Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Monday, February 15, 1999, Kevin wrote: > Although I agree that there are inherent invaluable qualities in black and > white, the creation of a "great" photograph has much to do with institutions. Kevin, I don't understand what you are saying above....what do institutions have to do with great photography? What makes a great photograph is content. Period. Not the camera. Not who made the photo. Not the lens used. Not what film was used. Not weather some bozo at a museum will hang it on a wall or not. Content alone makes the photograph great. One reason so many of the "great" photos are B&W is B&W was the standard medium for news and reportage photography until very recent times. Up until 1990 or so most institutions still shot a lot of B&W work, then started to switch to all color neg. I can think of some great color images...Larry Burroughs image from Vietnam of the wounded black soldier with head bandages is the first to come to mind. Just for the most part B&W has an immediacy color lacks because it abstracts the world into tones of grey forcing the viewer to see the subject matter in a non-realistic manner thus causing, perhaps, a greater level of communication. Best regards, Harrison mailto:mcclary@iname.com http://people.delphi.com/hmphoto preview my book: http://www.volmania.com