Striking black and white photograph of a pigeon perched on a ledge with a city dome in the background, highlighting contrast and simple composition.

Black and white street photo of a lollipop man walking away with a stop sign, his hi-vis jacket and long shadow creating strong visual contrast.

Everyday Scenes in Black and White

Not every photograph needs a dramatic location or a significant subject. These two images are about ordinary moments made graphic by the removal of colour.

The first isolates a pigeon in flight against a clear sky, with architectural detail in the background providing scale and context. It's the kind of shot that comes from slowing down and watching a familiar scene rather than looking for something new.

The second captures a lollipop man walking away from the camera, his shadow stretching long across the pavement. The high contrast and strong directional light reduce the scene to shape and tone — the figure becomes almost abstract, the shadow more present than the man himself.

Black and white street photography works best when it finds structure in the unremarkable. Both of these images are from everyday locations in Scotland, and neither required anything beyond patience and timing.

For more black and white work, visit the main portfolio or explore the Places gallery.

Cars are as much a part of city life as the buildings and streets around them. This series focuses on the Audi S3 in an urban setting, using both colour and black and white to explore the relationship between the vehicle and its surroundings — reflection, surface texture and the contrast between machine and street.

The shoot was kept deliberately light and mobile, with equipment fitting into a single rucksack so the car could be moved between locations. That kind of constraint tends to produce more considered images — you work with what the location gives you rather than imposing a setup on it.

The S3 is a clean subject for this kind of work. The proportions are tight, the lines are direct, and the blacked-out details respond well to directional light. Both natural and mixed ambient light were used across the set.

Urban car photography in colour, showing reflections, movement, and vehicles in a city environment.

If you have a high-end or collectable car and are looking for professional photography, get in touch via the contact page or on Instagram at @lee_ramsden.