Why Black and White?

[DWThomas]

I shoot both and the reasons vary. At one time I shot B&W for economy, but now I find B&W an appropriate tool to emphasize composition and lighting. It tends to work well with some of the subjects I often turn to lately -- old "infrastructure," decaying industrial sites, etc. It should be noted that many painters often start with a small loosely rendered monochrome "value study" before proceeding to the final work, it's a way to "see" the foundations of an image.

 

[Brandon D.]

Probably, obviously, it's just more appealing to certain eyes.

But, I think there are certain photographers who are better at expressing themselves in black and white. Or, maybe they're just more comfortable with it. Peter Lindbergh said that color is more akin to reality and that black and white is more like fiction/fantasy. So, I guess it's a matter of what's more appealing; I don't think there's very much elaboration to it.

I think it's interesting that by default, [American] society naturally shoots most of their ordinary snap shot photos in color. I think I've been so much more into developing my black and white skills that I struggled with color for a while. Now, I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of working with color.

 

[pcyco]

hallo

after some years "i look black and white".
i really have problems taking colour images

thomas

 

[Brandon D.]

IMO, many images (B&W or color) fail when the quality of light (rendered in B&W or color) is more or less ignored for the sake of the subject.

Vaughn, I think that goes both ways, though. I've seen poorly attended to subjects (and awkward composition) under EXCEPTIONAL lighting. Sure, the lighting obviously made for an interesting photograph, but the subject did not. I've even caught it in my own work before. I guess I went through a stage where I was sort of obsessed about the lighting, and I forgot about paying attention to the other fine details about what makes a great photograph. Perhaps that's part of the reason why I am more comfortable with working in color now. So, I think "WOW" photographs need decent lighting and decent subjects at the very least.

And IMO, good color is as difficult, if not more so, than B&W.

Agreed.

 

[eddym]

Because I find color photographs boring.

 

[photoncatcher]

For me, one reason is that some people get distracted by color. I've heard the comment many times, " the colors are so pretty", and nothing about the subject, or composition. I actualy prefer people to take the time to study, and maybe even question my work. Another big reason is a control thing. When I shoot a roll of Plus-x, I know that I have total control from start to finish, and that the results (good, or bad) are my resposnsabilty. In the days when I worked in "one hour labs" I did shoot more color, but again, I had total control pf the process.

 

[agw]

Why I do B&W photography

1. Because I like it. I like to look at prints, and especially at B&W prints.
2. Because it takes color out of the image, and thus focuses perception on other things - shape, light & shadow.
3. Because it's less frustrating than color photography. For me, it's much easier to get a B&W print that I like than a color one.
4. Because I can easily process it myself, and I just LOVE that kind of magic moment when I open the tank and see the negatives first time, or when I see the print coming in the tray.

 

[mfratt]

Woah this thread took off!

Anyway, the issue I find with the idea that color is distracting or that black and white is more about the form/light/simplicity is that it feels like a cop out of sorts. I haven't done a whole lot of color work myself, but I feel like its very possible to say the same things with color as you can with black and white, its just more challenging. I think that a good color photograph isn't at all about the colors - in fact you don't even notice the colors in many cases.

Just thinking aloud...

 

[BetterSense]

I might be more interested in color photography if it actually recorded the subjects' colors, and wasn't just a psychovisual illusion. So far as I know, nobody has ever invented a color display technology that is capable of displaying more than a handful of colors. The RGB color model offends me.

 

[Vaughn]

Vaughn, I think that goes both ways, though. I've seen poorly attended to subjects (and awkward composition) under EXCEPTIONAL lighting. Sure, the lighting obviously made for an interesting photograph, but the subject did not. I've even caught it in my own work before. I guess I went through a stage where I was sort of obsessed about the lighting, and I forgot about paying attention to the other fine details about what makes a great photograph...

I will draw a general distinction between "lighting" and "light" -- lighting is a tool, light is a subject. Subjects are defined (photographically) by the light reflecting off of them, so I tend to see my photograph as having light as the subject.

 

[JBrunner]

My take: Dead Link Removed

 

[MattKing]

I shoot both.

I have printed colour before, and would like to again.

I like shape and texture, and black and white is good for that.

In the world outside of APUG, black and white is a bit unusual, so that is nice too.

 

[tkamiya]

I like B&W for many reasons.

I can process it at home thus I do not have to depend on others to make my image happen.
Many times, color of the subject is obvious. In those cases, my eyes see the image and brain fills the color. It doesn't matter if the photograph is in color or B&W.
I see beautiful light in B&W where as I mostly see color in color.
I think some subjects simply lends itself better to B&W photography than color.
I just like it.

I also do color but not in analog format. I basically have settle down to analog=BW, color=digital for my purposes and it works for me very well.

 

[Moopheus]

For me, one reason is that some people get distracted by color. I've heard the comment many times, " the colors are so pretty", and nothing about the subject, or composition.

And in the gallery comments here on APUG, it is the same for b&w, except the comment is along the lines of "nice tones!" rather than pretty colors. But it is the same level of perception.

Personally, I use both. Sometimes I even shoot the same subject in both, or shoot in one and wish I had used the other. I do favor b&w for a nonaesthetic reason: I am color blind. For me, green is a largely theoretical concept and it is hard to make a color image come out "right." (At least to others.) So b&w is easier. But I like color.

But if the you find that viewers are "distracted" by the color, or ignoring the composition, you might want to consider that it is perhaps not the shortcoming of the viewer.

 

[Brandon D.]

I will draw a general distinction between "lighting" and "light" -- lighting is a tool, light is a subject. Subjects are defined (photographically) by the light reflecting off of them, so I tend to see my photograph as having light as the subject.

I really don't see what that has to do with the point I was making. In photography, subjects are impossible to capture without "lighting." You can make the distinction in your mind, but the presence of "light" itself anywhere in a photograph automatically denotes, or implies, some kind of "lighting" whether or not the photographer intended to use it as a tool. And, whether or not "light" itself is intended to be the subject, "lighting" is automatically taking place by virtue of the light being present. Anyone can choose to see it differently, but in essence light and lighting go hand in hand. But, again, maybe I missed something but I don't see what this side discussion has to do with my original point...?

 

[Sirius Glass]

For many here, it is much easier to develop and print black & white than color. When I am on the West Coast, I can do both. On the East coast I can develop both, but I can only find black & white darkrooms available.

Steve

 

[cowanw]

Because tourists are such shitty dressers on holiday and ruin shots taken in colour.

 

[Peter Black]

There's a couple of things going on here for me. First one would be that most of the photographers I admire are best known for their b&w work, although most will also have done colour. This is very much a double edged sword in that it makes me more critical of my b&w photos, to the extent that I've hardly ever hung one of my b&w shots on the wall.

This means that almost all of the shots I have hung up are colour, but virtually all are Cibachromes from transparency shots. I like them because I nailed the shot in camera for that particular film and am pleased with that. I've also tried printing colour, however, but my idea of that red jacket/dress/whatever she was wearing only ever satisfied me! :confused:

 

[Chuck_P]

It is impossible for one person to convey to another in words or images exactly what he sees, thinks, and feels. Something is always lost in the effort. This loss can be destructive, or it can be constructive by eliminating nonessential information. Color can be nonessential in expressing what one person thinks and feels about the subject. So are too many words. Consider the Japanese haiku: 17 syllables to convey the soul of feeling. Consider some Picasso and Modigliani drawings: a few lines to suggest the entirety the subject. And so it is with monochrome photography.

If I was capable of being so eloquent, I would have said something like Mr. Jones states here....perfect.

But since I'm not capable.......I can only say that there is nothing so captivating to me than a beautiful monochrome photograph. Equally captivating is my quest to make one.

 

[johnnywalker]

My take: Dead Link Removed

Jason, that is one of the most unique and beautiful nudes I've ever laid eyes on.

I started with black and white because it was relatively simple to do the whole process myself, and I thought colour would be too complicated for a beginner. As the years went by I've never stopped finding new depths to black and white and I've had no desire to get into colour photography. Maybe after I've "mastered" the seemingly endless variations of monochrome I'll consider colour, but I think that is a long way off.

 

[SilverGlow]

Why do people have to rip a medium they prefer not to use?

They do this with cars, sports teams, trucks, religion, political parties, even race and culture, digital vs analog...rip, rip, rip. I love Coke, so therefore Pepsi sucks mentality.

It's the sign of one's irrationality, and subjectivity.

I shoot with B&W 90% of the time. And I prefer B&W but I'm not going to rip on color.

To say that color is distracting, is not a valid statement because it's a blanket statement. Is the color always distracting? There are times, but not always. It depends on the composition.

Color is just one of several visual elements that can be used in a photograph. In some comps, color will not work, yet in others, the color is required.

Does B&W work in every composition? Of course not.

B&W, and Color have their places in photography, and one is not better than the other. The real question is: Which is beneficial to the comp I'm envisioning?

I prefer B&W because I love the look, and I love developing, the craftsmanship that goes into B&W processing up to the printing of it. As to composition, you can make awesome compelling art with color too.

 

[removed account4]

i am not exactly sure why i black and white ...
maybe because it is fun to be able to make something from scratch ?

color is too much of a hassle to deal with chemistry, disposal &C
and there are no labs left near me that will process e6 or anything bigger
than 4x5 sheet film, so the color that i actually have, i process in coffeebeans

besides ... that is what "the other thing" is for ( and it works pretty well .. )

 

[JBrunner]

Jason, that is one of the most unique and beautiful nudes I've ever laid eyes on.

I started with black and white because it was relatively simple to do the whole process myself, and I thought colour would be too complicated for a beginner. As the years went by I've never stopped finding new depths to black and white and I've had no desire to get into colour photography. Maybe after I've "mastered" the seemingly endless variations of monochrome I'll consider colour, but I think that is a long way off.

Thank you Mr. Walker.

 

[Domenico Foschi]

I am not sure B/W is easier. I think that it provides more possibilities to create interesting compositions by transforming colors in tonalities.
Moreover, B/W lends itself more to abstraction by allowing more freedom in the choice of contrast be it lower or higher.
B/W also sings in the shadow areas where, as Josef Sudek said, Mystery lies.

 

[lovetodraw]

I could be wrong but from what I have seen nowadays colour is very dominating in art musuems as well as in galleries. For me both have a function and I personally like both. I like the look of colour negative film. I send them out for processing. I think with black and white you can abstract more. Both are equal in beauty to me.