The Vizl Effect

alt

There is something undeniably powerful and timeless about black and white pictures. Black and white images control moods, highlight details that are usually ambiguous in colour, and essentially, it is a technique we can employ to tell compelling stories with our pictures. In this first edition of Ocean Insider, we share with you the black and white post-production technique embraced by OG's new photographer-in-residence, Christian Vizl MacGregor. We now fondly call his artistic passion, THE VIZL EFFECT. 

Photography is all about light, and in my opinion, it is the single most important aspect when it comes to creating appealing, inspiring and touching images. In my point of view, far beyond technical issues, what is most important is how I apply and manipulate the light that is available in order to create pictures with dramatic effect, carrying depths of emotion, using contrast and tonalities as a means to emphasise form and structure. I focus on the emotional impact of the final shot that will connect on a deeper level, with the people that look at these photographs. 

Just as a poet uses words to create poetry, a photographer uses light to create images. So when I am underwater taking pictures, one of my goals is to create poetic images through the use of light. And this is why I love black and white; by eliminating the distraction of colours, I can explore more deeply, the emotional impact of my images. To create them, it is important to "see" the scene in black and white, looking for contrasts that will emphasise the form. Also important, is exposing what you want to achieve in terms of your grey scale and planning for whatever you have in mind for that particular image.  

There are a number of "correct exposures" for the blue of the ocean, but a high exposure will render a light blue that will turn into a light grey; on the other hand, a low exposure will render a dark blue that will turn into a dark grey.  Because of the way the digital camera sensor obtains its information, it is best to capture the image in colour, and then convert it to black and white. Once I have converted my images, I like to give them as much contrast as possible.

For that, I adjust the luminance of each primary colour. For example, if I have a very dark grey tone of the ocean, since its primary colour is blue, I reduce….

by Christian Vizl ( see OG Issue 29)

Sign-up for Full Article

Blog & Review Categories

Blog & Review Archive

© 2016 Ocean Geographic Society. All Rights Reserved.