Monochrome Fashion & Cinematic Portraits
Stripping away color forces the focus back to the subject. My monochrome work is not just about removing color, it is about sculpting light to reveal texture, emotion, and dramatic form.
A bold, high-contrast monochrome shot. The low angle and the graphic, repeating pattern of the background create a powerful and dynamic composition that emphasizes the model's strong pose.
This classic European plaza, created with projection, is transformed into a timeless scene in black and white. The high contrast between light and shadow creates a dramatic, cinematic feel.
The iconic lines of the Brooklyn Bridge, rendered in dramatic black and white. Using a projected background allows me to create this powerful, graphic composition with perfect studio lighting.
A timeless black and white portrait. The soft lighting and shallow depth of field draw all the attention to the model's intense gaze and the subtle, sparkling makeup detail.
A single black and white shot within this reel shows the power of monochrome to create a classic, architectural feel, focusing on the lines of the dress and the background.
One of the shots in this reel is a dramatic black and white desert scene, demonstrating how monochrome can add a timeless and high-contrast feel to a fashion shot.
About Monochrome Studies
People often think black and white is easier because you just remove the color, but it is actually more demanding. Without color to rely on, the lighting setup has to be perfect to separate the subject from the background. I use multi-point Profoto strobes to carve out those high-contrast shapes, ensuring the skin texture stays rich and the shadows have real depth.
When I work in monochrome, my goal is to simplify the frame. By removing color, we stop the viewer from getting distracted by a bright outfit or a busy backdrop, and instead, force them to look at the eyes, the silhouette, and the fabric details.
In my Noida studio, I combine this approach with projection photography. This allows me to create dramatic, high-contrast backgrounds, like old European plazas or architectural structures, that would be impossible to control outdoors. I project these scenes and then light the model with a precise setup to match the mood of the background.
I shoot using the Sony A9III, which gives me incredible dynamic range. This is critical for black and white, as it allows me to recover details in both the deep shadows and the bright highlights during post-production. Whether we are shooting a high-fashion editorial or a personal portrait, my focus remains on the interplay of light and shadow. We work with a dedicated team of stylists and makeup artists to ensure that the wardrobe textures read well in monochrome, because a silk fabric behaves very differently under studio lights than a matte cotton.
If you are looking to move away from standard color photography and want images that possess a timeless, editorial quality, my studio setup is designed exactly for that.
SPS Kalra
I am SPS Kalra. I run a studio in Noida where we do not just click photos, we build scenes using light and projection. If you want to move beyond standard portraits and create something cinematic, come by the studio.
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