Teuthida
Well-known
Agreed. And now, if we could just shoot in 3D our pictures would be even better!
Roger Hicks
Veteran
N
Nikon Bob
Guest
I prefer to take mostly colour photos as that is the way I see things and remember them. There are times when I prefer the same photo in B&W though. It is a personal choice and would not call either medium crap. OTH I could agree there have been and will continue to be crap photos taken with either medium. Neither are the vestal virgins proponents of one over the other think they are.
Bob
Bob
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
Fair enough, Jack, you find B&W unsatisfactory.
But, not everybody does.
I have photos and have taken photos of family and friends that are gone and those photos are important to me regardless of whether they are color or BW. My memories are more closely linked to other senses than vision; for example, I remember my grandfather more for his voice, his smell, the sense of love, and his actions far better than how he looked.
As well, perception of color varies from person to person, so the color that you see in any given scene is not likely to be the same color that I see even though we may be standing next to each other looking at the same thing.
A B&W rendering of that scene is a bit of an abstraction, but it may--if done well--be a better representation of what was there than a color photo. Or not; I'm absolutely willing to concede that it can be demonstrated that the reverse works as well.
You mentioned the beauty of Vietnam and I agree but two of the most horrifying images I've ever seen were both in color. Sometimes I want some abstraction or distance from "reality" and, for me, B&W becomes a way to do that.
Lastly, I will also say that, again for me, "stark" does not equal depressing.
Rob
But, not everybody does.
I have photos and have taken photos of family and friends that are gone and those photos are important to me regardless of whether they are color or BW. My memories are more closely linked to other senses than vision; for example, I remember my grandfather more for his voice, his smell, the sense of love, and his actions far better than how he looked.
As well, perception of color varies from person to person, so the color that you see in any given scene is not likely to be the same color that I see even though we may be standing next to each other looking at the same thing.
A B&W rendering of that scene is a bit of an abstraction, but it may--if done well--be a better representation of what was there than a color photo. Or not; I'm absolutely willing to concede that it can be demonstrated that the reverse works as well.
You mentioned the beauty of Vietnam and I agree but two of the most horrifying images I've ever seen were both in color. Sometimes I want some abstraction or distance from "reality" and, for me, B&W becomes a way to do that.
Lastly, I will also say that, again for me, "stark" does not equal depressing.
Rob
ferider
Veteran
Color was there when you grew up .... Check out the color movies that were done in Nuernberg in 1945, now that's depressing.
How about sharing some photos ?
claacct
Well-known
You're talking about TV, which color really improved. Photography is different. People don't sit and look at photos for hours.
Gary Briggs
mamiyaDude
Not sure what it means but I remember the original color tv's were hard to adjust.
Then learned that you begin with the color off, get good contrast, brightness, tone....then bring in the color
Then learned that you begin with the color off, get good contrast, brightness, tone....then bring in the color
rbelyell
Well-known
color i wonderful, but it often obscures texture. i like b&w to tap into texture without distraction.
Gary Briggs
mamiyaDude
Another thought...I enjoy the b&w pics you all put on this site more than the color.
People's faces have so much more to say in b&w...
People's faces have so much more to say in b&w...
Steve M.
Veteran
Newer is, stop me if you've heard this before, not necessarily better.
Nearly everyone loves B&W. It's much harder to get a good B&W print than a color print, so it's more of a challenge to the photographer. B&W film is more permanent than color film, and that goes for digital files/prints in color as well. Color has an emotional content that B&W doesn't. B&W is abstract, color is more literal. Even if someone is color blind, they will probably see a B&W print the same as a non color blind person. Can't say that for color. Because B&W is more difficult to print successfully, shooting B&W film separates the photographers from the posers quite quickly.
How many reasons do you need? There's LOTS more. It's an interesting question that we all should ask ourselves.
Nearly everyone loves B&W. It's much harder to get a good B&W print than a color print, so it's more of a challenge to the photographer. B&W film is more permanent than color film, and that goes for digital files/prints in color as well. Color has an emotional content that B&W doesn't. B&W is abstract, color is more literal. Even if someone is color blind, they will probably see a B&W print the same as a non color blind person. Can't say that for color. Because B&W is more difficult to print successfully, shooting B&W film separates the photographers from the posers quite quickly.
How many reasons do you need? There's LOTS more. It's an interesting question that we all should ask ourselves.
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Pherdinand
the snow must go on
Jack - don't you know that video capture exists? Haven't you figured yet out that our brain does not record color images but color moving images with sound?
Pherdinand
the snow must go on
Jack....you don't like an aussie sunset in B&W?
you should have zoomed in more. LOL
NickTrop
Veteran
Ansel Adams is rolling in his grave right about now. Some questions don't merit a response.
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
Jack,
You asked a general (and valid) question but coming from a specific point of view.
Your definition of a photograph seems to be a recorded sentiments tied to a memory.
But there are other types of photographs that has absolutely nothing to do with recording sentiments/memories.
For example:
I didn't take this picture to remember what was it like at the time, I don't care about the color of the chair.
I took it because I want to record and showcase the textures of the old wood. And textures, as well as other visual components that we (the photographer) want to highlight, can sometimes be obscured by the existence of colors.
Of course this works with people portraits also, as long as you are not associating the absence of color with sentiments like 'depressing' that is
You asked a general (and valid) question but coming from a specific point of view.
Your definition of a photograph seems to be a recorded sentiments tied to a memory.
But there are other types of photographs that has absolutely nothing to do with recording sentiments/memories.
For example:
I didn't take this picture to remember what was it like at the time, I don't care about the color of the chair.
I took it because I want to record and showcase the textures of the old wood. And textures, as well as other visual components that we (the photographer) want to highlight, can sometimes be obscured by the existence of colors.
Of course this works with people portraits also, as long as you are not associating the absence of color with sentiments like 'depressing' that is
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T
Todd.Hanz
Guest
Lord Nikon
Shoots Leica
asdfghjklqwerty
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sdotkling
Sent through the ether
No one mentioned the simplest reason: I can do black-n-white in my basement and it's simple and fun. It's fun to make things, and making photos in black and white is the simplest way. Color is way too much work to get right.
crawdiddy
qu'est-ce que c'est?
Photography is an abstraction of the real world. It compresses 3 dimensions into 2 (let's forget about 3D for the moment). B&W is an abstraction of the visible spectrum into monochrome tonality. Painting and sculpture are similarly abstract.
If color media speaks to you more than B&W, that's OK. There are many who feel the same. There are people who wouldn't watch a B&W film. Some will not watch a foreign language film with subtitles. Some people don't like opera or musical theatre. Some people are excited about 3D video. (I'm not one of them.)
All art forms, or media, have some sort of constraints. None of them are intended to be, or capable of being a substitute for "experience." They are all stylized or abstracted representations. Some can be very powerful. Some may even be more powerful than primary "experience." But they are not the same as "experience." A person either accepts the conceit of an art form, or he doesn't, and it will be impossible to appreciate the art if you don't.
There's nothing wrong with a preference for color photography. But I think you're missing something.
If color media speaks to you more than B&W, that's OK. There are many who feel the same. There are people who wouldn't watch a B&W film. Some will not watch a foreign language film with subtitles. Some people don't like opera or musical theatre. Some people are excited about 3D video. (I'm not one of them.)
All art forms, or media, have some sort of constraints. None of them are intended to be, or capable of being a substitute for "experience." They are all stylized or abstracted representations. Some can be very powerful. Some may even be more powerful than primary "experience." But they are not the same as "experience." A person either accepts the conceit of an art form, or he doesn't, and it will be impossible to appreciate the art if you don't.
There's nothing wrong with a preference for color photography. But I think you're missing something.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
