Color film existed in the 1930s, but black and white stayed dominant until the 1960s

Color photography was technically possible decades before most people used it. Kodachrome, the first practical color film for consumers, launched in 1935. But it was expensive, required special processing, and most photographers and publications stuck with black and white because it was cheaper and faster. The real shift happened gradually between the 1950s and 1970s, driven by falling prices, faster color film, and the rise of color television and magazines.

By the early 1970s, color had become the standard for consumer photography, though black and white remained common in professional and artistic work. The transition was not sudden—it was a series of small economic and technological changes that made color more practical each year, until one day most people stopped thinking about whether to use color at all.

Key Takeaways

  • Kodachrome film arrived in 1935 but remained a luxury product because processing was slow and expensive.
  • The 1950s saw the first affordable color films like Ektachrome, which could be processed by more labs and cost less than Kodachrome.
  • Color television and color magazines in the 1960s created demand for color photographs, pushing prices down further.
  • By the early 1970s, color film outsold black and white for the first time, making it the default choice for casual photographers.
  • Professional photographers and fine art photographers continued using black and white well into the 1980s and beyond.

Why black and white dominated even after color was invented

When Kodachrome arrived in 1935, it was a marvel—the first color film that could be used in ordinary cameras and actually produced colors that stayed true over time. But the barrier to using it was steep. A roll of Kodachrome cost roughly three times what black and white film cost. Processing was even more expensive and had to be sent to Kodak's own labs, which took weeks.

Black and white film, by contrast, was cheap to buy and could be developed by any photography shop in a few hours. Newspapers, magazines, and professional photographers had no reason to switch. Color photographs also faded faster than black and white in those early years, and color printing was unreliable—colors shifted or looked muddy. For most of the 1940s and early 1950s, color photography remained a specialty tool, used mainly for advertising, fashion, and high-end magazine work.

The 1950s: when color became affordable

Kodak introduced Ektachrome in 1946, and it changed the economics. Unlike Kodachrome, Ektachrome could be processed by any lab that had the right chemicals, not just Kodak. This meant faster turnaround and more competition on price. By the early 1950s, color film cost only slightly more than black and white, and processing was faster and cheaper.

At the same time, color television began broadcasting in the United States starting in 1954. Advertisers wanted color photographs to match the color ads they were running on TV. Magazines began printing color photographs more often. National Geographic, which had published mostly in black and white, started running more color spreads. These shifts created demand from professional photographers, which in turn drove down prices for consumer film.

The 1960s: color becomes the expectation

By the 1960s, color television was becoming standard in American homes, and color magazines were everywhere. Life magazine, one of the most influential publications of the era, shifted heavily toward color photography. Kodak released Kodacolor in 1963, a color negative film that was cheaper than slide film and could be printed on ordinary color paper. This was the turning point for casual photographers—Kodacolor was nearly as convenient as black and white but produced color prints.

Prices continued to fall through the decade. A roll of color film that cost $2 to $3 in 1950 cost less than $1 by 1970 (in dollars of that era). Processing also became routine—any drugstore photo counter could handle it. Color photography was no longer a luxury or a specialty; it was becoming normal.

The 1970s: color becomes the default

By 1972, color film outsold black and white film for the first time in the United States. This was the moment when color became the default choice for most people taking photographs. Kodak and Fujifilm were both producing fast, reliable color films. Processing was cheap and widely available. A family taking snapshots at a birthday party or on vacation would use color film without thinking about it.

Professional photographers and fine art photographers, however, did not all follow. Many continued using black and white because it was cheaper to process in their own darkrooms, because they preferred the look, or because black and white was still the standard for newspapers and serious photography. This divide lasted into the 1980s and beyond—black and white remained common in photojournalism, documentary work, and fine art photography even as the general public had moved entirely to color.

Why some photographers kept using black and white

Even after color became cheaper and easier, many photographers stuck with black and white. Newspaper photographers used black and white because it was faster to print and reproduced well in newsprint. Fine art photographers chose black and white for aesthetic reasons—the absence of color forced viewers to focus on composition, light, and shadow. Black and white film was also cheaper to process if you had your own darkroom, which many serious photographers did.

This created a split that lasted decades: casual photographers used color, while professionals in certain fields and art photographers used black and white. That split has never entirely closed. Black and white photography remains common in fine art, documentary work, and certain types of commercial photography, even though color is now universal in casual photography.

The shift accelerated with when ready film and digital cameras

Polaroid when ready color film, introduced in 1963, gave people the ability to see a color photograph within minutes. This was revolutionary for casual use, though the film was expensive and the colors were not always accurate. Polaroid color film became a status symbol and a novelty in the 1970s and 1980s, but it remained too costly for everyday use.

Digital cameras, which arrived in the 1990s and became mainstream in the 2000s, made color the only practical option. Digital sensors capture color by default, and there is no cost difference between color and black and white—you straightforward choose how to display or print the image. This removed the last economic reason to choose black and white, though photographers still do for creative reasons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was color photography used before the 1930s?

Yes, but not in practical ways for most people. Color photography processes existed in the 1800s, including autochrome, which used potato starch and dyes. These were slow, expensive, and produced faded or unreliable colors. Kodachrome in 1935 was the first color film that worked reliably in ordinary cameras.

Why did newspapers stay black and white so long if color was available?

Printing color photographs in newspapers was expensive and slow. Black and white reproduced well on newsprint and could be printed quickly. Most newspapers did not switch to color until the 1980s and 1990s, when printing technology improved and color presses became standard.

Did professional photographers resist color photography?

Some did, for practical and artistic reasons. Black and white was cheaper to process in a darkroom, and many photographers preferred the look. Fashion and advertising photographers switched to color earlier because their clients demanded it. Photojournalists and fine art photographers were slower to adopt color.

When did color film become cheaper than black and white?

By the late 1960s, color film cost only slightly more than black and white to buy, and processing prices were similar. The real cost advantage of black and white disappeared by the 1970s, which is when color film sales overtook black and white for the first time.

Is black and white photography still used today?

Yes, though mostly by choice rather than necessity. Fine art photographers, some documentary photographers, and certain commercial photographers still use black and white for aesthetic reasons. Digital cameras make it straightforward to shoot in color and convert to black and white later.