After visiting Photoville I’ve been overcome by the feeling that my standard B&W view of photography is hopelessly outdated: I’m creating works that simply betray my age. The web world is colorful, bright, spontaneous (and superficially ephemeral). So here are 2 very different takes on the exact same shot: one black and white, one color; one almost the entire original frame, the other severely cropped. The cropped version focuses more on the face of the boy with his arms dramatically outstretched. the B&W version shows the distance between the black boy and the 2 Asian friends and shrinks the people relative to the gargantuan New York harbor and skyline, the Brooklyn bridge looming behind them. Which do you prefer (open the blog post to answer a poll)?
Hi Adam, I prefer the b&w picture, as it is telling the whole story. Cropped pictures tend to loose the context.
Somehow b&w has become your “brand markt” too. And it is even irritating somehow to see a colorful picture on your blog. 🙂 However it is good to experience, whether it is the b&w thing that drives you, or your way to tell stories, no matter in which color.
Just keep going. Cheers Andreas
Many thanks for your thoughtful comments. I find I am continuing to work in B&W mostly but showing color more than I once did.
I love #1.. full frame, uncropped. I’m trying to incorporate Mary Ellen Mark’s strategy, no cropping, frame the shot as it is meant to be.. Not always easy so I am a definite work in progress.
Both are good though!
Many thanks for your thoughtful comment. I’m always torn between the aspiration to achieve that kind of aesthetic purity and the simpler notion that realizing the final image is all that matters no matter how one achieved it. In this case, I initially saw the full frame when I took the shot but when I saw it on the screen I thought it might be more powerful to pull the boy with the outstretched arms into more prominence.
On Wednesday, October 8, 2014, obBLOGato wrote:
>
Your black and white shots are usually very powerful, and your work is yours, tend to think it could only go downhill if you start trying to please a type of “audience”…the internet IS ephemeral, trillions of useless images uploaded every day, in fact so much so that good work tends to stand out all the more!
A very gracious response – thanks! It would be lovely to think that I had achieved a unique style of my own but I often fear that my work is too derivative of the great street photographers who have gone before (and many of whom are still active). Hence the desire to do something with a fresher, newer look. But I confess to not liking color for its own sake – I feel it has to be adding something to the image.
On Wednesday, October 8, 2014, obBLOGato wrote:
>
Not outdated! So what if the web is bright and colorful. Your photos are moody and street-wise (cannot think of the word I am looking for so that will have to do). They would lose their impact and importance, in my humble opinion, if you took all-color all the time. I think it is much harder to photograph in B&W than it is in color. You’re the better photographer for going this route. Betray your age..pffft!
Thank you. The feedback seems to be running in this direction. I guess it’s important to know oneself as well…
On Wednesday, October 8, 2014, obBLOGato wrote:
>
I prefer #1 because I love B&W and see the complete scene, but they are two different good photos if you see them separated.
Thank you! That’s useful feedback.
On Wed, Oct 8, 2014 at 5:33 PM, obBLOGato wrote:
>