VSCO Black and White Preset Guide

VSCO Cam black and white presets

I've already shared quite a bit here with you on the VSCO Cam app such as why it's the only photo editing app I use and you should use it too. I've shared quick tips on little-known features of the app like how to use copy and paste to speed up your photo editing process and gone into depth on the powerful editing features of VSCO Cam. And I've also shared plenty of my own photographs I've edited with the app called VSCO Cam Selections, a monthly feature.

Have you ever been overwhelmed by all the amazing presets available to use on the VSCO Cam app? I know I am still to this day every time I edit a new photo and scroll through each one just to see how it affects my photo. To help you out I've created a brand new resource guide specifically on VSCO Cam black and white presets.

Start with black and white

I adore black and white photography. There's nothing quite like the emotion you feel when you see a beautiful black and white photograph. Photography was born in black and white and it's often what I suggest beginners start with. Color can be a distraction. But black and white photography is all about the mood, the scene, the subject, the story you're sharing. It doesn't even need to be perfect, in fact it's better that way (a little secret: black and white can often enhance an otherwise ordinary photo, it's all in how you edit it).

A glace at VSCO Cam's B-series presets

Here's a quick look at all the presets available for VSCO Cam's B-series black and white preset family as a long form infographic (a perfect edition to your Pinterest boards)! I've used one photo of San Francisco beautiful Golden Gate bridge and shown you exactly how each of the presets affect the image. No other editing was applied to these images as I wanted to show you what they look like in their raw form. Of course you can always start with one of these presets and then fine-tune (in fact, I highly encourage it)!

The B-series preset family

Let's dive deeper into each preset of the B-series to fully understand why you might choose one over the other.

B1 preset

B1 creates a range of values from white to black. You can see the bright whites int he clouds and the dark blacks in the shadows of the road. This is great preset to start off with if a simple and classic black and white look is what you're after.

B2 preset

You'll notice in B2 the dark shadows become faded. Personally, I love this look, it adds a vintage style reminiscent of another time. Of course you can also adjust the fade within the editing features (just choose the wrench icon to get started).

B3 preset

B3 removes the fade and brings the shadows down with a hint of darkness.

B4 preset

B4 is probably the darkest of the B-series. You'll notice a lot of the details in the shadows of this photo are lost, you can barely see the cars. But of course there's nothing wrong with this, you may like your photos to be on the darker side, I do but my favored presets are coming up.

B5 preset

B5 has the dark quality in the shadows but not quite as drastic as B5. It also bring is a slight fade to the shadows as well.

B6 preset

B6 is similar to B6 except for the contrast. The highlights are much brighter giving a clear distinction between the whites in the cloudy sky and the darkness on the road.

As you can see when you analyze each photo next to each other it might be hard to see the difference but as you use these presets and see how the fade in B2 or the strong contrast in B6 affects your photos, you'll quickly realize which ones are your favorite. And again as a tip, VSCO Cam presets are meant to be a starting point for editing your mobile photography. Choose one that works for the direction you want to take it and then use the editing features within the app to customize it and create your unique style of photography.