How you ever wondered what the world would look like in monotones? Complete and utter lack of colors. Would it be more sad and prone to depressive beings? Or with the lack of colors comes a better focus on the subject, on ideas, on the purpose itself, ontologically speaking?
We can quantify this in photography. Colors are just photons reflecting from the surface of the objects the light hits to our beautifully crafted retinae. Usually, when you want to get rid of expletives details, unwanted colors, you just turn to black & white, snap a finger and that's it, you call it a good photograph. But is it?
Is color a nuisance in photography and rob the photograph itself from a greater purpose? As you may very well know, the beginnings of photography were, indeed, full black and white. Maybe the black and white is just a prejudice in photography. Just by using it for so long in the past became a standard, but only because we were lacking means to capture the photons in colors.
Some years ago I was heavily against black and white photography. I called it "cheating". I called it manipulation of the viewer. Because the scene itself, the story, the drama, is altered in a mischievous way. I am still paying tribute to that, maybe superficial, way of judging.
Or am I? Below are some photos taken by me in the last year or so. Unrelated with one another. Unscripted. The only thing they have in common is they are all in black and white. Some of them, and some of you, might have seen them in color. Is converting them in BW a way of cheating the viewer and influence his judgement upon the photo? Is black and white the drama queen of photography?
There's a way that B & W that can distill the realness of an image by stripping away colors which may be distracting. But the color is what stimulates our senses and changes where the focus of importance is in the photo.
Very true!
Thank you for stopping by.
Interesting thoughts and questions. Never wondered how the world would look like in BW alone. I just started to fall in love with black and white photography and I don't yet know why.
As for the 'cheating' part... hmm... I don't think anybody can answer that. Sometimes, a BW photo adds that special touch to a scene, but other times, colors are much needed.
My eye is not as trained as yours, but I know that from an artistic point of view, you're not required to show reality, you're required to tell a story, even fictive, and spark a feeling inside the viewer.
Thanks, Vlad, for your words and for stopping by. You are also right, as long this is artistic photography, and not documentary type one, then I guess nothing can be called cheating. :)
Stunning photos, so evocative, where were they taken?
Thank you. Romania. Mostly in its south-central part.
Nah, there is no cheating. You're pointing a machine at a three-dimensional space, which is inherently perceived differently by every creature, and you're turning it into a static, composed rectangle of pixels or pigments using algorithms or chemical reactions. Every picture is a manipulation by nature, which is also the beauty of it. Also, these images you've shared are phenomenal!
I enjoyed reading your reply as it has a valid argument in it. Thank you for stopping by and that you appreciate the photos posted. :)
I followed you.
Very nice bw collection. Each one is more than just a single image - I find myself searching for the meaning and coming up with some interesting stories. ;)
Love the one that is shot from the inside of the bar(?), looking out to the two guys having a smoke - beautiful composition and chance moment!
Thank you very much, Sroka! Indeed, it is from inside a pub.
The sentiment for your pictures is mutual.
Thank you for stopping by! :)
Very nice photos, there. The one with the kid and the shadows is creepy, but awesome. Was that a Photoshop composition, or did you cast the shadow with a strobe? The backlit images are my favorites.
As for black and white photography, I never consider it cheating. If the image is processed well and has sufficient texture and contrast to work without color, it can be very attractive. Sometimes you see images, where the photographer couldn't balance the color temperature correctly or just concerts to monochrome "because it's cool." Those tend to be weak.
Nice work!
Thank you for stopping by.
The image with the kid in foreground and silhouettes dancing on the wall was taken in a museum, and that was a projection from a ceiling mounted device, as a presentation of the museum.
I've actually been working monochre lately, too. I love color, but some of my subject matter presents best in black and white.
The Fujifilm x series cameras actually have an amazing monochrome film simularon that I would love to play with some day, although the Lightroom processing is kind of fun.
Agree that some subjects are just better in mono. Related to film simulation inside the Fuji X cameras, yes, Acros is amazing as BW sim.
This photo make for me thinking when I was very young on 1970's.
heh, I am glad you were teleported in time. :) I hope they were happy times.
I was happy that time in country side. TKS!
Nice. that beautifull
Thank you :)
World of Photography Beta V1.0
>Learn more here<
You have earned 6.45 XP for sharing your photo!
Daily photos: 1/2
Daily comments: 0/5
Multiplier: 1.29
Server time: 13:24:53
Total XP: 1854.89/3200.00
Total Photos: 127
Total comments: 72
Total contest wins: 26
Follow:
Join the Discord channel: click!
Play and win SBD:
Daily Steem Statistics:
Learn how to program Steem-Python applications:
Developed and sponsored by: @photocontests@fairlotto@dailysteemreport@steempytutorials @juliank