Monochrome Vision
The Quiet Honesty of Black & White
I confess: The first time I looked through the viewfinder of a Leica M Monochrom, I thought it was a gimmick. Having learned photography on film, black and white always felt like a choice, not a constraint.
It took three visits—where I spent time inspecting, debating, and wondering how it could make my experience different from my other cameras—before I took the plunge. When I finally did, what struck me was its stark simplicity. No colors to distract—just raw, unadulterated light and shadow. What initially felt like a limitation soon revealed itself as its greatest strength. I was sold.
Shooting with this camera is an exercise in seeing. Stripped of color, it forces you to focus on the fundamentals: light, shadow, form, and texture. There’s a kind of purity to it—no distractions, just the raw interplay of luminosity and contrast.
What makes the experience unique is how even the viewfinder is free of color. It requires you to pre-visualize the world in monochrome, to think in gradients and tones. The act of photographing becomes slower, more deliberate, and deeply personal.
Black and white isn’t about removing color—it’s about uncovering the excitement that lives in the interplay of light and dark. Shooting with this camera isn’t just a technical decision; it’s a mindset, a way of engaging with the world at its most elemental level.
Looking back, what stands out most is how this camera has taught me to stop chasing the obvious and instead notice the quiet details: the texture of peeling paint, the play of shadows on cobblestones, the way light carves shapes on a face. All those subtleties I might have overlooked in color are now not just visible—they feel essential.
Surprisingly, photographing in color has taken on a new meaning, too. I’ve found that my full-spectrum images have improved as a result. Somehow, the discipline of black and white photography has enriched how I see the world, regardless of the medium. Even the act of picking up a camera feels a little more special now—imbued with what the monochrome experience has taught me.
The more I learn about the perspectives of professional photographers on the subject of color versus black and white, the more I understand why monochrome photography holds such a special place in their craft. It evokes a sense of timelessness—much like the feeling of picking up a camera for the very first time, when you realize your ability to freeze time. It’s a practice that constantly reminds me to slow down, look closer, and uncover the beauty hidden in the quiet moments that so often go unnoticed.
Thank you for reading. If you shoot in black and white too, please share your perspective, as well as some of your photos in comments. If you’re interested in seeing more my photos, please visit nandocosta.com or follow me on Instagram.