Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/12/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I shoot color and chromogenic film with 35mm (for the most part), but I do almost all of my black-and-white in medium format (unless it's something ultra low-light). MF (even as small as 6x4.5) trounces 35mm in the B/W tonality and grain department, generally at no loss in speed (you have to use 100-speed film to get the benefits of expensive 35mm glass; you can use 400 in MF; so that 100/3.5 on a 6x9 becomes the equivalent of a 50/1.7. As to the choice between the two, I tend to agree that removing color allows more precise control over lighting. While I have seen a lot of nice color pictures, color is, as someone pointed out, often an incidental property of the work. On Monday, December 16, 2002, at 11:49 AM, Wesson, Leo W wrote: > Gang, > > I am curious what all goes into your decision to shoot black and white > or color. I have noticed that some of the group works only in b/w, > some only in color and some in both. > > What is your thought process in this decision? > > Myself, I grew up shooting b/w, a fan of Ansel, Edward, Minor and HCB. > I eventually began shooting all in color due to lack of time and lack > of darkroom space. When I got my M6 and 7, I started out shooting > color; but partially with the influence of the fine b/w work of this > group I have started shooting b/w again, lab processed, electronic > darkroom. I find myself thinking a lot about why and when I use color > and or black and white and find the decision process overwhelming. > Color, because film is always available and pretty much fool proof: > b/w, because I miss the tones and the mystery of what is not said in > the image. B/w has a timeless and classic property that color does > not. But I really love a good color shot too. I have a hard time > doing both. Can't see both ways at the same time. I could never > carry a camera loaded with b/w and one loaded with color. That would > be like having too many lenses to choose from. > > Thoughts? > > Leo > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html