Seeing in Black and White

[TimBonzi]

I'm pretty new to black and white photography, and was wondering how to get used to "seeing" in black and white. A couple of weeks ago I saw this great Roy Orbison special on TV that was filmed in B&W. So, I had this great idea! I used my TV controls to set the color to 0, and now I have a B&W TV. This has turned out great. Close ups of people gives me a good idea of lighting, textures, etc. It has really let me be able to see the "character" of a person's face compared to color. And, you should watch baseball game in B&W! Has anyone else done this, or do you have any other ideas on how to see a color-challenged world?

 

[jwcat]

I do not usually offer advice here, but I used to be a broadcast emgineer. Lighting for B&W tv is much different than lighting for color. In B&W lighting is set up for modeling, with shadows making the picture. In color scenes, shadows are much less wanted. So a modern color show that is desaturated will not begin to look like a B&W program or movie that was lit for that media. As long as you keep that in mind, crank away. Much better to look up TCM or other movie channels that show old movies the way they were made. I do not want to go into Turner's "colorizing" of some classic movies though. 😀

 

[Chuck A]

Fun idea Tim. I learned to visualize in B&W many years ago it just takes practice. Looking at lots of B&W photography helps you to learn predict the tones in the final print. Eventually you will begin to pre-visualize your scene. Translating that to print is the next challenge. Have fun.

 

[peterc]

do you have any other ideas on how to see a color-challenged world?

Carry a red filter with you and look at the scene through it. That'll give you an idea of how it'll look in monochrome.

Peter

 

[TimBonzi]

I do understand that modern color films are inundated with light to remove shadows and brighten colors, so you really don't get the same look as true B&W film. I'm also looking at the lights to darks, and all the shades in between make the scene look (trying my firts hand at the zone system). And, no amount of light will ever make Robert De Niro's face smooth!

 

[jwcat]

My final output is B&W on matt paper, so I have been trolling through the galleries of members looking at thumbnails that I like, then digging in to that member's pictures to figure why I like that picture.

If you have a P&S digicam that has B&W output, use the LCD to see how certain colors/shapes transfer to B&W. Shoot in color though and post process to B&W. Much better control of values and contrast.

Good luck...John

 

[einolu]

I have been shooting pretty much only black and white for about a year now, now when I look through my bessa viewfinder my brain just kind of ignores colors and looks more towards the lighting and composition, its weird the way it works, but its not something I usually think about.

 

[Trius]

Kodak makes a Wratten #90 viewing filter that is useful in visualizing b&w tonality. When Fred Picker was running Zone VI Studios, he made a viewing filter with a #90 sandwiched in a frame in either 4x5 or 35mm proportions, and I believe Peak and others may still make them in various forms.. It doubled as an aid for both tonality and framing. I'd love make one up for myself, but I don't know the cost of the raw filter material.

 

[jwcat]

Back when I helped make training tapes for the U.S. Navy, our producer made up two cubes out of cardboard with viewing ports for 1" / 2" and 3" /4" lenses. He installed two of those or similar filters in the viewers. The cubes were simple to make, I just do not remember how. 🙂 I am sure the instructions are around somewhere.

 

[back alley]

you mean to say that you guys see in colour?

joe😉

 

[Flinor]

Try Calumet. Years ago I bought the equivalen t of a Wratten #90 from them in a round holder with a 35mm frame size cut out. IIRC it was a darkish sepie shade and very helpful in learning to visualize B&W.

 

[amateriat]

I have been shooting pretty much only black and white for about a year now, now when I look through my bessa viewfinder my brain just kind of ignores colors and looks more towards the lighting and composition, its weird the way it works, but its not something I usually think about.

This is pretty much how I've worked with b/w film over the years: I sort of "ignore" the color content through the viewfinder and pay attention to light intensity and contrast. This is easier done than described.


- Barrett

 

[PeterL]

If you think basketball is fun in B&W, try watching snooker !

As for me, I think I'll be going back to colour for some time and see how it works out. As soon as I read about people being either B&W or colour, I realised I'm probably more of the latter kind.


Peter.

 

[Dougg]

I also think that it is a completely different thing to shoot b&w and to shoot color. It is a different way of thinking. In b&w I think about form and graphics. I try to seperate tones according to how I want them to appear on film by the use of filters and lighting. When I shoot color I am more attracted to just color. Images that I would have made in b&w would not survive in color and vice versa. In fact I can't shoot both at the same time. Anyone else share this feeling?

I agree completely, Patrick... It's even disturbing to have the other kind of picture possibility intrude upon the concentrated view, kind of throws me off for a while to see a good B&W shot while doing color, for instance.

 

[Simon Larbalestier]

I find it impossible to see a shot in colour.

 

[varjag]

Squinting your eyes helps a lot to ignore color (and clutter). I found this trick second best compositional aid after camera viewfinder.

 

[Ukko Heikkinen]

Kodak makes a Wratten #90 viewing filter that is useful in visualizing b&w tonality. .

Good morning, everybody

True, it is "grayish amber". There is IMHO a better filter for this purpose:

http://www.adorama.com/TFVFBW.html

Ukko Heikkinen

 

[PeterL]

For B&W, most people watch geometry and the organisation of elements on the frame. For colour, I just thought that probably, I perceive the scene more like an arrangement of blots instead of contrasts. Then again, it's probably subconsciously at the moment. I'll try to watch myself and see what I do when I compose a scene. Should be interesting.


Peter.

 

[pesphoto]

I find it impossible to see a shot in colour.

Same here Simon. Im so used to shooting and seeing in Black and white that it's second nature. When I think about shooting in color it just holds no interest for me.
I automatically go into my black and white zone when shooting.

 

[BrianShaw]

True, it is "grayish amber". (speaking of Wratten #90)

I have a couple of the Fred Picker devises with Wratten 90 filters in different sizes. I have never found them to be very useful, except for visualizing framing... but I'd rather do this "in camera". The eye accomodates very quickly to this filter and it "stops working".