We don’t know about you, but there’s something so powerful about seeing black and white photos. The tonal range and deep contrast of black and white photography prints can turn an ordinary subject or scene into something quite moving. Simply put, black and white photos appeal to us psychologically; they create an emotional connection that makes you stop and pay attention.
Whether you’ve come across a stunning old photo or wish to add an aesthetic filter to your latest pics, Fracture can make black and white prints happen. (In fact, they typically turn out stunning on glass!) Of course, there are a few things you can do on your end to ensure you upload a crystal clear, high-quality photo. Once that’s done, we’ll take it from there and do the rest! Read on to find out how to print the best black and white photos.
Upload your own photo or use a filter
If you have your own black and white image, the process is pretty straightforward. Simply upload your own black and white image and place your order as usual. On the other hand, if you have a full-color image that you’d like to convert, you can put a black and white filter on it. While there are countless photo editing apps such as Lightroom, we’ll do you one even better; for maximum convenience, you can convert your photo to a black and white print directly on our site:
1. Upload your photo as usual, and then click the Edit My Image button at the bottom of the Choose a Size page:
2. From here, click the Filter tab. Click the right arrow button until you see the filter titled BW.
3. Next, click theBW filter (our favorites are Standard BW, Litho, and Weathered), and you’ll see a sliding bar that you can use to adjust the intensity of the filter. Slide it all the way to the right, an intensity of 100, to ensure the image is fully black & white:
4. Click Save Changes to apply those changes you’ve made in the editor. Finally, add the print to your cart and proceed with the usual ordering process to complete your order from there!
Pro tips for scanning your photos
There are many ways to scan your photos, including specialized photo scanning apps, using a traditional photo scanner, or using a service that will digitize your photos for you (such as Legacybox). If you’re planning to DIY it, there are a few best practices to keep in mind to make sure your black and white photos turn out well.
High contrast
Similar to printing color photos, a black and white photo with higher contrast will turn out better. (This is the case especially if you’re scanning old photos.) Soft gray tones can end up looking muddier. However, you can fix this on a photo editing app of your choice: Darken and apply contrast to the mid-tones, brighten the lighter grays, darken the darker grays, and sharpen the image. These edits should reduce the overall soft appearance that sometimes comes with black and white photos.
Be wary of sepia
Sepia-toned images are ones that change the appearance of black-and-white prints to brown. While sepia photos may be nice to look at, they may not be the best choice for glass prints. Generally, a sepia tone pushes the contrast of an image pretty far. Sometimes this can lead to the image losing detail and making highlights pure white. With our glass printing technology, this could potentially cause issues with the photo. All in all, sepia tones can work wonders for the right photo. If you want to double check on your sepia-toned photo, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Customer Support team.
Creating tangible mementos of your cherished memories has never been easier—in color or black and white. Fracture offers multiple sizes and shapes so that you can create custom layouts—available in single glass prints, a Photo Wall arrangement, or Storyboard—to display your unique moments. Plus, you’ll receive all of the materials you need to hang them on your walls, with options for tabletop display stands.
Let a Fracture glass print be the thing to add a touch of personality to your home.
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