Beloved Black and White

I began my photo career years before the digital age, at a time where shooting a portrait session took a number of cameras loaded with lots of different kinds of film. The norm for me was simultaneously shooting with three bodies; one loaded with color film, one with b/w film and another with high speed b/w film (1600 for the grainy/artsy stuff). In the end my clients got a good number of proof prints to peruse with a cross section of b/w, color and more b/w. Emphasis on the b/w. It was just kind of my thing—for many many years. Creating black and white images was what I enjoyed most and in the end my favorite shots from any session were -you guessed it- black and white.

Then, a few years ago entered my swift and smooth little digital SLR (that shoots everything in color of course) and the enchanting Adobe Lightroom which helps take that color to a whole new dimension. The last 2 years I have found them to be an irresistible couple that have seduced me into practically forgetting about my beloved black and white. It is only when I see shots like this and this that I am swept up in remembering my passion for the absence of color. For an image that holds the viewer captive with it’s enticing tonal range of whites to light grays to dark grays to the blackest blacks and back again. An image where texture evokes emotion and wonder, and there is no color to distract.

Lately I feel desperate to rediscover that unspoken thing that black and white images bring that drew me to photography in the first place—to rekindle that old flame, and search for ways to restrike that spark in a new world where creative tinder can come from a single stroke of the keyboard.

And you? Where do your loyalties lie? Do you ever feel torn in your processing? Do I or don’t I desaturate? What would make this image the best it can be? How do you decide? And what is your preference? Shed a little light (and shadow) if you would, because I need to know I am not alone in this. Am I?

Comments

[daniela]

thank you so much tracey for including me in your wonderful post. i am honored to play even a small part in you rediscovering your passion for black and white. this is such a stunning photo. thank you again.

[Diane Schuller]

Tracy, you're not alone at all. I've always loved black and white, similar to your experience. Since getting a DSLR I've shot (as its the only way) colour and it seemed so many people preferred viewing the colour. But lately I have been playing with post processing to see how it changes or enhances an image. I'm loving the desaturation especially because it's a form of play: do it this way first, then dabble like a painter with removing colour rather than adding it. I love it. Here's one of my more recent offerings ... you've inspired me to begin posting more of my black and white rather than simply enjoying them on my own.

Here is after the rain (and after playing):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27458974@N00/2738898132/

and here is one that I adored after I played with colour, then b&w, then finally settling on sepia:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27458974@N00/2723301012/
(I love the 'story' this seems to speak to me)

Saturated and de-saturated,
Diane