Black and White photography trends
There are photographs that to some people are simply stunning in black and white but to me there is something a little sad about them.
Lack of color in an image is like the sun not coming up. It’s like someone stole your hope, your promise of a new day. It’s just missing something. I suppose its a personal preference and apparently mine is the way I see the world – in vibrant color.
Color can change your mood. It can make you happy or sad, amorous or envious, hungry or satisfied. It’s an amazing phenomenon really. You know the reason McDonald and Burger King have orange and red in the restaurant is to stimulate your hunger and make you want to eat more don’t you? It’s a scientific fact that color can affect your mood.
Black and white may have its place but there is nothing quite as beautiful as feeling the color around you. Hmmm can’t you feel it now?
Leave a reply
Fields marked with * are required
9 Comments
27 July 11 at 6:04pm
1
Not sure if you can compare the two. Completely different mediums. I think color would completely take away from the work of Ansel Adams, Tina Modotti, Mary Ellen Mark... can you imagine Edward Weston's pepper series in color? BW is all about the form, the texture, the drama; it would be a travesty to even think of "Moonrise over Hernandez" or "Moon and Half Dome" in color!
27 July 11 at 6:19pm
2
For me its not about comparing the two - its about a personal preference and for me I love color. Black and white can be beautiful and I know people who love it. It's just does not move me the way color does. Ansel Adams was all about the perfection of detail and exposure thank goodness because many of us have learned so much from his technique, style and approach to photography. I still personally prefer color. I actually could imagine Edward's imagery in color. It have a totally different feeling to it but would (to me) still be a beautiful study of shape and form. It is a personal preference - to each his/her own - for me it's going to be color. I can still feel the color of a beautiful sunset :)
27 July 11 at 6:31pm
3
I simply couldn't imagine this image any other way than in blazing color :) http://www.successories.com/products/Motivational-Posters/Corporate-Impressions/16/3676/Vision-Boardwalk-Motivational-Poster
27 July 11 at 7:33pm
4
I agree Cathy but do think certain things look better in black and white like architecture can sometimes look better in black and white in my book. Children, family, weddings and babies Musts be done in color in my book it seems to take way the feelings in the portrait if done in black and white. That is my opinion.
27 July 11 at 7:47pm
5
I agree that color has great emotional impact... I just don't agree that lack of color is "like the sun not coming up". I don't know too many photographers that would describe the works of the great Black and White masters that way... :)
27 July 11 at 8:55pm
6
Mariann - I'll agree with you on that:). The original blog post however is really more reflective of what we choose to offer at my studio and my "personal preference" as a portrait artist- certainly not meant as an insult in any way of the greats! No way. There is great value in what they have captured and created. You have to admit though- the color in that boardwalk motivational poster is yummy :).
27 July 11 at 9:17pm
7
Yes, of course.... Color has tremendous visual impact, almost always. My comments were more in defense of the different genre of beauty that characterizes black and white images than against color. I had a traditional photography education, going back several decades, when we were immersed in B&W in order to develop the art of communicating visual emotion and developing our design chops through shape, form and line BEFORE we incorporated color... just because color has such an impact. And many modern photographers utilize color at the expense of true design, because it is so "easy". There are an awful lot of mediocre color shooters out there!
28 July 11 at 10:13am
8
Thank you Kim and of course you know that Ilove those babies and childre and families and weddings - maybe that's why I'm drawn to color. Hmmm
30 July 11 at 9:19am
9
Great post Cathy, it's so true...you should read on Rothko and his work with color...it was amazing to see his show at the Whitney in NYC 13 years ago....color can impact an entire room, and absolutely evoke emotions. I definitely prefer color, but there are some black and white images that leave me with little to want or need, most are not modern however, and shot on film....I personally am like you, I love color...ironically, I never shot color until I switched to digital...and now I really do not like black and white on digital at all.