Black and white photography is never going to go away, no matter how much technology changes. It's still being used commercially in the fashion and advertising industry, but above all it's an important category in fine art photography and a favorite among amateurs.
Even if you shoot it in digital, certain guidelines still apply. Simply converting a color photo into a black and white one won't do the trick. Local adjustments always have to be made and changes in contrast are also important. Back in the old days, local adjustments such as dodging and burning used to be made using hands and chemicals. It's a lot easier today in Lightroom, but the same techniques still apply.
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The interesting thing about black and white photography is that you have to be most careful about the grey tones. It sounds funny, but all black and white images are made from a wide variety of grey tonalities. You can change them easily using various presets for Lightroom and Photoshop, or you can try your expert hand and alter these tones manually.
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It also helps to have the right light for shooting black and white and fortunately, cloudy days with uninteresting light are great for shooting in black and white. It's also a lot more permissive than shooting color, and that's one of the reasons why I recommend it for beginners.
Here is French photographer Serge Ramelli explaining his techniques for awesome black and white photography.
Learn more about black and white photography from these recommended books:
- Black and White Photography: A Basic Manual Third Revised Edition
- Creative Black and White: Digital Photography Tips and Techniques
- Black and White Photography Field Guide: The essential guide to the art of creating black & white images