Following first instincts, trusting what caught my eye in the field and finding balance between my monochrome default and the colour that demands to stay
I often find that the choice between switching between colour or monochrome is influenced by the sense/emotion/narrative which the image is intended to convey.
That is a good point too, especially if you happily switch between the two. As I typically shoot monochrome these days, it takes a very specific set of reasons for me to make the switch back to colour.
I can understand this way of thinking, and it really works so well for you.
I’m the opposite: sometimes a shot or series screams (to me) for BnW. Otherwise, it’s color, especially when traveling in a place, for example, like the mountains and fjords of Norway — particularly in the fall. That muted light, the greens of the fields, the turning of the leaves, the colors of the houses, the blue of glacier water. It just has to, for me, be color. I think I find more shots I want to edit in BnW from urban locales than from Norway’s nature.
Thanks for sharing some color. I love love love your BnW but the delicate (or more bold) treatment of color here is also nice to see and very enjoyable.
Totally get where you are coming from and B&W is typically an easy choice in urban vs rural environments. I find autumn especially tricky as a photographer who leans more towards b&w
Thanks, David. Very kind of you to say. It’s taken a while but as I have shifted towards being a predominantly b&w shooter this year, I have found it has helped train my eye. That or b&w was always my thing and I just didn’t know it 😂
I follow along the lines you laid out pretty much. When the color is the subject, or at least an integral part of it, I process it in color. For all things textured and contrasty, or just great light most of the time, it’s black and white. I have to say your color work is as strong as your black and white. But then again, you see light so well that I enjoy all your work, no matter the palette.
Glad to hear that, David and many thanks for your kind words. Those along with your support for my photography this year has been greatly appreciated. Wishing you and your family a happy holiday season!
I use a black and white film simulation on my camera to preview a scene on the back of the camera without color. Even though I’m shooting in RAW it goes into Lightroom in black and white. So once that decision is made, before the shutter click, the image usually stays as shot. I am find also that I’m staying in black and white more, especially this time of year. Not as much as you, I think I’m up to 30-40% of the time I’m going for black and white. But when I do, it’s not an afterthought like it used to be.
I tried that approach once, Bob but find now I am happy to shoot it in colour and visualise the scene in BNW in my minds eye. The edit is normally one of my BNW presets with minor tweaks for exposure and it comes out just as I imagined … most of the time at least 😂
When I started out, B&W film was all I could afford. Learning how to process negatives and print in a darkroom reduced the cost further. I'd only use colour for "Sunday Best" - usually when photographing family and friends. I loved (still love) the Kodachrome 25 and 64 colour palette.
These days, I still default to B&W as I like the stripped-down simplicity of shape, tone and texture. I do shoot colour but only when I believe that the colour add to (or is) the story.
Thanks for this thoughtful post and accompanying images to explain. You have clearly said what goes on in my head, but I never really knew. My approach is based on whether I think the shot will look better in colour or black and white (for the reasons you explain). I rarely edit a shot afterwards into B&W or colour.
"If colour draws me to a scene, I keep it in colour." That's a good way to look at it, but my default is color, so I need to put a little more thought into it before converting to b/w happens. Black and white is for form and texture, but even then, color shouldn't be discounted. For me, it's most often a matter of color being a distraction. I should probably think about this more often, with my images.
The first image in this post, it doesn't seem like it needs color so I'm a little surprised you left it in color. I mean, I like the subtleties of the color, but I wonder why you chose this among the few. The other one that jumped out at me is the one of the guy with the orange legs. It's not a bad image, but in color it's a picture of orange legs. Out of color, it would be a nice portrait of a man on the street.
With the first one, it was the colour and warm tones that drew me in to the scene. Perhaps its my own nostalgia for the moment but of the two the colour one works better for me, although its not bad in black and white.
With the second one. It does work in black and white but the colour pop in what is an otherwise dark corner/alcove is again what drew me in, hence why I kept it like that.
That first photo, I did say that it doesn't seem like it needs color, but I like it a lot with the color. I was speaking in terms of *needs*, and also thinking of you who otherwise publishes in black and white.
But I think photo #3 is a more interesting case study. There is the blue door lying on the floor, that draws the eye, and the greens around it. Beyond that there are no particular colors, but there's a warmth in the space. It would be a very different image - a very cold one - if it there was no color.
Yes, definitely and it was the way the light gently illuminated those colours in an otherwise dark and dingy place that drew me to that scene. I thought it helped tell the story about what came before, a building with life and purpose, now left to ruin.
Loved this exploration of the functional aesthetics paradox. The bit about municipal colros existing for visibility rather than beauty, yet becoming perfect subjects, really got me thinking. I actually shot a similar scene in Prague with safety barriers refelcted in rain water, and the color doubling effect was way more captivating than the monochrome version would've been.
This was a thoughtful piece, Giles. My formula for color vs BW is much more simple and background based but you've given me a number of things to consider.
It's certainly much more complicated than people know.
I'm glad there are photographers who have such a firm grasp on the beauty of both to inspire us
Mostly my decision is made afrerwards by kook ng at the contrast. If it is high contrast it will probably be black and white for me. But i'm still struggling with visualizing in contrast so it's a challenge...
I hear you, Sander, as I also used to make the decision in the edit. As I shifted predominantly to monochrome I got my eye in and I now visualise the edit in the field and set my highlights accordingly. That makes the edit a pretty quick process. I am sure with time you will get there as well 👍🏻
I find your comment about autumn trees especially interesting. I was taught by a friend and mentor that winter is the season of black & white. Nice, that. It makes me dread winter a lot less, and even energizes me to get out in the cold.
I love B&W, but also thoroughly enjoy getting color scans back. They can be oh so gorgeous.
I often find that the choice between switching between colour or monochrome is influenced by the sense/emotion/narrative which the image is intended to convey.
That is a good point too, especially if you happily switch between the two. As I typically shoot monochrome these days, it takes a very specific set of reasons for me to make the switch back to colour.
I can understand this way of thinking, and it really works so well for you.
I’m the opposite: sometimes a shot or series screams (to me) for BnW. Otherwise, it’s color, especially when traveling in a place, for example, like the mountains and fjords of Norway — particularly in the fall. That muted light, the greens of the fields, the turning of the leaves, the colors of the houses, the blue of glacier water. It just has to, for me, be color. I think I find more shots I want to edit in BnW from urban locales than from Norway’s nature.
Thanks for sharing some color. I love love love your BnW but the delicate (or more bold) treatment of color here is also nice to see and very enjoyable.
Thanks. So pleased you like them.
Totally get where you are coming from and B&W is typically an easy choice in urban vs rural environments. I find autumn especially tricky as a photographer who leans more towards b&w
You keep raising the bar. I mainly shoot color and always wonder, but rarely visualize in black and white. You thrive in both. Awesome.
Thanks, David. Very kind of you to say. It’s taken a while but as I have shifted towards being a predominantly b&w shooter this year, I have found it has helped train my eye. That or b&w was always my thing and I just didn’t know it 😂
I follow along the lines you laid out pretty much. When the color is the subject, or at least an integral part of it, I process it in color. For all things textured and contrasty, or just great light most of the time, it’s black and white. I have to say your color work is as strong as your black and white. But then again, you see light so well that I enjoy all your work, no matter the palette.
Glad to hear that, David and many thanks for your kind words. Those along with your support for my photography this year has been greatly appreciated. Wishing you and your family a happy holiday season!
I use a black and white film simulation on my camera to preview a scene on the back of the camera without color. Even though I’m shooting in RAW it goes into Lightroom in black and white. So once that decision is made, before the shutter click, the image usually stays as shot. I am find also that I’m staying in black and white more, especially this time of year. Not as much as you, I think I’m up to 30-40% of the time I’m going for black and white. But when I do, it’s not an afterthought like it used to be.
I tried that approach once, Bob but find now I am happy to shoot it in colour and visualise the scene in BNW in my minds eye. The edit is normally one of my BNW presets with minor tweaks for exposure and it comes out just as I imagined … most of the time at least 😂
Great series, Giles, and good points made.
When I started out, B&W film was all I could afford. Learning how to process negatives and print in a darkroom reduced the cost further. I'd only use colour for "Sunday Best" - usually when photographing family and friends. I loved (still love) the Kodachrome 25 and 64 colour palette.
These days, I still default to B&W as I like the stripped-down simplicity of shape, tone and texture. I do shoot colour but only when I believe that the colour add to (or is) the story.
Thanks, Paul and it sounds like we have a similar approach. I love the idea of colour being “Sundays Best” too 👌🏻😁
Trust me, Giles, a roll of K64 was a rare treat for me and composed and exposed very carefully.
Thanks for this thoughtful post and accompanying images to explain. You have clearly said what goes on in my head, but I never really knew. My approach is based on whether I think the shot will look better in colour or black and white (for the reasons you explain). I rarely edit a shot afterwards into B&W or colour.
Thanks, Pat and so pleased to hear it resonated with you and your approach 😊
"If colour draws me to a scene, I keep it in colour." That's a good way to look at it, but my default is color, so I need to put a little more thought into it before converting to b/w happens. Black and white is for form and texture, but even then, color shouldn't be discounted. For me, it's most often a matter of color being a distraction. I should probably think about this more often, with my images.
The first image in this post, it doesn't seem like it needs color so I'm a little surprised you left it in color. I mean, I like the subtleties of the color, but I wonder why you chose this among the few. The other one that jumped out at me is the one of the guy with the orange legs. It's not a bad image, but in color it's a picture of orange legs. Out of color, it would be a nice portrait of a man on the street.
Thanks, Kevin and good questions.
With the first one, it was the colour and warm tones that drew me in to the scene. Perhaps its my own nostalgia for the moment but of the two the colour one works better for me, although its not bad in black and white.
With the second one. It does work in black and white but the colour pop in what is an otherwise dark corner/alcove is again what drew me in, hence why I kept it like that.
That first photo, I did say that it doesn't seem like it needs color, but I like it a lot with the color. I was speaking in terms of *needs*, and also thinking of you who otherwise publishes in black and white.
But I think photo #3 is a more interesting case study. There is the blue door lying on the floor, that draws the eye, and the greens around it. Beyond that there are no particular colors, but there's a warmth in the space. It would be a very different image - a very cold one - if it there was no color.
Yes, definitely and it was the way the light gently illuminated those colours in an otherwise dark and dingy place that drew me to that scene. I thought it helped tell the story about what came before, a building with life and purpose, now left to ruin.
Loved this exploration of the functional aesthetics paradox. The bit about municipal colros existing for visibility rather than beauty, yet becoming perfect subjects, really got me thinking. I actually shot a similar scene in Prague with safety barriers refelcted in rain water, and the color doubling effect was way more captivating than the monochrome version would've been.
Thanks and so pleased to hear that. I would love to see the image from Prague, as it sounds magical 😁
This was a thoughtful piece, Giles. My formula for color vs BW is much more simple and background based but you've given me a number of things to consider.
It's certainly much more complicated than people know.
I'm glad there are photographers who have such a firm grasp on the beauty of both to inspire us
Thanks, Chris. I just wanted to take the opportunity to explain why/when I make the switch but am pleased to hear others have found that useful.
Mostly my decision is made afrerwards by kook ng at the contrast. If it is high contrast it will probably be black and white for me. But i'm still struggling with visualizing in contrast so it's a challenge...
I hear you, Sander, as I also used to make the decision in the edit. As I shifted predominantly to monochrome I got my eye in and I now visualise the edit in the field and set my highlights accordingly. That makes the edit a pretty quick process. I am sure with time you will get there as well 👍🏻
I find your comment about autumn trees especially interesting. I was taught by a friend and mentor that winter is the season of black & white. Nice, that. It makes me dread winter a lot less, and even energizes me to get out in the cold.
I love B&W, but also thoroughly enjoy getting color scans back. They can be oh so gorgeous.