Comments on: My Attraction to A World Without Color http://blog.epicedits.com/2008/05/16/my-attraction-to-a-world-without-color/ A Photography Resource for the Aspiring Hobbyist Fri, 05 Sep 2008 09:38:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Black and White Photography Rediscovered | Shutterbug Source Photography Tips http://blog.epicedits.com/2008/05/16/my-attraction-to-a-world-without-color/#comment-78509 Black and White Photography Rediscovered | Shutterbug Source Photography Tips Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:10:08 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/?p=2029#comment-78509 [...] My Attraction to A World Without Color [...] [...] My Attraction to A World Without Color [...]

]]> By: Debbie http://blog.epicedits.com/2008/05/16/my-attraction-to-a-world-without-color/#comment-77577 Debbie Thu, 29 May 2008 11:06:20 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/?p=2029#comment-77577 Great post and comments! Great post and comments!

]]> By: the photo community | pro photo life http://blog.epicedits.com/2008/05/16/my-attraction-to-a-world-without-color/#comment-76190 the photo community | pro photo life Wed, 21 May 2008 06:31:43 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/?p=2029#comment-76190 [...] regardless of location, we can hop online and connect with Brian at Epic Edits to learn how he shares this particular passion. I learned he’s even begun shooting more film to help influence how he approaches digital [...] [...] regardless of location, we can hop online and connect with Brian at Epic Edits to learn how he shares this particular passion. I learned he’s even begun shooting more film to help influence how he approaches digital [...]

]]> By: Dillon Ross http://blog.epicedits.com/2008/05/16/my-attraction-to-a-world-without-color/#comment-75556 Dillon Ross Sun, 18 May 2008 02:38:25 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/?p=2029#comment-75556 Great post Brian. I too love black and white, and agree that it can help to focus the viewer on elements besides color. You really did a good job explaining both the attraction to black and white and the benefits some photos gain from black and white. Great post Brian. I too love black and white, and agree that it can help to focus the viewer on elements besides color. You really did a good job explaining both the attraction to black and white and the benefits some photos gain from black and white.

]]> By: Brian Auer http://blog.epicedits.com/2008/05/16/my-attraction-to-a-world-without-color/#comment-75486 Brian Auer Sat, 17 May 2008 16:52:45 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/?p=2029#comment-75486 That's really awesome Rich! Thanks for the comments from a pro's perspective. Oh, and you make a really great point about the calibrated monitor thing. B/W photos are going to look pretty much the same (except for maybe slight temperature and contrast differences). Color, on the other hand, can be wildly different between hardware. That’s really awesome Rich! Thanks for the comments from a pro’s perspective. Oh, and you make a really great point about the calibrated monitor thing. B/W photos are going to look pretty much the same (except for maybe slight temperature and contrast differences). Color, on the other hand, can be wildly different between hardware.

]]> By: Richard Cave http://blog.epicedits.com/2008/05/16/my-attraction-to-a-world-without-color/#comment-75453 Richard Cave Sat, 17 May 2008 14:31:57 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/?p=2029#comment-75453 Hello, Brilliant post, I submit to newspapers and periodicals all the time, they always want colour images. However I have got into the habit of sending a colour copy and a BW copy. I very rarely do this and always do a follow up call to the picture editor with a "hey by the way there is a moody BW copy for you there" . Nine times out of ten they always go with the BW version. People see colour all the time BW gives the brain time to relax and to see the detail in a shot. However it needs to be seen in the right context. The reason why I send two copies to the picture editor is to prove I got the original shot correct technically. There has been occaisons that images have been submitted BW because the photographer mucked up his colour balance . As pro photographer that has been also a picture editor I always ask the phot what did you do wrong. On my private work I love BW panoramas, on the computer screen they are flat but properly printed they become spellbinding. My last point is that on the internet your target audience do not have calibrated monitors and BW is the simplest way to show an image. I look forward to more of your posts Rich Hello,

Brilliant post, I submit to newspapers and periodicals all the time, they always want colour images. However I have got into the habit of sending a colour copy and a BW copy. I very rarely do this and always do a follow up call to the picture editor with a “hey by the way there is a moody BW copy for you there” . Nine times out of ten they always go with the BW version.

People see colour all the time BW gives the brain time to relax and to see the detail in a shot. However it needs to be seen in the right context. The reason why I send two copies to the picture editor is to prove I got the original shot correct technically. There has been occaisons that images have been submitted BW because the photographer mucked up his colour balance . As pro photographer that has been also a picture editor I always ask the phot what did you do wrong.

On my private work I love BW panoramas, on the computer screen they are flat but properly printed they become spellbinding.

My last point is that on the internet your target audience do not have calibrated monitors and BW is the simplest way to show an image.

I look forward to more of your posts

Rich

]]> By: Brian Auer http://blog.epicedits.com/2008/05/16/my-attraction-to-a-world-without-color/#comment-75485 Brian Auer Sat, 17 May 2008 13:45:46 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/?p=2029#comment-75485 Hey Andrew, thanks for the great example from Cody! And when you mentioned going out with the intent of capturing b/w, I instantly started thinking about how that usually goes when working with digital and when working with b/w film. I find it a LOT easier to "see without color" when I have a roll of b/w film in the camera, because unlike the digital camera you have no choice -- you're going to get a b/w image. With digital you can cheat and it somehow makes it harder to envision certain scenes in black and white... well, for me anyways. Hey Andrew, thanks for the great example from Cody! And when you mentioned going out with the intent of capturing b/w, I instantly started thinking about how that usually goes when working with digital and when working with b/w film. I find it a LOT easier to “see without color” when I have a roll of b/w film in the camera, because unlike the digital camera you have no choice — you’re going to get a b/w image. With digital you can cheat and it somehow makes it harder to envision certain scenes in black and white… well, for me anyways.

]]> By: Andrew http://blog.epicedits.com/2008/05/16/my-attraction-to-a-world-without-color/#comment-75354 Andrew Sat, 17 May 2008 09:38:54 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/?p=2029#comment-75354 Another tip to judging if a photo will work in black and white is to look at the tones and tonal contrast, which is what you are left with after stripping away the colour. This <a href="http://www.codyredmon.com/blog/2008/04/20/snaking-through/" rel="nofollow">photo by Cody Redmon</a> is a great example. Look at the tones - a block of white tones with a dark S snaking through, topped by another block of dark tones. This is a very 'pure' black and white image. For me, photographing in black and white works best when I set out with the intention of shooting in monochrome (even if I'm working digitally and taking the photos in colour in the first instance for conversion later). A good exercise is to go out with one camera, one lens (prime if possible) and just concentrate on looking for tones, textures, shapes and lighting etc. Shooting this way has taught me a lot about photography. Another tip to judging if a photo will work in black and white is to look at the tones and tonal contrast, which is what you are left with after stripping away the colour. This photo by Cody Redmon is a great example. Look at the tones - a block of white tones with a dark S snaking through, topped by another block of dark tones. This is a very ‘pure’ black and white image.

For me, photographing in black and white works best when I set out with the intention of shooting in monochrome (even if I’m working digitally and taking the photos in colour in the first instance for conversion later). A good exercise is to go out with one camera, one lens (prime if possible) and just concentrate on looking for tones, textures, shapes and lighting etc. Shooting this way has taught me a lot about photography.

]]> By: Brian Auer http://blog.epicedits.com/2008/05/16/my-attraction-to-a-world-without-color/#comment-75276 Brian Auer Sat, 17 May 2008 04:20:50 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/?p=2029#comment-75276 I agree Damien, there's always something very emotional and attracting about a good b/w photo. The really good ones you don't even notice that they're lacking color, because the other aspects of the photo are bigger than life. Black & whites of people, in particular, are most emotional for me -- especially the really grainy and dark stuff (just my pref though). I agree Damien, there’s always something very emotional and attracting about a good b/w photo. The really good ones you don’t even notice that they’re lacking color, because the other aspects of the photo are bigger than life. Black & whites of people, in particular, are most emotional for me — especially the really grainy and dark stuff (just my pref though).

]]> By: Damien Franco http://blog.epicedits.com/2008/05/16/my-attraction-to-a-world-without-color/#comment-75245 Damien Franco Sat, 17 May 2008 02:38:36 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/?p=2029#comment-75245 I agree with the_wolf_brigade. Black and white images will take away distractions and really focus on the composition and other aesthetically pleasing aspects of an image. I use b&w to do two things. First, I use it to check my overall composition. It takes away most distractions and allows the depth and tone to really shine. I may leave the image black and white or delete that layer and leave it in color. I then use b&w to draw emotion. I think the desaturation of an image allows the viewer to input their own emotional interpretation into the image. Colors are known to add emotion: red=passion, blue=calming, etc. If you take away these emotions, then people have a viewing slate that may be a little more clean. I think black and white images are more personal to both the photographer and the viewer. I agree with the_wolf_brigade. Black and white images will take away distractions and really focus on the composition and other aesthetically pleasing aspects of an image. I use b&w to do two things. First, I use it to check my overall composition. It takes away most distractions and allows the depth and tone to really shine. I may leave the image black and white or delete that layer and leave it in color. I then use b&w to draw emotion. I think the desaturation of an image allows the viewer to input their own emotional interpretation into the image. Colors are known to add emotion: red=passion, blue=calming, etc. If you take away these emotions, then people have a viewing slate that may be a little more clean. I think black and white images are more personal to both the photographer and the viewer.

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