Black and White by CoreyBlack
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Description
I made this picture shortly after discovering that my camera has a black and white feature. Prior to this discovery, I hadn't shot b/w since my "artsy" phase of 1986-1992. I'll admit that it's much easier to shoot digital b/w for posting than to scan old b/w film prints, but it seems like a bit of a cheat, and lacks the romance of either going to the photo finisher or developing them yourself. I don't feel this way about color digital photography, however, and love the ease, efficiency and freedom it offers. But to my eye, there's just something about good old fashioned analogue black and white film that digital, in all its rapidly increasing sophistication, can't match. Perhaps it's the silver nitrate that gives it an amazing sensitivity to light and tremendous flexibility in various lighting conditions? Maybe it's the fact that my youthful introduction to photography was with black and white film, and as such I have an almost holy reverence for it? Or maybe it's simply nostalgia. Whatever the case, I won't be posting many modern digital b/w photos, but will continue to occasionally pull some of my ancient b/w prints out of the vault and shake the dust off of them. As an experiment, thought, I think this new one came out pretty good.
Photographed on the Ravenswood/Brown Line train at the Western Avenue station in Chicago on June 5, 2011.
Comments (14)
bmac62
I've given this whole area of B&W digital photography some thought. It is a good thing to go back and remind yourself of the characteristics of first rate B&W photography...then through experimentation and postwork...see what you can do to produce an Ansel Adams quality image. I want to do a bit more of this myself. As for your picture here...A-1! Capturing people on the 'L' or subway seems to be a natural. But how do you do it without being obvious?
Chipka
This is one of those photos I've been waiting for you to post, especially since I tried getting a similar shot, but couldn't--due to positioning and the fact that Mister Stoic kept looking right over at me...it's hard to do sneak-factor shots when someone like Mister Stoic looks your way and, thus, abandons his natural look in favor of a scowl of suspicion, or--worse yet--camera face! The girls make this shot as do the blurred de-trainers on the other side of the window. Okay, I've been reading too many William Gibson novels...should I really be using such modern language? Anyway, this is a fantastic shot and I love the candid vibe this has, and I have to admit that Mister Stoic is also kinda, sorta, slightly cute in that way that guys are when they're not ugly. Really nice work. And yeah, digital black and white is sorta weird...I mean, it shows as black and white on your camera screen and that seems, somehow, wrong. I mean, camera playback screens exist in a largely color context...it's one of those weird 21st Century things that fascinates me to no end, however. This is a really nice shot!
charpix
I am still discovering things to do with digital cameras, and if that isn't enough, then what can I do to them (or for them) in Photoshop? Ansel Adams had balance and contrasts down to a science. While still in college, I bought an old Polaroid camera for use as making art. I had so much fun with that, and probably should try that again. Anyway, your study of these city travelers shows that life really is not boring, and though the girls look very tired, they also look very relaxed, and satisfied with life. Black and white is harder to get something that speaks to others, and yet it shows more drama. Keep going. I think every photographer should try this, at least once. Think Orson Welles.
KatesFriend
'The Outer Limits', '60's vintage. Black and white was never more masterfully used than on that series. I used to watch it at 2am as part of 'The All Night Show' on Channel 47 in Toronto. There is something about that time of night that makes one look beyond the superficial glitz of a production and appreciate how it was crafted. I can't put my finger on it but there's but this shot might well have come from an episode of that classic series. Albeit, the tobacco product placement is definitely missing.
blinkings
Yeah I used to develop my own B+W. I still love it, but don't do much of it now. I must say I prefer to shoot in colour and then convert it to B+W in photoshop, rather than be limited by the in camera version. But anyway, I was just thinking that shooting this young girl like this could go HORRIBLY WRONG MATE!!!!!!! I can imagine myself doing it, and then shortly after hearing the announcement 'PERVERT ON TRAIN....PERVERT ON TRAIN'!!!!!!!!!
kgb224
Stunning B&W capture my friend. God Bless.
auntietk
I love the quality of the light. This is a wonderful choice for b&w! I'm a fan of converting to b&w in Photoshop (and have about a million filters for different b&w darkroom choices) and enjoy fiddling with the settings. It also gives me the option to fade the color nearly all the way down, which I love, for that hand-tinted look. SO many options! I'm impressed that you did this in camera. You think it's a cheat, coming from a darkroom background, and I think it's more "authentic" because I come from Photoshop as a starting point! :P Ah well. Excellent image!
durleybeachbum
A brilliant candid. presumably almost impossible with a DSLR..our little point-and-shoots have a huge advantage over male jewellery. I too come from a darkroom background, but I didn't want to spend my last decades(s) in the dark on my own so I gave all the kit away in the end. Interestingly many of the present Photography students at the Arts University College Bournemouth,(from where I get my lodgers) use film rather than digital for their best work. Sometimes they combine both..I'm not quite sure how. The last photo girl I had here a couple of years ago had constant deliveries of exhibition-quality printing paper! Where do they get the money?
wotan
Great capture... lovely moment!
minos_6
I totally agree with your comments about digital b&w lacking a certain quality. However, this image definitely fits the bill. You've captured the quality of light needed to claim "bona-fide b&w image" perfectly. I think it's also helped by the characters in your photo - their clothing is quite generic, and this gives the image a timeless quality. Very well spotted, and using monochrome was definitely the right choice, I like this picture a lot.
Sea_Dog
I think B & W is the appropriate choice for this shot because it forces us to really LOOK at the subjects and creates the mood. It doesn't matter what color of clothes these people are wearing or even the "decor"of the El car. Color would be superfluous in this scene.
mgtcs
This is really an excellent photo my friend you captured a precious moment, the monochromatic is a masterful touch without doubt! Congratulations! 10*
flavia49
wonderful image
dragonmuse
The digital age has definitely taken away the mystique of the dark room.. I remember how intriguing i always found that pahse. I love this though.. a moment of mundane urban life artistically enshrined.