Black-and-white portraits
When everything falls away, you remain
A black-and-white portrait is different. It demands more attention. It forces you to look. Not at color, not at background, not at what you are wearing. But at you. At your gaze, your posture, your face.
Black-and-white portraits remove all distractions. What remains is honest, timeless, and powerful.
Why black and white?
Color conveys a lot. Sometimes too much. It attracts attention, provides context, and evokes associations. And that can be beneficial. However, sometimes it can be distracting.
Black-and-white portrait photography reduces an image to its essence. No distracting colors, no walls telling a story that may not be yours. Just light, shadow, and your face. That makes a portrait direct, intimate, and clear.
It's not about perfection. It's about authenticity. Black and white shows wrinkles, freckles, lines, scars without judgment. It makes you human, not polished. And that's exactly the power of it.
For those who work with black-and-white portraits
A black-and-white portrait suits people who want the image to be about them, not about anything else. It works for creators, writers, entrepreneurs, artists. For people who don't need shiny backgrounds or colored accents, but a photo that transcends time.
It also works if you feel that color is too busy, says too much, or too little. If you are looking for tranquility in an image. For something that lingers.
I often shoot in black and white for my PAUZE sessions because it fits the tone of that conversation: reflective, honest, tranquil. But black and white portraits can also be powerful, even dynamic. It depends on what you radiate and what we are looking for together.
I also regularly work in black and white for PLAY mini shoots for theater makers and musicians. And of course, black and white is possible for all regular portrait shoot sessions, both in the studio and on location.
Read more or scroll down to see examples of my work.
How it works
We always start calmly. No rush, no pressure to perform. We talk, observe, and find what works. I guide you through the session, help you with your posture and gaze, and make sure you feel comfortable.
When shooting a black-and-white portrait, I pay extra attention to light. How it falls, where it intensifies, where it softens. Light is everything in black-and-white photography. It determines the atmosphere, the emotion, the power of the image.
After the shoot, you make a broad selection from our photos, and only when you get home do you make your final selection (in an online album). Together, we choose the images that are right. These are edited minimally, with attention to detail, contrast, and tone. The result is a portrait that shows you as you are, without embellishment.
Timeless and durable
A black-and-white portrait never ages. It is not affected by color trends or styling choices. It remains relevant, year after year. This makes it suitable for books, websites, press material, or as a fine art print on the wall.
It is an investment in an image that will endure. Not because it is beautiful, but because it is accurate. A true snapshot.
Studio or on location
Black-and-white portraits can be taken anywhere. I enjoy working from my cozy studio in Wijchen (near Nijmegen), with controlled lighting and a neutral background. But of course, a portrait can also be taken at a location that suits you: your workspace, your home, or outdoors in a landscape.
The place matters, but not everything. It's about what we find there. About how the light falls there, how you stand there, how it feels.
Studio location
Bijsterhuizen 2414
6604 LL Wijchen
Route
What you get
I approach every portrait shoot with the same level of care. You don't just get photos, but images that have been created with time, attention, and a sense of what works.
Various options for black-and-white portraits
✔️ Half-hour photo shoot
✔️ Maximum of one outfit change
✔️ Select images immediately
✔️ Includes 5 edited photos
During a relaxed half-day session, we'll aim to capture a natural photo of you. We'll have coffee or tea, a good chat, and most importantly, no pressure, so you end up with a photo that truly shows who you are,
✔️ One-and-a-half-hour photo shoot
✔️ Maximum of one outfit change
✔️ Select photos immediately
✔️ Includes 8 edited photos
When black-and-white portraits are the right choice
If you are unsure whether to choose color or black and white, ask yourself: where should the emphasis lie? If the answer is "on me, on my gaze, on who I am," then black and white portraits are often the best choice.
Black-and-white portrait photography works well for:
Fine art portraits that should be timeless
Personal portraits with depth
Editorial portraits that focus on the person
Portraits that focus on emotion
Images for books, interviews, or publications
It works less well when context is important, when color is essential to your work, or when you are looking for a vibrant, colorful image.
Let's get acquainted
If this resonates with you, if you feel that a black-and-white portrait suits you, then I would like to invite you for a chat. We can start with coffee in the studio, a phone call, or an email. Then we can decide together what works best.
Every portrait begins with listening. To what you are looking for, to what you need, to who you are. The rest follows naturally.
You are welcome.
Contact us today to discuss the possibilities. You can reach us by phone at +31 (0) 6-263 263 16 or by email at mail@michielheijmans.com.
Frequently asked questions about black-and-white portraits
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With black-and-white portraits, all distractions caused by color are eliminated. The focus is entirely on you: your face, your gaze, your posture. Color can be beautiful, but it sometimes draws attention to things that don't matter. Black and white makes a portrait timeless and honest.
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No, the price is the same. For each portrait shoot, you can choose between completely black and white, completely color, or a mix of both. Editing black and white does require extra precision, but that is already included in the price.
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Yes, that's possible. After the shoot, we'll look at the images together and decide what works best for each photo. Some portraits call for color, others for black and white. You'll always get the best result from me, regardless of the color choice.
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My studio is located in Wijchen, near Nijmegen. For on-location shoots, I am happy to come to you. I work throughout the Netherlands, from Amsterdam to Maastricht. Travel costs are 50 cents per kilometer.
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That depends on the session you choose. The PLAY mini shoot takes about 30 minutes of photography. A regular portrait shoot takes an hour and a half. The PAUZE session is a whole half-day: about 4 hours of conversation and photography together.
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Not at all. Most people who come to me have little to no experience. I will guide you calmly through the session and help you with your posture and gaze. You don't need to know anything, just be yourself.
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Within a few business days after the shoot, I will send you a selection from which you can choose your photos. You will receive the final edited images in high quality shortly thereafter, usually within a week after the shoot.
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No, it doesn't work the other way around. I always shoot in black and white, but retain the color during the shoot. Once the images have been edited and delivered, they are either color or black and white. If you're unsure, we can always do a mix: some photos in color, others in black and white.
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Absolutely. Black-and-white portraits work exceptionally well for websites, social media, press materials, and publications. They attract attention and linger longer than standard color portraits. You will receive all images in high quality, ready for web use.
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Wear something you feel comfortable in. Bright colors or busy patterns are less noticeable with black and white, but the most important thing is that your clothes suit you. Neutral shades often work well. Not sure? Bring two options with you, and we'll take a look together.