BEST IN SHOW
Israel Cardona III
What aspect of your niche did you want to highlight through black and white, and how did removing colour help strengthen that focus?
Through black and white, I wanted to highlight character, presence, and authenticity within my portrait niche.
Removing colour allowed the focus to shift entirely to the subject’s expression, body language, and texture, his beard, tattoos, and posture become the visual language of the image.
Black and white reinforces a timeless, honest feel and helps the viewer connect directly with the person, not the palette.
Monochrome relies heavily on light and texture. What lighting decisions shaped the mood of your image, and why were they essential to your final result?
These lighting decisions were essential because, without colour, light becomes the primary storytelling tool.
It defines form, mood, and emotion, allowing texture and tonal range to carry the visual impact of the image.
What story or emotion were you aiming to communicate, and how did your composition guide viewers to that narrative without the use of colour?
The composition guides that narrative through contrast and direction, using light to isolate the subject, strong shadows to create depth, and framing to draw the eye toward expression and body language.
Without colour, the viewer is led naturally to what matters most: the emotion, the moment, and the story being told.
Were there any specific photographers, films, or artistic influences that shaped your approach to black-and-white work for this assignment?
Yes. My approach to black-and-white for this assignment was influenced mainly by editorial and documentary photographers who focus on emotion, light, and form rather than perfection.
Photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Annie Leibovitz’s pushed me to think about mood and storytelling, even in a single frame.
I was also inspired by classic black-and-white cinema, where contrast, shadows, and simplicity are used to guide the viewer’s attention and convey emotion without relying on colour.
What did this assignment teach you about your own signature style and how will it influence how you shoot your niche going forward?
This assignment helped me clearly see that my signature style leans toward editorial, story-driven portraits that feel authentic and intentional rather than overly posed.
I realized I’m most drawn to working with real people in real environments, using light and composition to support the story instead of overpowering it.
Going forward, this will influence how I shoot my niche by pushing me to be more deliberate with location, light, and mood, and to focus on creating images that feel honest and cinematic.
I want my work to continue blending editorial aesthetics with natural moments, helping brands and individuals communicate who they are in a genuine and visually compelling way.
Social Media Handles:
IG: @cardona3.photography
Website: www.cardona3.photography
Isatou Jallow
What aspect of your niche did you want to highlight through black and white, and how did removing colour help strengthen that focus?
Form in editorial minimalism. Stripping colour removed all distractions centering the strong pose
Monochrome relies heavily on light and texture. What lighting decisions shaped the mood of your image, and why were they essential to your final result?
Having a go to light set up to balance shadows always comes in handy.
Having 2 lights on opposite ends allows for well rounded illumination of the model while they move around.
What story or emotion were you aiming to communicate, and how did your composition guide viewers to that narrative without the use of colour?
Strong , confident and clean.
I was able to validate the model when they posed their body comfortably while focusing on expressing to the camera and me.
Directing them to embody the mood.
Were there any specific photographers, films, or artistic influences that shaped your approach to black-and-white work for this assignment?
It was for an engagement shoot and the vision was to go for a clean and minimal editorial look so I found reference for closet.
What did this assignment teach you about your own signature style and how will it influence how you shoot your niche going forward?
This assignment coupled with the last pro lab meeting taught me a lot about my signature style.
What, who and why I want to shoot what I shoot and it has influenced what stories I tell with my portfolio.
Social Media Handles:
IG: @sevynlens_
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