…Even though a black and white photo is believed to consist of two colors, a black and white actually consists of many different shades of black, white and gray. The first reference to black and white photography alleges that in 1727 J.H. Schulze discovered that a combination of silver nitrate and chalk darkened when the two were exposed to light. The first semi-permanent black and white image is credited to the french physicist Nicephore Niepce in 1824. The first black and white image of a human figure is credited to William Henry Fox Talbot in 1840. To create black and white photography, photographers use black and white film that can be bought anywhere camera film is sold. Most digital cameras feature a black and white option on the camera's menu. Photographers can also create black and white photography with digital cameras by using digital photo editing software which converts color photos from a digital camera into black and white images. These programs often refer to black and white photography as gray scale. To abbreviate black and white photography, photographers will use the term b&w photo. Good examples of art photographers who use black and white photography are Ansel Adams, Paul Politis and Richard Vanek. Tips for taking good black and white photographs include using a slow shutter speed to eliminate film noise, or grain, which is more obvious in black and white images. Many photographers also believe that it's best to use black and white images when shooting photos an overcast sky.