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B&W portrait I absolutely love
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:29 pm    Post subject: B&W portrait I absolutely love Reply with quote
I'd like to point you to a B&W portrait that I absolutely love. I just saw it in the Contax G galleries:

http://contaxg.com/document.php?id=33443&full=1

Often we try to describe what kind of photogrpahy we most love. This picture makes a perfect example for me, this is the type of photography that I most love. Pure. Simple. Straight no chaser. Strong. Impact. Mood. Soulful. Enigmatic. To be viewed more than one time and interrogated.

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 8:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
"Interrogated" is the right word... one does that for things "Pure. Simple. Straight no chaser. Strong. Impact. Mood. Soulful. Enigmatic". Thanks for putting the image and words so lucidly in perspective.

Thanks


PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 1:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
An excellent shot indeed!

And one that reminds me of one of my favs in the View community:


PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2009 1:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Really catch our eyes, doesn't it? One of the thing which I am no good at is taking B&W photos. I always tell my friends, I do not have a B&W eye.


PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2009 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
my_photography wrote:
Really catch our eyes, doesn't it? One of the thing which I am no good at is taking B&W photos. I always tell my friends, I do not have a B&W eye.


You need to learn a different way to look. Need to break the link of colours and shapes in your mind, and learn to look at the contrasts instead.

A trick that can partly help is to look with the eyes half-closed. This is a trick that my father taught me for painting. But it works also for photography. Looking with the eyes half-closed gets rid of a lots of small details, and helps you concentrate on the large masses. Which brings you closer to look at the contrast instead of the colours.

Another trick, if you have a DSLR that allows it, is to set the camera to monochrome mode, and take a test photo. If you like what you see on the display, then there are chances you will like also a real B&W print.


PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2009 7:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
By the way, take a look at the other photos of this photographer... she has made several ones that look very good to me, like this one:

http://contaxg.com/document.php?id=33472


PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2009 8:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:

....Looking with the eyes half-closed gets rid of a lots of small details, and helps you concentrate on the large masses. Which brings you closer to look at the contrast instead of the colours.



Thanks for the tips. Will try to look for things to shot with my eyes half-closed.


PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2009 8:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:


Another trick, if you have a DSLR that allows it, is to set the camera to monochrome mode, and take a test photo. If you like what you see on the display, then there are chances you will like also a real B&W print.


Don't think any of the DSLRs I have ever used, had a monochrome mode. Maybe I was not aware of it. Not sure which DSLR has this option though.


PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2009 8:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
my_photography wrote:
Orio wrote:


Another trick, if you have a DSLR that allows it, is to set the camera to monochrome mode, and take a test photo. If you like what you see on the display, then there are chances you will like also a real B&W print.


Don't think any of the DSLRs I have ever used, had a monochrome mode. Maybe I was not aware of it. Not sure which DSLR has this option though.


All the Canon DSLRs since the 400D have it.

P.S. Besides, if you shoot raw, you can use monochrome mode, and if later at home you are not happy, you can reset to colour in DPP or BreezeBrowser.
Non custom editors like Lightroom will show the image in colour even if you selected monochrome in camera.
So you can actually shoot monochrome all your pictures (which can be a very good training) and later decide if you want it monochrome or colour.


PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2009 12:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have always shot like this since getting the 40D.
Most of my output is to mono for printing and Portraits.

This is my one of my only complaints from the M8.
You may preview Jpgs in B+W on the LCD screen but not DNG's they only preview in color.

One thing I will say is the Fine Jpg output is excellent in Mono.
especially if you remove the UV/IR cut filter from the lens.
A much hyped problem that I think many shooters find as an advatage.
Like shooting extended red sensitive film.
Super cool Cool


PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2009 1:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
It been said that the colors sell a color photo, but a black & white is sold by it's composition
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