When I first picked up a camera with serious intention, it was an Olympus Pen-F digital. I upgraded the model but stayed with Olympus for several years in my street and documentary work. I shot mostly in muted colors and lots of B/W. The camera, with a sensor not known for its color processing, helped me to see in b/w and colorized grays. The Seattle weather helped also. But something happened when I took on a Fuji in my hands. The processing of color is famous in Fuji, and I find myself rarely, if ever, "converting" to b/w with a Fuji. I simply don't "see" in b/w when I use it. But I miss thinking/seeing in b/w, so I've gotten more serious with an old Olympus film camera, developing and printing my own. It's hard work, really hard work, but I'm glad to be able to see in that way again. Of course, I can load it with color film, and I will from time to time, but I relish the idea of returning to b/w for long stretches of time, as I did with my first digital Olympus.
I understand what you're getting at. Everyone gets to their destination in their own time.
Speaking to a bit of what you're getting at, I'm not sure it's a matter of seeing in black & white as much as seeing tonal contrasts. If seeing color clouds one's judgement or ability to perceive contrast, that's an artistic deficiency that needs to be overcome. The more one learns, the faster they react (IMO).
Point taken. I've perceived my shift from a large % of b/w to a larger % of color as being the result of my brain perceiving the possibilities of each, based on my machine. With the Fuji, once I experienced its color processing, I sought out color in the streets much more than I had previously. But to your point, that doesn't need to be so. I can retrain my brain. But as a crutch, walking around with a camera loaded with Ilford makes the task of viewing the world in tones much easier.
It's the folks who find value in photographing a large leaf, and the side of a barn, that become the "art" photographers. Not everyone paints, not everyone sculpts, not everyone shoots.
Wow. I’m a boomer. I remember well saying “Cheese”. When I look at the old black and white pictures, it seems my mom or dad did not take only picture but usually two or three in a row. When my mother died fourteen years ago we found boxes of old photos. We each got our very own picture. I’m glad I’m not the only one who had more than a few spool of undeveloped film. Some , when developed, that were years old brought back such memories. I really enjoyed your abstract photographs the most. You are such a talent.
LIFE magazine was a large magazine. I remember how everyone on our house would want to look at it.
Oh Monica, you've given me some memories just right here! Everybody being able to harness the ability in capturing a memory for all time. The simplest things are sometimes the most memorable.
When I first picked up a camera with serious intention, it was an Olympus Pen-F digital. I upgraded the model but stayed with Olympus for several years in my street and documentary work. I shot mostly in muted colors and lots of B/W. The camera, with a sensor not known for its color processing, helped me to see in b/w and colorized grays. The Seattle weather helped also. But something happened when I took on a Fuji in my hands. The processing of color is famous in Fuji, and I find myself rarely, if ever, "converting" to b/w with a Fuji. I simply don't "see" in b/w when I use it. But I miss thinking/seeing in b/w, so I've gotten more serious with an old Olympus film camera, developing and printing my own. It's hard work, really hard work, but I'm glad to be able to see in that way again. Of course, I can load it with color film, and I will from time to time, but I relish the idea of returning to b/w for long stretches of time, as I did with my first digital Olympus.
I understand what you're getting at. Everyone gets to their destination in their own time.
Speaking to a bit of what you're getting at, I'm not sure it's a matter of seeing in black & white as much as seeing tonal contrasts. If seeing color clouds one's judgement or ability to perceive contrast, that's an artistic deficiency that needs to be overcome. The more one learns, the faster they react (IMO).
Cheers!
Point taken. I've perceived my shift from a large % of b/w to a larger % of color as being the result of my brain perceiving the possibilities of each, based on my machine. With the Fuji, once I experienced its color processing, I sought out color in the streets much more than I had previously. But to your point, that doesn't need to be so. I can retrain my brain. But as a crutch, walking around with a camera loaded with Ilford makes the task of viewing the world in tones much easier.
It's the folks who find value in photographing a large leaf, and the side of a barn, that become the "art" photographers. Not everyone paints, not everyone sculpts, not everyone shoots.
Oh, if all people of the world were artistically inclined 😆
What a hell that would be.
Wow. I’m a boomer. I remember well saying “Cheese”. When I look at the old black and white pictures, it seems my mom or dad did not take only picture but usually two or three in a row. When my mother died fourteen years ago we found boxes of old photos. We each got our very own picture. I’m glad I’m not the only one who had more than a few spool of undeveloped film. Some , when developed, that were years old brought back such memories. I really enjoyed your abstract photographs the most. You are such a talent.
LIFE magazine was a large magazine. I remember how everyone on our house would want to look at it.
Oh Monica, you've given me some memories just right here! Everybody being able to harness the ability in capturing a memory for all time. The simplest things are sometimes the most memorable.
Cheers!