Bill Burk
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Andreas Feininger explained a philosophy of photography, in which Black and white photographs deprive their subjects of three of their most important qualities - color, three-dimensionality and motion.
Absence of these qualities in the subject, makes such subjects so much easier to photograph since fewer of their characteristics will be lacking in the picture.
I don't think he was trying to make the point that landscape photography is easy. But it struck me as I read that passage... that it might explain why I so much love black and white landscape photography. For the print of a rock "only" loses its three-dimensionality. As a subject it doesn't have movement to lose. Granite might literally be black and white to start with. So a print feels very close to the original scene to me.
I think I understand more now why I am so satisfied with a print of a rock.
Absence of these qualities in the subject, makes such subjects so much easier to photograph since fewer of their characteristics will be lacking in the picture.
I don't think he was trying to make the point that landscape photography is easy. But it struck me as I read that passage... that it might explain why I so much love black and white landscape photography. For the print of a rock "only" loses its three-dimensionality. As a subject it doesn't have movement to lose. Granite might literally be black and white to start with. So a print feels very close to the original scene to me.
I think I understand more now why I am so satisfied with a print of a rock.