black and white · photography · portrait ·

The Power of Personal Projects: Finding Freedom in Black and White

In the fast-paced world of commercial photography, personal projects are often seen as a luxury—something to be squeezed in between paid assignments, if at all. But for me, they are essential. They’re where creativity thrives, skills evolve, and artistic voices are sharpened.

Take these black-and-white imagery, for example. Stripped of color, it forces both the photographer and the viewer to engage with light, contrast, texture, and emotion on a deeper level, It’s raw, and timeless. The image above embodies this perfectly, bold expression, dramatic lighting, and a striking presence that transcends trends.

I’ve always found that personal projects—especially in black-and-white reignite my passion for photography. Without the constraints of client expectations or commercial demands, there’s room to experiment, things that might not always fit into a client brief suddenly become tools for storytelling.

The setup is a straight forward yet effective two-light arrangement, as you’ll see in the BTS shots. To ensure balanced lighting, I used a white board to subtly fill in the shadows, keeping the contrast dynamic without losing detail. You may notice the Smith-Victor Bi-Color Ring Light on the camera. I ended up not using it. My PlatyBall Elite, securely mounted on my tripod, provided the stability and precision I needed—allowing me to focus entirely on capturing the perfect shot. With everything in place, I was ready to create!

The model in Lenworth's project is Tim Thorn. If you like Lenworth's photos and ideas you can follow his Instagram or Website.

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