Black and white photography on your phone

Take the colour away and a photo is left with light, shape, texture and expression. That's why black and white suits so many moments that look busy or ordinary in colour. Here's how to see in mono, and when to choose it.

By the DisCam team · 15 October 2026

Two friends with ice-cream cones laughing in a selfie beside a canal in Amsterdam. Developed on Noir.

Wedding guests throwing confetti over a smiling bride and groom outside a stone building. Developed on Mono 400.

Five friends raising glasses of red wine at a dinner table on an Italian street at night. Developed on Mono 400.

Think in light and shade

Without colour to separate things, the picture depends on light and dark. A bright face against a dark doorway, a figure in a patch of sun, strong shadows across a street: these are the scenes that come alive in black and white.

Before you shoot, squint at the scene. Squinting hides colour and detail and shows you where the light and dark shapes are.

When to choose black and white

Black and white isn't only for serious photos. It's often the best choice when:

The light is mixed, such as orange lamps and blue screens in one room, and the colours look muddy.
The background is busy with clashing colours.
The sun is high and harsh. In colour that's unflattering, but in black and white the hard shadows look graphic.
The moment matters more than the setting: a speech, a hug, a tired face at the end of a long day.
The day is grey anyway.

Look for texture

Skin, knitwear, brick, wood grain, rain on a window, a crumpled bed: without colour, texture becomes the subject. Low side light, from a window or a late sun, brings it out best.

Get closer to faces

In black and white the eye goes straight to faces and expressions, so fill the frame with them. Laughter lines, a sideways glance and the shape of a smile all hold up beautifully without colour.

Grain belongs here

Black and white film usually showed its grain, especially faster films for low light, and people came to love that texture. Grain that would look like noise in a colour photo often looks natural in mono, so you can turn it up further. See our guide to film grain for more.

Two kinds of black and white

Black and white films vary as much as colour ones. In DisCam, Noir has deep blacks and bright whites, for drama and night scenes. Mono 400 is textured and grainy, like a classic snapshot film. Same photo, very different moods.

Two friends grinning in a selfie on a mountain trail, a turquoise lake far below them. Developed on Original. — Two friends grinning in a selfie on a mountain trail, a turquoise lake far below them. The same photo developed on 4 films.

Two friends grinning in a selfie on a mountain trail, a turquoise lake far below them. Developed on Noir. — Two friends grinning in a selfie on a mountain trail, a turquoise lake far below them. The same photo developed on 4 films.

Doing it in DisCam

To shoot a black and white roll:

Load a roll of Noir or Mono 400. Both come with DisCam Pro.
Adjust Grain to taste. Mono 400 is grainy on purpose.
Choose white digits for a classic date stamp, or orange for a single spot of colour.
Try a black frame. It suits mono prints, especially at night.