Black and white photography has a unique power to stir emotion, tell stories, and evoke nostalgia. Stripped of the distraction of color, it focuses our gaze on what truly mattersemotion, texture, light, and form. But capturing a truly powerful black and white photograph takes more than just removing the color from a digital image. It requires vision, intention, and a deep understanding of tonal nuance.
Too often, photographers assume that converting a color photo to black and white is a simple post-processing task. They slide the saturation down to zero or apply a one-click filter, expecting magic to unfold. What they often end up with, however, is a dull, uninspired image that lacks the life and depth black and white is known for. The photograph doesn't resonate. It doesn't breathe. It becomes a static gray canvas that fails to guide the eye or hold emotional weight.
A strong black and white image is alive with tonal complexity. It invites the viewer to linger, to explore the interplay between deep shadows and brilliant highlights, and to feel the silent story unfolding within each frame. To achieve this richness, the photographer must think beyond color. They must learn to see the world in terms of contrast and form, to notice how light carves out dimension and shadow shapes emotion. This requires a different kind of seeingone that goes deeper than hue and ventures into the realm of visual harmony.
Even though black and white photography is built entirely on shades of gray, that doesn't mean every shade should be the same. A common issue among new monochrome photographers is the creation of images dominated by flat midtones. These photos lack contrast, visual tension, and emotional pull. There are no true blacks anchoring the composition, no radiant whites to spark life into the frame. The result is a visual purgatory that neither sings nor stirs.
Instead, successful black and white photography thrives on tonal variety. From inky blacks to gleaming whites and every shadowy gradient in between, this tonal spectrum is where the emotional charge of the image resides. It creates depth and direction, drawing the viewer's eye across the photograph and into its soul. The image breathes, pulses, and whispers a storyline that is both deeply personal and universally felt.
This ability to evoke emotion without the aid of color is one of the genre’s greatest strengths. It forces both the photographer and the viewer to engage with the raw elements of composition and storytelling. It demands attention to detail, to light, to shadow, and to the silent textures that bring a scene to life.
Seeing in Tones: From Color to Monochrome with Intent
Creating a compelling black and white image starts long before the shutter is pressed. It begins with how a photographer sees the world. Pre-visualization becomes essential. Instead of relying on software to transform a scene after the fact, skilled photographers learn to recognize how light and shadow will behave in monochrome. They develop an intuitive understanding of which scenes will translate beautifully into black and white, guided by the tonal structure present in the environment.
This requires a shift in thinking. When working in color, we often compose images based on complementary hues or vibrant palettes. But in black and white, color is reduced to brightness valueseach hue is translated into a shade of gray based on its luminosity. Colors that appear distinct in color can blend together into similar shades of gray if their tonal values are too close. This is particularly noticeable with soft pastel scenes, like a bowl of candy or a garden of pale blooms. What was once vivid and joyful in color becomes a mush of midtones in monochrome, losing all sense of form and focus.
To avoid this, it’s crucial to develop an awareness of tonal value. Bright yellow may convert into a light gray, while deep red might register as a murky dark tone. Placing elements together with similar tonal values flattens the image, removing contrast and making it difficult for the eye to distinguish subject from background. Instead, seek tonal contrast in your compositions. Look for scenes with distinct darks and lights, and use them to create separation, depth, and visual interest.
One practical way to build contrast into your photos is through purposeful styling. In portrait sessions, for example, wardrobe and props can be selected to enhance tonal variety. A child in a pale dress seated on a dark wooden bench creates instant visual separation. A person in a charcoal suit photographed against a light wall will stand out with clarity. These small choices matter even more in black and white photography, where color no longer does the heavy lifting. Every tone becomes a tool for storytelling.
Texture is another invaluable element. Without the allure of color, black and white photos must rely on tactile details to create richness. Think of the roughness of stone, the softness of knit fabric, or the weathered grain of wood. These textures not only add visual interest but also evoke emotion. They invite the viewer to imagine how something feels, not just how it looks. They draw us in, allowing the image to exist as a sensory experience rather than a flat visual moment.
Even the background in a black and white photo can be transformed. A cluttered room or chaotic scene might feel overwhelming in color, but monochrome can simplify and refine it. When distractions are removed through tone and composition, the subject reclaims the spotlight. Form and light take precedence, and even the busiest backdrop can become an elegant canvas of shadows and shapes.
Crafting Visual Depth Through Light, Shadow, and Texture
At its core, black and white photography is about storytelling through light. Light defines shape, reveals emotion, and guides the eye. It can be soft and poetic or stark and dramatic. Mastering how light interacts with your subject is what brings a black and white photograph to life.
Visual depth in monochrome is not created through color but through the careful use of highlights, midtones, and shadows. A well-balanced image contains all three. Pure blacks give weight and drama. Pure whites provide brilliance and lift. And the midtones in between offer subtlety and grace. Together, they create a sense of dimension that invites the viewer into the image rather than keeping them at the surface.
However, achieving balance does not mean making everything even. In fact, flat images often result from trying to smooth out tones too much. Instead, aim for a thoughtful distribution. Use shadows to frame your subject, highlights to draw attention, and midtones to add complexity. Let the image have highs and lows, just like a good piece of music. This dynamic range gives your photo rhythm and resonance.
Contrast, when handled with care, becomes your strongest ally. Not all contrast needs to be extreme. Sometimes, gentle shifts in tone can convey more emotion than harsh divisions. The key is to be intentional. Understand what you want the viewer to feel, and use contrast to guide them there. A soft, backlit portrait may call for delicate tones with just a whisper of shadow. A gritty urban scene might thrive on stark blacks and searing whites. Each image demands its own tonal language.
Texture also enhances visual storytelling. It brings the photograph closer to the viewer, offering a sense of tactility and presence. In portraits, texture can emphasize character and soul, the fine lines around the eyes, the tousled hair catching light, the fabric of a beloved coat. In landscapes, texture reveals the landscape’s fingerprint the bark of trees, ripples in water, or the craggy face of a mountainside. These are the details that ground a photograph in the real and make it unforgettable.
Black and white photography also sharpens your compositional instincts. Without color to distract or dominate, the shapes, lines, and balance of the frame become paramount. Leading lines become more prominent. Symmetry gains impact. Negative space takes on emotional weight. You begin to see in geometry and flow rather than hue, refining your eye and strengthening your ability to build visual narratives.
Perhaps most importantly, black and white photography teaches patience. It encourages you to slow down and observe more deeply. It asks you to see beyond what is colorful or obvious and to notice what is eternal. The slant of late afternoon sun across a table. The shadow dancing beneath my chin. The worn edge of a book opened a thousand times. These moments are quiet, but they carry weight. They remind us that beauty often resides in the overlooked.
When you master the principles of tone, contrast, and composition, black and white photography becomes more than a technical choice. It becomes a voice. A way of seeing. A way of feeling. Each frame becomes not just a record of what was, but a meditation on what it meant.
Understanding the Emotional Impact of Tonal Choices in Black and White Photography
Black and white photography invites a different kind of seeing. Without color to guide the eye or influence perception, we’re left with the raw elements of light, shadow, texture, and form. These components become the foundation of emotional storytelling, revealing the soul of a scene in a way that color often softens or conceals. Among the most potent tools in a monochrome photographer’s repertoire are high key and low key techniques. These aren’t just stylistic variations. They are tonal strategies that, when thoughtfully executed, allow the photographer to shape the emotional narrative with precision and depth.
High key and low key approaches offer a unique way to explore and express mood. Each technique plays with the tonal range of an image to evoke a particular atmosphere or emotional undertone. A high key photograph favors the bright end of the spectrum, resulting in an image filled with soft light, delicate shadows, and an airy quality. These images often feel pure, calm, or even ethereal. Low key images, on the other hand, immerse the viewer in shadow and darkness, conveying intensity, mystery, or introspection.
The key to mastering either style lies not in simply overexposing or underexposing, but in deliberate tonal control. A successful high key image still needs contrast. Without some anchoring blacks or deep grays, it can become washed out or visually vague. Similarly, a compelling low key photograph must preserve a few strategic highlights. If it succumbs completely to darkness, it can lose all sense of structure or emotional tension.
High Key Photography: Sculpting Lightness with Intention
High key photography is often associated with purity, softness, and elegance. In black and white, this technique leans toward bright whites and soft grays, eliminating harsh shadows and favoring luminous backgrounds. While this creates an impression of delicacy, it also poses a creative challenge. If not carefully balanced, the image can lose its impact, becoming flat or undefined. This is where tonal anchors become essential.
Imagine photographing a child dressed in white against a pale wall. The softness of the setting may evoke innocence, but without darker elements to anchor the scene, the subject risks blending into the background. However, place that child on a dark bench or in a setting where small pockets of shadow exist beneath the chin, around the eyes, in the folds of clothing and suddenly the composition gains depth and clarity. These dark accents create contrast, which in turn brings out the luminance of the whites. The eye finds something to hold onto, and the light becomes meaningful rather than overwhelming.
In portraiture, high key lighting is often used to create a radiant, almost dreamlike quality. The technique works particularly well when natural light is diffused through sheer curtains or on overcast days. Faces glow, skin tones appear velvety, and even ordinary moments take on a quiet grace. But the real artistry lies in creating just enough tonal variation to maintain dimensionality. Even in the brightest parts of the frame, detail must be preserved to avoid visual monotony.
When composing a high key image, consider where your shadows are. Are there enough dark elements to give the image structure? Is there a clear tonal range, or does the image risk dissolving into a pale blur? A well-placed line of shadow beneath a jawline or a catchlight in the eyes can bring a portrait to life. These subtle inflections give the image a sense of completeness, allowing the light to dance without losing its choreography.
The histogram can be a useful ally here. If your data is hugging the right side too tightly, it may be time to reintroduce some depth. Look for those tiny valleys in the graph that indicate true black, even if it’s just a sliver. A whisper of contrast can turn a soft image into a compelling one.
Low Key Photography: Harnessing Shadow for Visual Drama
Low key black and white photography is the realm of drama, secrecy, and emotional weight. In these images, darkness dominates. Shadows stretch across the frame, obscuring details and inviting the viewer to lean in. But just as with high key imagery, success in low key work is not about simply reducing exposure. It is about orchestrating light with purpose, allowing just enough illumination to reveal the essential.
In a low key portrait, light often comes from a single directional source. This could be a narrow beam of sunlight through a window, a diffused spotlight, or the soft flicker of a candle. The majority of the frame fades into darkness, but select features are allowed to shine a cheekbone, the arc of an eyebrow, the rim of light tracing a shoulder. These elements create structure within the void, giving the eye a path to follow and the mind a reason to linger.
The emotional tone of low key imagery often veers toward the introspective or cinematic. It’s well suited for conveying solitude, dignity, or unspoken tension. But for all its moodiness, a good low key photo still respects the interplay of contrast. If too much is lost to shadow, the image may become unreadable. Highlight details must be preserved to prevent the photograph from becoming visually inert. A glint in the eye or the subtle sheen on skin can make the difference between flatness and feeling.
Low key images also benefit from thoughtful post-processing. Dodging and burning become tools for guiding attention, emphasizing shape, and deepening emotion. Adjustments should be subtle but purposeful, aimed at enhancing what is already present in the raw frame. The goal is not to impose drama, but to reveal it.
Reading a histogram in a low key image requires a different mindset. Here, most of your data will cluster on the left. That is expected. But you should still see tiny spikes on the right, indicators of retained highlight information. These whispers of brightness are what breathe life into the dark, turning the photograph into a nuanced visual experience rather than an unreadable abyss.
Crafting Purposeful Tonal Narratives Through Artistic Choice
High key and low key photography are not ends in themselves. They are approaches to storytelling that rely on tone to speak emotion. Deciding which direction to take begins with evaluating the subject and the mood it conveys. Is the moment one of tenderness, purity, and lightness? Or does it hold gravity, introspection, or mystery? Your tonal decisions should reflect and enhance that emotional reading.
In practical terms, it means observing how light interacts with your subject. Is the light sculpting contours or flattening them? Are there strong highlights and deep shadows that lend structure? Or are all the tones hovering in a neutral middle, resulting in an image that feels visually stagnant? Knowing when and how to shift your exposure, composition, or post-processing decisions based on these questions is what separates technical skill from artistic mastery.
Small details matter more than many photographers realize. In high key work, a strategically placed line or shape can prevent the image from fading into uniformity. In low key compositions, a single highlight can reveal a world hidden in shadow. These elements give your work nuance and resonance, encouraging viewers to feel rather than just observe.
Ultimately, both high key and low key black and white photography challenge us to move beyond documentation and into expression. They encourage photographers to use light as a language, capable of communicating tenderness, melancholy, serenity, or suspense. As you continue exploring monochrome imagery, keep asking yourself how light is shaping the story you want to tell. Pay attention to how tonal contrast affects not just what the viewer sees, but how they feel.
The Power of Texture in Monochrome Storytelling
In a black and white photograph, where color once guided the eye, texture steps forward to lead the way. Our vision, denied the immediate distraction of hue, reaches instead for surface and pattern. It finds structure in the wrinkles of skin, the grain of wood, the softness of wool, or the rough erosion of brick. These elements, often overlooked in color photography, take on new life in black and white. They are not decorative additions; they are emotional anchors. Texture, in this space, becomes a voice, sometimes whispering, sometimes roaring about time, place, and the human condition.
Imagine standing in front of an old building. In color, your attention might be drawn to peeling paint or the tint of sunlight bouncing off nearby glass. But once translated into monochrome, the surface of that building becomes a narrative of time. Cracks are no longer visual imperfections. They are visual testimony. The mortar between bricks becomes a map of years endured. Shadows pool in those recesses and offer depth, layering the image with mood and mystery. That textured surface invites you to reach out, to connect through memory or imagination.
In portraiture, texture is even more intimate. The camera, when stripped of color, clings to the tactile. The downy hair of a newborn, the worn lines around a grandparent’s eyes, the stitched edge of a beloved blanketall of these textures become storytellers. They stir sensory memory and deepen emotional impact. The delicate weave of a cotton dress or the heavy knit of a scarf isn't just visual interest; it evokes comfort, nostalgia, and closeness. These textures invite the viewer to feel rather than simply see.
The best monochrome portraits often highlight not only facial expressions but the physical context that cradles the subject. A wooden bench can ground a child in place and time. A weathered wall can add a layer of contrast and grit. A softly textured rug beneath someone’s feet can create a quiet sense of warmth and domestic calm. In black and white, all of these elements sing together. They build a frame not just for the eye but for the heart.
Textures also interact with light in compelling ways. Smooth surfaces may glow or reflect, catching highlights that feel almost liquid. Rougher surfaces absorb shadows, creating contrast and dimensionality. This interplay is what transforms a flat image into something sculptural and resonant. It helps a photograph transcend the literal and enter the poetic. And it is this poetry that often gives black and white images their enduring impact, their timeless charm, and their quiet intensity.
Composition as Visual Poetry in the Absence of Color
With color removed from the equation, composition in black and white photography becomes more than important. It becomes critical. Without color to differentiate subjects from their surroundings, every line, every shape, and every relationship within the frame must work harder. The placement of each object in the scene carries greater weight. Visual clutter becomes not only distracting but damaging. There is no space for anything that doesn’t serve the story.
Good monochrome composition starts with awareness. It requires the photographer to be hyper-aware of balance, flow, and negative space. Each choice becomes amplified. A diagonal line can guide the eye through the scene. A triangle of light on a wall can frame a face. A window’s shape in the background can echo the posture of a subject sitting in front of it. Every decision-conscious or instinctive will shape the emotional architecture of the image.
Pre-visualization is a vital skill here. You need to learn to see what the world will look like in black and white before you even lift the camera. This means understanding how different colors translate into tones of gray. A lush green bush and a vivid red sweater might look distinct to the eye but merge into the same midtone gray in a monochrome image, leading to a flat composition. On the other hand, a navy coat and a pale wooden door might seem dull in color but create a beautiful separation of tones when rendered in grayscale.
Backgrounds deserve particular attention. A seemingly soft and luminous backdrop in color might turn muddy or indistinct in black and white. A richly dark background, however, could cradle a lighter subject in tonal contrast and offer a sense of depth and focus. A cluttered environment that is overwhelming in color may actually simplify in black and white, allowing the photographer to isolate the subject and create a sense of serenity amid the chaos.
Props, when used thoughtfully, can enrich monochrome compositions. A pair of vintage wooden chairsone painted white, one left dark with age can do more than offer a place to sit. They provide tonal variety, textural interest, and compositional symmetry. When you use objects with tonal and emotional contrast, you are not only filling the frame but shaping the mood and rhythm of the entire image.
Even wardrobe choices matter in black and white. Glossy fabrics can catch and reflect light in dynamic arcs, bringing energy to the frame. Matte garments, by contrast, absorb and shape shadows, lending form and depth to the body beneath. These small, intentional decisions elevate a photograph from ordinary to lyrical.
In monochrome, there is no hiding behind vibrant colors or flashy distractions. Every frame must be built with intention. The positioning of hands, the tilt of a head, the shadows behind a figure all of it must be carefully considered. Every space in the image must feel deliberate, from the edge of the frame to the smallest corner of negative space. That restraint, that minimalism, becomes the source of the image’s quiet strength.
The Emotional Choreography of Light and Shadow
Perhaps the greatest gift black and white photography offers is its ability to evoke emotion with clarity and subtlety. In stripping away color, it strips away superficiality. What remains is a kind of visual honesty, where mood and message emerge through light, shadow, contrast, and form.
Light, in this context, is not just illumination. It is choreography. It moves through the frame like a dancer, casting long shadows, highlighting important features, and revealing textures you didn’t know were there. It sculpts faces. It carves shapes out of backgrounds. It allows a single ray on a child’s cheek to speak more than words ever could.
Shadows, too, are powerful in monochrome photography. They are not merely the absence of light, but a presence in themselves. They suggest mystery, depth, and silence. They can shelter the viewer emotionally, enclosing a moment in softness and subtlety. When used wisely, shadows create drama and intimacy without ever becoming heavy-handed.
This balance of light and shadow helps slow the viewer down. A black and white image asks to be lingered on. It invites the eye to travel through it gently, to savor the details. A softly shadowed corner becomes a place of quiet retreat. A bright highlight can act like a spotlight, drawing the eye to a moment of revelation or connection.
When backgrounds are busy or scenes feel too cluttered to make emotional sense, converting to black and white can bring order. Removing color helps simplify. It isolates your subject. It reduces visual noise. When paired with a shallow depth of field, this approach allows even chaotic environments to become vignettes of human experience poised, focused, and deeply resonant.
Negative space, often undervalued, becomes a powerful compositional tool in black and white. It provides breath in the frame. It lets the eye rest and return to the subject. It gives emotional weight to solitude, contemplation, and stillness. A well-placed pocket of empty space around a figure can communicate more than a dozen props or colorful distractions ever could.
Black and white photography teaches us to slow down. To watch the way light touches a surface. To listen to what the shadows are saying. To find emotional rhythm in the lines and shapes of a moment. It encourages presence. And in doing so, it invites your subject to relax, to reveal something unscripted, something honest.
This is why black and white photography endures. It’s not just about style or nostalgia. It’s about substance. It reminds us that less can be more, that simplicity can be profound, and that beauty often hides in restraint. With texture as its voice, composition as its skeleton, and emotion as its heartbeat, black and white imagery continues to speak softly, clearly, and forever.
The Power of Intention in Monochrome Photography
The essence of a striking black and white photograph doesn’t begin in editing software. It begins before the camera is even lifted. When you shoot with monochrome in mind from the outset, you start to see the world differently. You notice the sculptural potential of light, the lyrical rhythm of shadows, the story that texture alone can tell. In color photography, vibrancy often carries the emotional weight. But in black and white, it's the intention that does the heavy lifting.
When preparing for a monochrome shoot, every decision becomes deliberate. The location you choose, the time of day, the direction and softness of light, the wardrobe and props all these elements take on new importance. Your scene should be designed to whisper through contrast, not shout through color.
With families and children especially, it’s tempting to lean into joyful, colorful elements. But in black and white, bright hues lose their potency. A red dress and a yellow balloon become equal values of gray. What endures are the tactile qualities: the grain of denim, the openness of linen, the soft pile of wool. These are the details that catch the light and give a black and white image its dimensional soul.
Intention turns everyday elements into emotional cues. A frayed sleeve suggests a childhood well-lived. A crooked collar introduces a note of realism. A whispered gesture between siblings becomes the emotional anchor of the frame. These small decisions shape a larger narrative, and with each thoughtful choice, your image grows richer in emotional cadence.
When you approach black and white photography with this mindset, you're not merely capturing what’s there. You're constructing a moment that resonates long after the shutter clicks. You begin to build images that feel timeless because they are crafted with care, not chance. And in this intentional artistry lies the secret to creating black and white portraits that move people.
Designing for Tonal Balance, Texture, and Story
In the absence of color, a black and white image must communicate through other means. The most powerful among them is tonal contrast, the interplay of light and dark that gives the image both structure and soul. This is where the wardrobe and setting become tools of composition. What someone wears is no longer just a fashion choice; it’s a visual instrument that contributes to balance, depth, and story.
Textured clothing becomes vital. A cable-knit sweater, faded denim overalls, a lace-trimmed blouse, these fabrics catch and reflect light in a way that creates miniature topographies within the image. Shadows fall more beautifully across corduroy than cotton. Linen crinkles in ways that add softness and age. The more textured the garment, the more emotion it tends to hold. It's not about style for style’s sake; it's about creating surfaces that pull the eye and anchor the frame.
Accessories can be just as strategic. A dark hat frames a child’s luminous face. A pale scarf brings lift to a dark-toned outfit. These elements aren’t decorative, they're intentional decisions that affect the composition's flow. Each piece adds contrast and defines shape, guiding the viewer’s eye through the story you're building.
Props offer additional ways to ground your subject in meaning. A vintage wooden chair, worn from years of use, is not just a seatit’s a character in the story. Its chipped paint and curved backrest speak of another era. Place a barefoot child on it, and suddenly you have a visual poem about innocence and memory. These small details work together to create emotional layers, and in monochrome, those layers become even more visible.
The environment plays an equally important role. A whitewashed wall offers negative space that can cradle your subject in simplicity. A shadowy patch of woods adds depth and mood. Even a cracked sidewalk or overgrown garden path can become a textural element that tells part of the story. When shooting in locations you can’t control, monochrome allows you to focus the eye by turning distractions into shadows, using shallow depth of field or tonal separation to draw the viewer where you want them to look.
Every inch of the frame carries weight in black and white photography. A shaft of light falling across a brick wall, a swirl of dust caught in the air, the curve of a jawline softened by natural window light, these are the brushstrokes of your scene. They don’t need color to have an impact. They only need to be seen with intention and shaped with care.
Light, Emotion, and the Expressive Language of Monochrome
More than anything else, black and white photography teaches you to fall in love with light. You begin to see not just what light reveals, but how it feels. You start to notice how its angle can change the emotional temperature of a scene. Harsh side lighting carves a portrait in drama, while soft backlight creates a whisper of nostalgia. Over time, you learn that light isn’t just a toolit’s a collaborator.
In monochrome, light is expressive in a way that color sometimes masks. You start to pay attention to how the direction of light shapes cheekbones or creates catchlights in the eyes. You observe how the quality of light, whether it’s sharp and angular or diffuse and dreamy affects the mood of your frame. The warm golden hour becomes not just a time of day, but a state of emotion.
There’s also power in restraint. Shooting in black and white can simplify a cluttered scene, stripping away visual noise and revealing the emotional center. If you’re photographing a family in their home, and there’s a mess in the background that can’t be moved, black and white allows you to soften it into obscurity. You guide the viewer’s gaze through your use of contrast and composition, allowing only what matters to sing.
When photographing children, this becomes especially meaningful. Kids don’t pose; they move, they blur, they exist in the honest present. A black and white image can hold that fleeting sincerity without embellishment. It distills the chaos into clarity. It lets you hold onto that one true momenta hand reaching, an eye twinkling, a shadow stretching long behind them.
Over time, as you become more fluent in the visual language of monochrome, you begin to feel your way through a shoot. You sense when the light is speaking, when the emotion is rising, when the story is ready to be caught. You stop waiting for perfection and start responding to the truth of the scene.
And that’s what sets exceptional black and white photography apart. It is not simply about removing color. It’s about revealing essence. It’s about elevating the ordinary into something sacred. Through intention, light, texture, and emotional awareness, you transform a photograph into something that doesn’t just capture a face or a pose but a presence, a memory, a feeling.
Conclusion
Black and white photography isn’t merely a stylistic choiceit’s a mindful return to the fundamentals of visual storytelling. When stripped of color, every frame depends on intention, light, texture, and tonal balance to convey emotion and meaning. It sharpens your awareness, refines your eye, and invites the viewer to linger. Through shadows that speak and highlights that whisper, monochrome captures something more than a moment it reveals a truth. With each carefully crafted image, we rediscover the beauty in simplicity, the power in restraint, and the lasting impact of seeing the world in tones, not hues.