I'd like to start a bit of a debate/sharing of opinions in two separate forums regarding the use of HDR and B&W on Caedes. I want to keep the ideas separate, so check out the discussion on HDR here...
In my years at Caedes...it's surprisingly been quite a few :)...I've noticed a significant divide on the subject of B&W. You've got those individuals on one side who just gush over the benefits of a B&W shot (I'm on that side!!). And you've got others on the exact opposite side that would tell you that B&W no longer serves a purpose since the invention of color film.
I'll start off with my thoughts: Obviously, human beings see in color. The use of color can immediately draw your eyes into a shot and take your breathe away...that's why we are so drawn to sunrises and sunsets. Only for a brief time in the day is our world saturated with reds, oranges, yellows, etc. that we are naturally drawn to and pleased by. So, if that's the case, why would anyone choose to take that away!? I use B&W in order to take away the natural element of color from a scene. We know what colors objects are generally supposed to be, so we tend not to spend too much time really looking at that object. Take the color away and you don't have that crutch to lean on. You have to take other things into account...as a photographer, those are composition, texture, sharpness, and overall feeling/atmosphere. A color shot that is lacking good composition can sometimes still be pleasing to look at. A B&W shot that is not composed correctly looses everything and means nothing.
To me, you have to think about B&W before you take a shot (regardless if you take it in color and convert it later). You've got to visualize how it will look when you take the color away. It's always so interesting to me when I have an image in Photoshop that's in color. Everything is distinctly separate because of the different colors. All of the sudden you take the color away and everything kind of mulls together into a boring mess. That's when composition and tones are important...use layers to alter the levels/contrast or use the dodge and burn tools much like Ansel Adam did in his darkroom.
I like B&W because it portrays a different feeling than color. It's challenging and a completely different experience to work with.
Those are my thoughts...I really want to hear yours. Do you like B&W...Do you despise B&W...why? Do you think it's used correctly on Caedes? Do you think B&W deserves a low c-index all the time? (that's the subject of a different discussion!!) Have at it..I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's opinions!!
In my years at Caedes...it's surprisingly been quite a few :)...I've noticed a significant divide on the subject of B&W. You've got those individuals on one side who just gush over the benefits of a B&W shot (I'm on that side!!). And you've got others on the exact opposite side that would tell you that B&W no longer serves a purpose since the invention of color film.
I'll start off with my thoughts: Obviously, human beings see in color. The use of color can immediately draw your eyes into a shot and take your breathe away...that's why we are so drawn to sunrises and sunsets. Only for a brief time in the day is our world saturated with reds, oranges, yellows, etc. that we are naturally drawn to and pleased by. So, if that's the case, why would anyone choose to take that away!? I use B&W in order to take away the natural element of color from a scene. We know what colors objects are generally supposed to be, so we tend not to spend too much time really looking at that object. Take the color away and you don't have that crutch to lean on. You have to take other things into account...as a photographer, those are composition, texture, sharpness, and overall feeling/atmosphere. A color shot that is lacking good composition can sometimes still be pleasing to look at. A B&W shot that is not composed correctly looses everything and means nothing.
To me, you have to think about B&W before you take a shot (regardless if you take it in color and convert it later). You've got to visualize how it will look when you take the color away. It's always so interesting to me when I have an image in Photoshop that's in color. Everything is distinctly separate because of the different colors. All of the sudden you take the color away and everything kind of mulls together into a boring mess. That's when composition and tones are important...use layers to alter the levels/contrast or use the dodge and burn tools much like Ansel Adam did in his darkroom.
I like B&W because it portrays a different feeling than color. It's challenging and a completely different experience to work with.
Those are my thoughts...I really want to hear yours. Do you like B&W...Do you despise B&W...why? Do you think it's used correctly on Caedes? Do you think B&W deserves a low c-index all the time? (that's the subject of a different discussion!!) Have at it..I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's opinions!!