Back in the ancient days of film, high-contrast (hi-con) transparencies were called Kodaliths, the name of a Kodak product for mastering printing plates. You can create some dramatic artistic effects doing the same thing digitally—by converting a photo to black-and-white, with no shading.
Hi-con doesn't make flattering portraits. Clean-shaven men with five o clock shadow end up with real stubble trouble, and wispy laugh lines become deep trenches.