Tips for black & white / monochrome photography?

I have really gotten into monochrome photography

it seems to me that not all of the same rules would apply given there's no color obviously

but just wondering, what are some b & w photography basics / tips?

my D7100 calls it "monochrome" under picture control settings yet a b & w" message blinks when i'm taking the picture, so apparently Nikon does not recognize any difference between the two, just wondering if you can?

To answer the last bit first, monochrome means an image in a single colour tone & white. B&W is a subset of monochrome. Sepia images would also be monochrome.

Secondly, I strongly suggest that you shoot in colour (in raw) & convert to B&W in post. In camera B&W processing is very limited and you have little or no control over the process. Also, if you alter wanted a colour copy of the image - it doesn't exist. Post processing a colour image to B&W gives you FAR more options. YOu can adjust individual 'channels' to boost praticular tones, and software such as Photoshop has plugins available that emulate old film stocks too, which is nice. Personally I use Alien Skin Exposure 4 and Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

I use B&W principally for street candids and other portraits - I find it helps to isolate the character of my subject better without the distraction the colour can sometimes be.

In terms of landscape photography, it can be useful to convert to mono if you are shooting on a dull 'flat' grey day - there's little point in colour then in any case, or alternatively, if you have lots of textural details & you punch up te contrast it can be very effective.