I gave up color photography for a day
Stepping out of my comfort zone
Fear has a funny way of sneaking into our decisions. It lurks in the background, whispering doubts, making the unfamiliar feel intimidating. For me, fear often comes disguised as hesitation, especially when it comes to my photography.
Today, I decided to challenge that fear by doing something completely outside my comfort zone: shooting only in black and white.
If you’ve ever relied on colour to bring your photos to life, you’ll understand why this felt daunting. Colours tell stories, set moods, and add depth. Stripping them away forces you to focus on something different, light, contrast, texture, and emotion. It’s like learning to see all over again.
As I picked up my camera, I felt a mix of excitement and doubt. Would I even be able to create something I liked? Or would this experiment just confirm my fears? But as I started shooting, I realised that stepping into the unfamiliar wasn’t just about photography, it was a reminder that fear isn’t something to avoid. It’s something to embrace.
Black and white photography, much like life, is about contrast, the light and dark, the highs and lows. The unknown will always be a little scary, but it’s also where growth happens. And sometimes, taking that leap into something new reveals a perspective you never knew you needed.
Would I shoot only in monochrome forever? Probably not. But this experiment reminded me that the best way to conquer fear is to face it head-on.
I think you did well! It’s funny, I’ve been shooting more black and white lately and while I shoot it a bit more than you, I also find it intimidating still. I have a newsletter scheduled to go out today that is mostly black and white and it’s interesting how similar our photo subjects are, I’ve got a few very similar shots. Anyway, thanks for sharing, your photos turned out great.