Black and white photography refers to photographs created using different tones of gray, ranging from white to dark. B&W photographs are a beautiful, artistic form of photography that has a long history. There was a time when all photography was black and white.

If the subject matter and intended message of the photo are more important than the eye candy of vivid or eclectic colors, then black and white is the way to go.

Black and white digital cameras are often designed without a Bayer filter, avoiding the demosaicing process and meaning that a camera will only capture raw luminance. This allows these specialized cameras to capture the full spectrum of available light.