Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/04/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Well, I thought this particular thread weas dead, but BD said >>> I hardly think the aesthetic/artistic question of color or B&W is on a par with GM v Ford, or "my whatever rocks, yours sucks." Although I have no idea how your mind works. ;-) B. D. >>> I have an _ethical_ objection to black and white photography, actually! Not in terms of absolute values, but in terms of the culture of photography and how we look at snaps. I believe that BW for historical reasons gives a spurious guarantee of truthfulness and seriousness. Just look at the (there aren't that many) documentary prizes/funds, like Mother Jones and Duke- - the majority of grants are for black and white work. Colour isn't really taken seriously - and that pisses me off!! ;-) But really, I think BW has too much cultural baggage to be a transparent medium, which is one reason I distrust it, myself. I think it's compromised. I remember when I was working on "Lansdowne Road", a number of photographers, amateur and pro, asked me if I was "at least" working in BW. Well... I was photographing the vulgar in a vulgar medium, I guess. One thing that I often read on the subject, is that colour is somehow an additional element which has to be held under strict control. Well, personally I never noticed it as something separate from the scene in front of me. I just point the camera at what looks good to me and hit the button. The colour is just an integral part of what and how I see, not something that has to be accounted for/dealt with/compensated for somehow. enough - or too much - -- Rob http://www.robertappleby.com Mobile: (+39) 348 336 7990 Tel: (+39) 059 303436 See City of Crows online at The Digital Journalist: http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0204/city_intro.htm - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html