[Leica] Mr. B. D. Colen speaks

[imagist3 at mac.com (George Lottermoser)]

Deciding to pick up a pencil instead of a paint brush. Drawing with pen and 
ink instead of colored pencils. Knowing when to dip the brush in black; or 
when to dip it in blue and mix that with a bit of red in order to express a 
visual thought. None of these decisions involve "right and/or wrong." Each 
involves a personal aesthetic choice; pure and simple. For as long as I can 
remember, even as a child, I was drawn to graphite, etchings, engravings, 
silver points, black and white photographs, rich monochrome or duo tone 
tonality - never questioned why - just really enjoyed looking at the variety 
of warm and/or cool blacks and deep earth tones that come with charcoal and 
conte; selenium and sepia.

I have deep respect for talented colorists. My late friend and painter, Jim 
Zunk, was a true colorist; as is my first wife, painter Joyce Paul. I 
believe our Ric Carter is also a "natural" when it comes to using color 
"artistically." Mark R also seems to have a strong color aesthetic language 
that he's working with and on.

Most people simply say, whether with words or with their photographs, "I 
prefer color." And do not truly understand color as painters do; or as the 
color photographers B.D. mentioned do. And that's just fine. Just choices 
for most. We know, for sure and nearly instantly, when someone knows how to 
truly speak exceptionally eloquently in color or in monochrome.

a note off the iPad, George

On Jul 7, 2013, at 9:03 AM, RicCarter <ric at cartersxrd.net> wrote:

> Maybe, just maybe:
> 
> We regard black & white as better because it was the medium of FSA, HCB, 
> et al.
> 
> The pictures are better because the FSA greats and HCB had a better eye, 
> not because they used black & white
> 
> just a thought