Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/01/04

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Subject: [Leica] What are the most important aspects of a photographic image?
From: mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)
Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2011 18:25:30 -0500

Ted The cameras I've had when I set them to black and white it turns out the
file it makes just has a little indicator in it which tells the viewing
software I am using if I have it to "now show me just the color".  They for
the most part were really color files they just weren't showing me the color
with the viewers.  So most attempts at that have met with frustration.
Except at day one when I'd shoot tiff's or jpegs I guess and not raw files.
Those days are long gone. You saw my prints when we met. No color.  But that
was ten years ago. Before digital
Two months ago with my new camera I thought I had all kinds of black and
white options with cool and warm options but it turned out to only be if
used the Nikon software; and I of course use Adobe software.
When I opened them up in Bridge I'd watch my wonderful duotones or whatever
blink magically into full color one by one.
But I could make them look just like that again and save what I did so I can
convert a whole roll at a time to slightly warm black and whites.
- so if I was going to now make a series of black and white images I'd shoot
them in color because when you convert them and you slide the color sliders'
on the different colors you can control the image amazingly. As if you'd
shot them with every  color filter ever made and you get to average them to
optimal separation of good effect.
So digital to me has gotten me just leaving the colors in for the most part.
And viewing the colors that are there. Not putting a "hide color" filter
over them. And converting very carefully later on a need to basis.
Most my work  in my life has been black and white. Till I got my Leica D100
in 20003. Now by far most of it is in color.
The camera is sensitive to all this color information. I hate to throw a
monkey wrench into it.
As in I've converted few of them to black and white. Because I guess I'm
just seeing in color.
Shooting color film was ok I preferred color neg over slides but digital
color has so much more control that to me its all win win.
I'm happy photography has come around the way it has.
Its been a boom for my image making.
And I thank they photo gods what ever their names might happen to be.
Hektor.
Elmar.


--------------------
Mark William Rabiner
Photography
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/
mark at rabinergroup.com
Cars:   http://tinyurl.com/2f7ptxb




> From: Ted Grant <tedgrant at shaw.ca>
> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2011 13:48:50 -0800
> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] What are the most important aspects of a photographic
> image?
> 
> Mark Rabiner  offered:
> Subject: Re: [Leica] What are the most important aspects of a photographic
> image?
>>> Just as Taking a normal Raw File and converting it to grayscale makes
>>> doing
> your work a two not one step process.
> So its kind of the same thing as what you're talking about only in reverse.
> We're just getting rid of the color wash and leaving ourselves with the
> black and white elements.<<<<<<<<<<<,
> 
> Mark,
> I wonder if you wouldn't mind explaining the situation if I'm shooting with
> a Digilux 2 set on.... "B&w?" There isn't any colour exchange involved
> changing RAW colour to B&W? Now maybe the camera does this and I'm not
> aware? You look through the viewfinder and the scene or situation is B&W.
> You shoot and it's just as it appeared in the viewfinder.... B&W!
> 
> You look through the view finder and you are looking at a B&W world. And if
> you wish to have an absolutely wierd visual experince it is???  ... "Look 
> at
> the world in B&W through the viewfinder ... "SHOOT!"  And immediatey return
> to the normal world of colour!. :-) It is a rather unusual visual
> experince.!" :-)
> Cheers,
> Dr. ted :-)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> Adding a color wash to a pencil or ink sketch is like building blocks. Its
>> a
>> multi set process. Two steps mainly not just one.
>> 
>> 
>> Just as Taking a normal Raw File and converting it to grayscale makes
>> doing
>> your work a two not one step process.
>> So its kind of the same thing as what you're talking about only in
>> reverse.
>> We're just getting rid of the color wash and leaving ourselves with the
>> black and white elements.
>> The controls though that are available to do this in the past couple of
>> years in the Adobe Camera Raw raw filter is ideal. - a dream come true.
>> Ideal for a final clarity of image. Things can be made to separate that
>> you'd never think you could. For a black and white worker we're living in
>> an
>> ideal world. . Never better.
>> 
>> 
>> --------------------
>> Mark William Rabiner
>> Photography
>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/
>> mark at rabinergroup.com
>> Cars:   http://tinyurl.com/2f7ptxb
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> From: Alan Magayne-Roshak <amr3 at uwm.edu>
>>> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
>>> Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2011 12:58:34 -0600 (CST)
>>> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
>>> Subject: Re: [Leica] What are the most important aspects of a
>>> photographic
>>> image?
>>> 
>>> On Tue, 04 Jan 2011 Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> I think the great days of black and white are over. I don't see anybody
>>>> missing it.
>>>> ...
>>>> I think to work in black and white in this digital age is a little odd.
>>>> ...
>>>> Its like throwing away information. Is that going to make it art?
>>> ============================================================================
>>> ==
>>> ============================================================================
>>> ==
>>> =============
>>> It's sort of like saying no one should do pencil sketches or ink
>>> drawings,
>>> etchings, etc. anymore, unless they color them in.
>>> 
>>> I think photography has always been about paring down reality, selecting
>>> from
>>> the whole world in front of that lens, that which is most relevant for
>>> that
>>> image, to put in the frame, and eliminating whatever is superfluous.
>>> 
>>> Sometimes, color is superfluous.
>>> 
>>> Alan
>>> 
>>> Alan Magayne-Roshak, Senior Photographer
>>> UPAA POY 1978
>>> University Information Technology Services
>>> University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
>>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Alan+Magayne-Roshak/
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Leica Users Group.
>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information




In reply to: Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (tedgrant at shaw.ca) ([Leica] What are the most important aspects of a photographic image?)