hamradio
Well-known
When I have darkroom access, I primarily shoot b&w. When I don't, I shoot color.
B+W overused here?
- Thread starter Dave Wilkinson
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sjones
Established
I did not take it as a "criticism, judgment or condemnation," and if I had, I can assure you that my response would have been far more acidic, which it wasn't at all. However, when people, not just you, point out that I might be limiting myself ("missing out") in some regard (not just in terms of monochrome, but in focal length choice, subject matter, and such), I feel it's fair to answer no, I am simply doing what I enjoy, nothing too provocative about this.
Wayno
Well-known
I think I'm B&W challenged; I find it much more difficult than colour. I only have a handful of B&W pictures that I'm happy with, but then I use colour film 95% of the time... I love developing B&W, but I'm not set up to print and haven't owned a scanner until recently. Now that I have a scanner I plan to use more B&W and try to "get my eye in" for monochrome.
In regard to the set posted above with colour and B&W conversions, I actually prefer some of the original colour versions - for example I wouldn't change the second one with the moss on the little roof over the door. Admittedly that picture is pretty much only green & white...
In regard to the set posted above with colour and B&W conversions, I actually prefer some of the original colour versions - for example I wouldn't change the second one with the moss on the little roof over the door. Admittedly that picture is pretty much only green & white...
Dave Wilkinson
Veteran
and that's all there is to it?? 🙄
Chris101
summicronia
I completely agree! Yet I have only ever marry blondes! Go fig.
Since I love the process, I shoot mainly b&w film. But I do all my illustration work in color. It's been said in this thread already, and is probably a truism, but color works best when the subject of the photo is the color itself.
ps, my current girlfriend has brown hair. Not that you should care.
kemal_mumcu
Well-known
I opened this thread thinking it would be a discussion on B+W filters. I love these for their quality and quantity on the used marketplace. Plus they're German!
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I shoot both but focus on B&W cause I feel it's the most reasonable and cheapest way to learn about photography at this point. Being able to do everything at home is a big plus. I find color photography demands perfect lighting to make a truly amazing image. B&W seems to be more forgiving on poor lighting??? IMHO.
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I shoot both but focus on B&W cause I feel it's the most reasonable and cheapest way to learn about photography at this point. Being able to do everything at home is a big plus. I find color photography demands perfect lighting to make a truly amazing image. B&W seems to be more forgiving on poor lighting??? IMHO.
hawkeye
steve
"The world looks worse in BW"
--Paul Simon, Kodachrome.
And from an anonymous photographer.
"If the photo doesn't work print it bigger, if it still doesn't work print it in BW."
Color is harder than BW because it demands that you see and understand the emotional impact of color. I mean there are whole theories of the emotional value of color. Go read Goethe.
Is its difficulty why so many RFF-ers try to make it bad, wrong and stupid?
Hawkeye
--Paul Simon, Kodachrome.
And from an anonymous photographer.
"If the photo doesn't work print it bigger, if it still doesn't work print it in BW."
Color is harder than BW because it demands that you see and understand the emotional impact of color. I mean there are whole theories of the emotional value of color. Go read Goethe.
Is its difficulty why so many RFF-ers try to make it bad, wrong and stupid?
Hawkeye
Attachments
Dave Wilkinson
Veteran
could be one of the reasons!.....but be carefull! - or you'll end up in the same dungeons as me ! 😱
Al Kaplan
Veteran
Most of my filters are Hoya, dating back to the days when they were the cheap brand. I also have a bunch of old filters, mostly Leitz. Recently I got a bunch of Rollei bayonet size I when I bought a used Minolta Autocord. Everything is old and single coated.
I see no reason to get the latest B+W filters. I don't use the ones I have.
I see no reason to get the latest B+W filters. I don't use the ones I have.
hawkeye
steve
Dave
I am a working photojournalist and old enough to have gone through the changes from papers and magazines accepting only medium format BW images, to 35mm BW, to 35mm color and finally to digital color. So to work and survive I have had to change.
And I learned to print BW from the folks from Ansel Adams school and once printed an exhibition of images from the Yukon Gold Rush from large glass plates. So I know about BW printing...
But color is a different medium and much more difficult. In BW you deal with subject and tonality and their subjective impacts. Add color and issues of controlling color, color temperature, color quality and color meaning and you are carrying a heavy load.
But it is interesting that no one has mentioned that there are no great BW paintings? In the history of art 99.9%l of the world"s great art is in color.
What is up with that, huh?
What would the Mona Lisa look like in BW or a BW Sistine Chapel ceiling?
Hawkeye
I am a working photojournalist and old enough to have gone through the changes from papers and magazines accepting only medium format BW images, to 35mm BW, to 35mm color and finally to digital color. So to work and survive I have had to change.
And I learned to print BW from the folks from Ansel Adams school and once printed an exhibition of images from the Yukon Gold Rush from large glass plates. So I know about BW printing...
But color is a different medium and much more difficult. In BW you deal with subject and tonality and their subjective impacts. Add color and issues of controlling color, color temperature, color quality and color meaning and you are carrying a heavy load.
But it is interesting that no one has mentioned that there are no great BW paintings? In the history of art 99.9%l of the world"s great art is in color.
What is up with that, huh?
What would the Mona Lisa look like in BW or a BW Sistine Chapel ceiling?
Hawkeye
Attachments
Chris101
summicronia
Those are paintings. Photography is a different medium than painting. Why not ask why are there so many B&W charcoal drawings?
Ben B.
RFF newbie
M4cr0s
Back In Black
I'm one of those horrible people who actually like to shoot color, even *gasph* mostly digital too. That do not mean I do not like B&W photography, in fact I enjoy it very much. Personally do however see, feel and think in color. It even sort of feels wrong, to attempt to "save" a color shot gone wrong by a quick and dirty conversion. I still do it from time to time tho.
Another reason for dealing primarly with color is the fact that I don't consider myself an artist and I've seen way to many pretentious people claiming to produce "art" just because their images are B&W. The last thing I want to appear as is an arrogant brat. I just want to make pretty pictures that I like 😉
Now, what I'm saying is not ment as critic or an attack at anyone here, just a general observation from art galleries and in particular internet picture sites. I am delighted that some still are diehard B&W film shooters, wielding cameras older than me and I respect their choice and admire their patience and occasionally, skill. Yet, I've still got the feeling that color will never be as accepted as "fine art" as B&W, something that is frankly just friggin' ridicilous.
/Mac
Another reason for dealing primarly with color is the fact that I don't consider myself an artist and I've seen way to many pretentious people claiming to produce "art" just because their images are B&W. The last thing I want to appear as is an arrogant brat. I just want to make pretty pictures that I like 😉
Now, what I'm saying is not ment as critic or an attack at anyone here, just a general observation from art galleries and in particular internet picture sites. I am delighted that some still are diehard B&W film shooters, wielding cameras older than me and I respect their choice and admire their patience and occasionally, skill. Yet, I've still got the feeling that color will never be as accepted as "fine art" as B&W, something that is frankly just friggin' ridicilous.
/Mac
Dave Wilkinson
Veteran
another one that will be joining me in the dungeon! 😱
raid
Dad Photographer
I see the world around me in color. It is my preference and I respect other people's preferences. I find joy in playing with colors and trying to get something good out.
Gumby
Veteran
Sorry to come back to the discussion so late... but I don't need to be refered to the first sentence again... I understood that. More specifically, what is your metric of use/overused? I'm curious about how you formulated your personal opinion. Personally, I can generally abide by 75% b+w and the remainder in color.
M4cr0s
Back In Black
Dave Wilkinson
Veteran
Firstly, I apologise - my referal to my opening line was not really directed at you, but at those who seem to have the impression that I am anti-mono, and derisive of those who strictly adhere to it. I love black and white, and have shot and processed more than my share in the last fifty years, but try to maintain a 'horses for courses' outlook. I have no set ratio for anything, next week I may buy a few rolls of HP5+ and replenish my chemicals, then after that use colour (digital or film ) for a few weeks. What started as reasonable and inocent personal opinion on the colour or mono merits of a lot of the pictures that I see, and my asking for the views of others, seems - as so often happens here, to have escalated somewhat!.
Regards, Dave.
lawrence
Veteran
I don't agree. For me the best colour photography is where colour is an important element of the photograph but at the same time not the subject of the photograph. I would cite William Eggleston's work as an example.
martin s
Well-known
I'd say some of Eggleston's photographs _only work because of the color. The light bulb hanging from the red ceiling for example.
I love both, color and b&w with weird tendencies in each. Colors as mute as possible, with b/w a lot of contrast. I might shoot a lot more color could I pay for all the processing.
martin
