Color or Black & White : What’s the Difference?
Thursday, May 03, 2012
Do remember the time when photographers carried two cameras, one holding black and white film the other color film? Now, virtually everyone uses a single camera to create both color and black and white images. Here's a portrait of series of my youngest son Jacob, 2, showing both black and white and color versions of each picture. Jacob and I decided to go for a walk the other day and he
picked out a great hat and coat combination that, honestly, doesn't quit in the cuteness department. I grabbed a camera and spent several minutes in the backyard with him before our walk. This adorable series demonstrates nicely the differences and it all comes down to personal
preference. I have a hard time deciding which series I like more. The black and white is classic and timeless, and I love how his hat shows well. Still, there's something about the color of the hat and his yellow rain coat that makes me smile. — Sean
I spent this morning with Jacob. He turned two at the beginnig of March. A big boy and he's not afraid to tell you. He's also just really adorable. Here's a picture I took before our walk this morning. He followed me down the stairs as I was grabbing my camera to bring along. Three things really make this picture work for me. First, the natural light coming in from a window gives it a luminous quality. Jacob also has a great expression and a wonderful hat on (it's his sister's) picked just for our walk together. And finally? His gaze is eye level with the camera. So many pictures of children miss the mark because they are photographed from eye level of the adult and NOT the child. Stairs are great for this! — Sean
I used film to make these pictures. Yeah, I know right? Film is
nearly extinct, but there are a few brave photographers that haven't abandoned it entirely. In fact, film is experiencing a bit of a renaissance in the world of photography. Things that make it special - a feeling of history and the one-of-a-kind nature of the medium plus its very specific and consistent aesthetic quality. (Color and tone are the same from frame-to-frame:) These images were made with my dearly loved EOS 1N and a roll of Wal-Mart Fuji (had to be years old) that I found in a box of extra equipment. I never realized just how much I missed the 1N. It truly is a wonderful camera and a real classic. Now don't get me wrong, it took some getting used to. On more than one occasion, feeling rather silly, I caught myself looking at the back of the camera! The process of taking pictures with actual film is actually very different. Compared to my digital camera, it's downright peaceful. I didn't have 400 pictures, I have 24. I had to make each one count and I had to take my time. From the look of these portraits of Abby, Harper and Jacob, the results are quite beautiful. Really! I'm looking forward to using my film cameras this year in a way that I haven't done in years. — Sean
