"When you photograph people in colour, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls!" – Ted Grant. What a great quote. While I like to photograph nature because of its color, I often feel more drawn to B&W photos of people than to color photos.
I forgot to mention that I like your B&W photos here very much. Nature in B&W does make a person have to use their imagination to interpret what they are seeing.
William Eggleston: You know, I had a meeting with him [Henri Cartier-Bresson], one in particular, it was at this party in Lyon. Big event, you know. I was seated with him and a couple of women. You’ll never guess what he said to me.
Drew Barrymore: What?
William Eggleston: “William, color is bullshit.” End of conversation. Not another word. And I didn’t say anything back. What can one say? I mean, I felt like saying I’ve wasted a lot of time. As this happened, I’ll tell you, I noticed across the room this really beautiful young lady, who turned out to be crazy. So I just got up, left the table, introduced myself, and I spent the rest of the evening talking to her, and she never told me color was bullshit.
Presenting an image in black and white is often an invitation to interpret more deeply the feeeeeeling of a subject - its texture, its firmness, softness, warmth or strength - a picture without colour filters out the factor which perhaps can most distract us.
I like both, though. Depends how I'm feeling, I suppose!
I really love looking at black and white .. but myself struggle to see without colour .. yes sometimes a black and white composition is more obvious (deep contrasts, slivers of light) … but seeing the more subtle black and white images in the field passes me by …
"When you photograph people in colour, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls!" – Ted Grant. What a great quote. While I like to photograph nature because of its color, I often feel more drawn to B&W photos of people than to color photos.
That’s absolutely it. Something about the soul of people comes our best in mono doesn’t it :)
I forgot to mention that I like your B&W photos here very much. Nature in B&W does make a person have to use their imagination to interpret what they are seeing.
Thanks Marie :)
Wonderful examples Nat.
Thanks, Charlie
I tend more and more to black and white these days. I love the quotes you‘ve found.
Me too. So much beauty in colour and so much feeling in b&w ❤️
William Eggleston: You know, I had a meeting with him [Henri Cartier-Bresson], one in particular, it was at this party in Lyon. Big event, you know. I was seated with him and a couple of women. You’ll never guess what he said to me.
Drew Barrymore: What?
William Eggleston: “William, color is bullshit.” End of conversation. Not another word. And I didn’t say anything back. What can one say? I mean, I felt like saying I’ve wasted a lot of time. As this happened, I’ll tell you, I noticed across the room this really beautiful young lady, who turned out to be crazy. So I just got up, left the table, introduced myself, and I spent the rest of the evening talking to her, and she never told me color was bullshit.
https://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2013/06/14/a-colorful-encounter-when-william-eggleston-met-henri-cartier-bresson
Haha this is an amazing story!
Beautiful photos, Nat. I love black and white images.
Thanks so much Mark
I like both BW and color.
Thanks Ella, I think they both have their place don’t they!
Beautiful and thought-provoking!
Presenting an image in black and white is often an invitation to interpret more deeply the feeeeeeling of a subject - its texture, its firmness, softness, warmth or strength - a picture without colour filters out the factor which perhaps can most distract us.
I like both, though. Depends how I'm feeling, I suppose!
😊
I agree. Some images are made for colour, some for bnw. Emotions are so well expressed in black and white x
I like black and white for people, particularly portraits. I think colour for 'scapes of any kind, mostly, but tbh it can depend on my mood!
Thanks, June, yep I see what you’re saying. It’s a personal taste.
I really love looking at black and white .. but myself struggle to see without colour .. yes sometimes a black and white composition is more obvious (deep contrasts, slivers of light) … but seeing the more subtle black and white images in the field passes me by …
I hear you. Some scenes belong to bnw and some don’t gain anything from it so should be colour. It’s spot it when a scene calls for bnw.