Patmos 2002
When I first started taking photographs … or, as I rather pretentiously say nowadays, ‘making images’ … the only film within the reach of most pockets was black and white. Today, you’d have to seek out a specialist photographic shop to buy any. Yes, it is still used …after all, the artist doesn’t necessarily give up on charcoal or pen drawings just because he can afford some paints.
Ever since a Cairo-based artist gave me a Lenhert and Landrock print, I’ve had this longing to return to Egypt loaded with monochrome film. For some reason, clicking the ‘Greyscale’ switch on your photo software isn’t quite the same.
With mono, you get a sense of timelessness. If you pick your location and subject right, the photo could have been taken sixty years ago, or yesterday. I like the sort of retro charm a mono picture has; as someone said the other day, would you really want to see a Laurel and Hardy movie in colour?
Sadly, none of my photographic handbooks have much to say about black and white. It’s a pity, because, if the shape or texture is the primary theme of the picture, colour sometimes takes something away from it.
The photo I’ve attached was made the ‘cheat’s way’; I converted it to greyscale. But, if you want to see some real mono work, have a look at Shane Solow’s pictures at http://www.losttrails.com:80/pages/Tales/Karpathos/heaven1.html
Black and White is my absolute favourite. I have them all over my house including some old family stuff from the 1940s and 50s which never dates. The look is classic and striking. Shane Solow’s pics are wonderful. Thanks for the link.
By: Selma on October 26, 2007
at 11:33 am
I agree with what you say about b/w. But, it’s actually very hard to take good b/w pics—much harder than digital color, where you can pretty much get away with point and shooting.
I think it’s a real art.
Vivienne
By: viviennemackie on October 26, 2007
at 1:30 pm
I think it’s down to the high cost of having it processed properly. If you just took it to a High Street processor, it would usually be processed in C-41 colour chemistry, which didn’t produce the best results.
In fact, a modern mini-lab just can’t deal with B&W film.
So, it’s got to go away to a specialist … I used Max Spielman, in Liverpool … and that costs.
You therefore take more care over your pictures; you can’t afford to ‘burn film’ like you can with colour.
By: travelrat on October 26, 2007
at 4:30 pm
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By: white pages » In Black and White on October 28, 2007
at 2:13 am