Seeing in Black and White

[BrianShaw]

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

This trick actually seems to work. A friend of mine suggested it once; I tried it and haven't stopped using the technique. His techniue involves pulling the outer corner of the eyes toward the adjacent ear to mechanically invoke a squint. He had a name for the technique but it might be construed as being ethnically insensitive so I won't repeat it here.

 

[Sparrow]

The classic artist method is to part close your eyes to reduce the amount of light entering them; the cells that sense colour don’t work so well in low light so you get a monotone view, not easy to do and you feel stupid if anyone sees you. However outside the studio you get no control so I just point the lens at interesting stuff and hope for the best, no point seeing it if you cant change anything.

 

[BrianShaw]

However outside the studio you get no control so I just point the lens at interesting stuff and hope for the best, no point seeing it if you cant change anything.

Isn't that what filters are for?

 

[Sparrow]

Isn't that what filters are for?

No that's what a darkroom's for

 

[BrianShaw]

No that's what a darkroom's for

Okay... you got me! 😛

 

[Dracotype]

Strangely enough, it was infrared black and white photography that helped me visualize black and white better. I can still visualize infrared b&w fairly easily, but regular b&w has gotten easier, as it is just tones as people have said.

Drew

 

[RML]

This trick actually seems to work. A friend of mine suggested it once; I tried it and haven't stopped using the technique. His techniue involves pulling the outer corner of the eyes toward the adjacent ear to mechanically invoke a squint. He had a name for the technique but it might be construed as being ethnically insensitive so I won't repeat it here.

Googling...? 😱

 

[mike goldberg]

In fact I can't shoot both at the same time. Anyone else share this feeling?
__________________
www.patrickrobertjames.com

Hi, Mike here, quoting Patrick above.

Having shot Pro for the Jerusalem Post & other publications in the 1970's & 80's, I'm with Patrick; I don't shoot well, if it's both B & W and color at the same time. Oh, yes... I can carry a Leica or Olympus with HP 5 in it, and bang of a few shots with a digicam; and, something is lacking or getting criss-crossed in my brain.

I remember the conept of PRE-VISUALIZATION in Fred Picker's writings and in Ansel Adams type books. It is a matter of training the brain or mind.

Whether your aids are filters, framing devices or TV... matters not. Use what works. Remember that good B & W photography involves Tonal Range, Highlights & Shadows...
along with proper exposure and film development. "Expose for the shadows; develop for the highlights." As a working Pro, I tried hard to consistently make the best archival negatives that I could.

Here's an anecdote: Around 10 years ago, a supplier to the Mass. State Prison system told me, the prisoners could have TV's, but only [then] B & W. They found that color excited the men.

Personally, from time to time, I find B & W TV much more restful to the eyes.
Cheers & happy shooting,
Mike

 

[BrianShaw]

[They found that color excited the men.

I have no doubt that someone once told you that, but it simply isn't true. Think about it... you're a man... what excites you? Is it the color 'blue'... no; is it the color 'yellow'... no; is it the color 'red'... no. Put any one of those colors on a pair of sexy underwear being worn by a woman... now are you excited? 😱

 

[Silva Lining]

I have no doubt that someone once told you that, but it simply isn't true. Think about it... you're a man... what excites you? Is it the color 'blue'... no; is it the color 'yellow'... no; is it the color 'red'... no. Put any one of those colors on a pair of sexy underwear being worn by a woman... now are you excited? 😱

Sexy underwear ?

Red = YES! 😉

Blue = Hmmm! 🙂

Yellow = nasty! 😱

But...

Black = Yadayadayada 😀 😀

 

[BrianShaw]

Is black a color in both additive and subtractive color theories? 😕

 

[Dracotype]

Is black a color in both additive and subtractive color theories? 😕

In pigments, black is a color. In light, black is the abscence of color. I think that is what you want...

Drew

Edit: I meant to say, in pigments, black is all colors combined.

 

[BrianShaw]

Thanks Drew. I was trying to figure out if Silva is a 'man' or a "REAL MAN". I vote for the latter based on the data you provided. 😀