Q. Can you see a rainbow on a black-and-white photograph?
A. Yes, but the colors will appear as shades of gray, same as with any other object photographed in black-and-white.
There’s nothing special about rainbow colors — often listed as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Those colors react with black and white film or digital sensors the same as those colors do with color film or sensors.
By analogy: You can photograph a red apple or a blue sky or green grass in black-and-white, right? They simply appear as shades of grey. Same with a rainbow: In black and white, you’ll see the rainbow as a grey arc.
Example, from Introduction to Black and White Nature Photography:
Permalink: https://wp.me/paaiox-6N
Ask me anything! Click the CONTACT link on any page.
Share this item via the links below:
