There is a big misconception that color grading a black and white project is easier than grading a full color project. While in some ways color grading does add an extra layer of complexity, achieving a cinematic black and white look can be just as complex for different reasons.
Many filmmakers use grading methods that are nearly identical to the color footage they use on black-and-white projects, but often get less-than-stellar results. In fact, many techniques that help color footage look more organic or cinematic can actually have the opposite effect on black-and-white footage, making footage look dull or videoy.
Here are some of the most important considerations to consider when colorizing black and white footage.
Keep in mind that while I used DaVinci Resolve to create these looks and demonstrate some of the techniques, you can apply these principles in almost any basic editing software.
Contrast is your friend
In recent years, there has been a trend of “milky black appearance” in color projects. This look is achieved by raising the black level on the lens to well above pure black (or 0 IRE). The idea is that boosting shadows will mimic the look of older films, which sometimes have lower contrast quality.
Personally, I don’t like the over-the-top look – whether it’s film or black and white, as it’s based more on nostalgic memories of what film used to look like than what really good film can recreate. But I have already addressed this issue in another article.
A lot of old black and white film is actually very high contrast. In fact, many of them don’t have a ton of dynamic range either, so the shots of this footage are known for their crushed blacks and bright highlights, creating a very punchy expressionistic feel.
Take this into account. The first tip I give when colorizing black and white footage is to embrace contrasting curves.
Take the shot below as an example.
Unrated
Desaturate
Desaturate + Contrast
The second image definitely looks more like desaturated video, and the final image looks more cinematic. This is again because many black and white films tend to have greater contrast, which we replicate more accurately in the third image in the series.
That being said, there’s always a time and place for eliminating shadows on black and white footage. Sometimes you may want to give your footage a more retro or nostalgic feel, and turning up the black level may be the right choice.
In this case, it is important to crush the black people first and then lift them up. If you just boost the blacks and desaturate the image, the photo will look bland and boring. On the other hand, if you add contrast to your image and then boost the shadows, you’ll get a more interesting effect.
Desaturate + Contrast + Boost Shadows
In the above example, increasing the black level is achieved through a simple curve in DaVinci Resolve, as shown below:
So in fact, it’s entirely possible to have the best of both worlds. You can get a relatively high-contrast photo while also eliminating shadows – your contrast will only be in the mid-tones rather than blacks.
Use power windows organically
Power windows can be a very useful tool when color grading – whether adding basic effects such as vignette, or highlighting specific areas of the frame that may not be fully illuminated. With this in mind, I recommend using power windows when you need to enhance the black and white look, while recognizing that a “less is more” approach will almost always serve you best.
One of the most powerful qualities of the black and white look is its ability to hide distracting details. Black and white shots can add mystery or intrigue on a visual level by hiding distracting colors or unnecessary shadow details. For the same reason, vignette can be used to focus the viewer’s attention more effectively and hide details at the periphery of the image that might be better left in the shadows.
In the example below, the vignette I used is very subtle, but it’s there. If I go too far and start adding multiple vignettes to highlight different areas of the frame, the organic nature of the shot is completely lost. You never want to see a vignette, you should barely feel it on an almost subconscious level.
Desaturate + Contrast + Vignette
So remember: limited use of power windows will help emphasize black and white’s ability to hide detail, but too much will push you back into the digital realm.
Pushing your color is still important
If you’re shooting black and white images on actual black and white film, you’ll have several options when it comes to production techniques. You can simply load your black and white photos into your camera and start rolling, or you can use a color filter in front of your lens, which can have a huge impact on the contrast quality of your images.
Check out this image from Tiffin, which shows the effect of two different yellow filters in front of the lens on a black and white photo:
Different contrast effects can be achieved by using any number of other color filters (not just yellow), each leaving its own unique mark on the image.
The point is not that you need to shoot with a color filter on your lens, but that you can actually push and pull the color wheel, white balance, curves, and other color settings to dramatically change your look in the same way while color grading.
Take the picture below as an example. We’ll start with a baseline:
Unrated
Now we’ll add a very extreme color effect using the primary color strips in DaVinci Resolve, like this:
This will give us an image that looks like this before desaturation:
We can then desaturate, which will give us this:
Color channel push + desaturation
Pushing the colors like this will obviously have a dramatic effect on the image, in this case making things look more unique and dynamic.
An important technical detail to note is that in order for this technique to work, you need to make color adjustments to the layer or node before desaturating. In other words, assuming we have three nodes on DaVinci Resolve, they should be set up like this:
The first node should be our color effect (assuming the red channel is pushed up), and the remaining nodes are where we desaturate the footage, add contrast, and make any other final adjustments. If we want to apply desaturation before the color effect, we simply add color to the already desaturated image.
This sequence of operations applies no matter what software you use. Color adjustment.
LUTS can be used
Many filmmakers and colorists now use LUTs to colorize their footage, but colorizing in black and white often feels unnecessary since most LUTs are designed for color. Nonetheless, you can still use creative LUTs in powerful ways when grading black and white footage, with just a few tweaks to your workflow.
Very similar to the previous point that any color effects should be added before the image (in a layer or node tree) is desaturated, the same applies to color LUTs. Assuming they are not black and white LUTs, you will need to add your chosen look to the footage before desaturating the image.
By doing this, you can still benefit from the original LUT’s design (contrast, levels adjustments, etc.) while using it to stylize your black and white footage in a unique way.
For example, the second image below uses the Vintage LUT applied to an image I recently posted Movie LUT Pack.
Unrated
Unrated + Retro LUT
Now, what happens when we reduce the saturation after applying the LUT.
Retro LUT + Desaturation + Contrast
Obviously, even though this particular LUT was designed for color footage, there’s still a big difference in how the final image looks. Personally, I like using LUTs when colorizing black and white footage because I can easily cycle through different looks and test various unique contrast/color combinations to see which one works best for my footage.
To learn more about my cinematic LUT packs, be sure to check them out here! I currently offer 6 unique packages, all designed to work with footage from almost any camera, significantly reducing post-production time while improving aesthetics. Click here to see them for yourself!
That’s it for now. Check back soon for more updates, filmmaking tips, camera reviews, and more.
And be sure to follow me Instagram, Facebook, and twitter Learn more updates!
