This past week I was browsing through some YouTube photography sites and one in particular was interesting. The Youtuber was advertising a new digital camera, but what caught my attention was how he was dealing with light in some black and white desert dune photographs. So, I thought I’d re-post this article.
My friend Jo McAvany showed me a book of black and white portraits she had made for a client.
Black and white has always been my favourite photographic medium so, of course, I was really pleased to see that she was willing to take the step away from what most local photographers are doing and create the portrait collection in black and white.
Photojournalist Ted Grant, who is regarded as Canada’s premier living photographer wrote, “When you photograph people in colour, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls!”
Black and white photographs (in my opinion) seem to create moods and convey an almost tactile quality.
A black and white photograph depends on its ability to communicate, it doesn’t need to rely on eye-catching colours for its visual presentation. Those black and white images that stand the test of time combine attention to subtle changes in light, composition, and perspective.
I think black and white images stretch our creativity and force us to visualize our world in different terms. I remember a photographer once saying that he believed shooting in black and white refined one’s way of seeing and I heartily agree.
Despite the many modern photographers who only shoot colour I think black and white photographs are far from being left behind in the past. With the current processing software, updates in high quality printers, and the latest in printing papers, black and white image-making will continue to be an option for a host of creative photographers.
Those photographers that embrace black and white photography learn to exploit the differences in tonal elements in a scene and present viewers with successful black and white portrayals that make excellent use of shapes, textures, light and shadow, and the loss of those original colours becomes irrelevant.
For photographers that haven’t yet tried monochrome (another word applied to black and white) image making, I will mention that it is easier than ever. Most digital cameras have a black and white mode available in the menu. However, I would suggest trying one of the many great programs available on the Internet that can be downloaded to test for free. Who knows you might, as I do, really like black and white photography.
Readers know I like quotes from famous photographers. So I’ll finish this up with some words from a turn of the century fashion and commercial photographer Paul Outerbridge who wrote, “One very important difference between colour and monochromatic photography is this: in black and white you suggest; in colour you state. Much can be implied by suggestion, but statement demands certainty… absolute certainty.”
Stay safe and be creative. These are my thoughts for this week. Contact me at www.enmanscamera.com or emcam@telus.net.
