B&W

[robert blu]

B&W is good, colour is good!

Technologies, digital included do not ruin photography. The use (and abuse) some of the photographers make of digital sometimes does.

It's nice to have many technological possibilities, we only need to learn the best use of them 😉

 

[Bill Clark]

Surely in the days of film the majority of photographers – then as now, whether taking colour or b&w photos – simply pressed the shutter and gave the film to a lab to make prints? That is, no attempt to manipulate the image?

That’s not true for me or the successful pro photographers I know. I can and did manipulate the image at each stage: making the photograph, processing and printing, using film or digital for capture. It’s one of the reasons why people hired a pro. Not so true today as many have a false idea of what constitutes a beautiful image cuz they see it immediately and treat the camera like a machine gun. One of those will turn out, won’t it?

 

[boojum]

That’s not true for me or the successful pro photographers I know. I can and did manipulate the image at each stage: making the photograph, processing and printing, using film or digital for capture. It’s one of the reasons why people hired a pro. Not so true today as many have a false idea of what constitutes a beautiful image cuz they see it immediately and treat the camera like a machine gun. One of those will turn out, won’t it?

I can only comment on what others, professionals, have done and many of them depend upon gifted people in the darkroom to transform and enhance what comes out of their cameras. It is not easy because if it were we would all be doing it with comparable results. And we are not. At least I am not. As usual, YMMV.

 

[RichC]

RichC wrote:

"Surely in the days of film the majority of photographers – then as now, whether taking colour or b&w photos – simply pressed the shutter and gave the film to a lab to make prints? That is, no attempt to manipulate the image?"​

That’s not true for me or the successful pro photographers I know. I can and did manipulate the image at each stage: making the photograph, processing and printing, using film or digital for capture. It’s one of the reasons why people hired a pro. Not so true today as many have a false idea of what constitutes a beautiful image cuz they see it immediately and treat the camera like a machine gun. One of those will turn out, won’t it?

You misunderstood me!

When I wrote "the majority of photographers", I literally meant that. Most are casual and amateur users of cameras - so I didn't mean pros. Today, as in the film era, pros and those serious about photography (as many of us on RFF) mostly don't simply press the shutter!

 

[Tom R]

That’s not true for me or the successful pro photographers I know. I can and did manipulate the image at each stage: making the photograph, processing and printing, using film or digital for capture. It’s one of the reasons why people hired a pro. Not so true today as many have a false idea of what constitutes a beautiful image cuz they see it immediately and treat the camera like a machine gun. One of those will turn out, won’t it?

I would only add: In the best case, most manipulations occur before releasing the shutter. Of course, we don't live in a perfect world, and a fair amount of work remains to be done post-process--whether you define that as within software or on the printing easel and afterwards (spot-toning, etc.).

It's all part of the circle of (a photographer's) life.

 

[hap]

Dream Time, Astoria.

OK, looking south on the Young's Bay Bridge from Astoria to Warrenton. First title is better, isn't it? Straight out of the M8.2 most likely the Canon LTM 28mm f/2.8 @ f/5.6. In-camera B&W. With UV/IR filter. It never leaves the lens.

View attachment 4761280​

what is the filter size for Canon LTM 28 2/8?

 

[Deleted member 65559]

what is the filter size for Canon LTM 28 2/8?

40mm

 

[JohnGellings]

The answer is no. We live in a time where I don’t think there has ever been so many different tools available to make photographs. That’s a good thing. You can still do b&w film and use a darkroom … and many do. There are great digital b&w prints out there by great artists. It doesn’t ruin anything. Who cares what the mainstream does if you are truly interested in Photography.

 

[Dogman]

I miss Bill's postings.

(Parenthetically, it's interesting to read older posts I've made here and see how much or how little my opinions still hold. A lot of what I wrote in 2021 has changed in 2023. Natural I suppose.)

 

[Deleted member 65559]

John G:
" Who cares what the mainstream does.....