Timeless Black and White Photography
“Black and white photography erases time from the equation.”
– Jason Peterson
Timeless Marvão
Donald McGuire
The most rewarding moments in travel photography happen where you can feel a place's rich history. Marvão, Portugal, is such a place.
Marvão is a small fortified village in the Serra de Sao Mamede mountain range. While it was initially established in the 8th century, it was not until the 1300's that it became the village we know today. Yet, each time I am there, I have a palpable sense of time standing still. How best to represent the absence of something? Could a black and white photo of a seemingly mundane subject, such as clothes drying on a line, help convey this feeling?
Streets of Marvão #1
Donald McGuire
Black and white images don't lend themselves to the immediate attention that vibrant colors do. Today, photographs have no room to breathe. Instead, they are rapidly consumed by our voracious digital appetite and wavering attention span. A quick look, perhaps an obligatory 'like,' and move on. The two-second rule.
A photo like those I have shared here may not even get two seconds. The eye is attracted to brilliant colors that have more 'pop.'
Monochrome images require a more in-depth study to digest what they are about. This can be a more rewarding experience for the viewer and the photographer.
Streets of Marvão #2
Donald McGuire
A seemingly mundane photo of clothes hung to dry takes on a timeless quality in black and white, reflecting Marvão's timeless history. Other than the fact that they are contemporary clothes, the picture could represent hundreds of years ago. You would see a bold yellow shirt that would quickly steal the eye's attention in color. Another shirt with a logo would also date the scene. The actual clothing is diminished and does not dominate the moment.
This begs the question - Why include the clothesline at all? Indeed other available structures could attest to the rich history of Marvão. The reason is that the clothesline tells a better story. That people still live, work, and raise families here as they have for over a thousand years.
Color vs Black and White Photograhy
Like the back and forth in photography and painting explored in the most recent post, color photography was not embraced as an art form.
Streets of Marvão #3
Donald McGuire
The vast history of photography has predominantly been black and white. The first photograph is considered to have been made in 1826, and it wasn't until 1907 that color first appeared. These were actually made with dyed grains of potato starch in a process known as autochrome. However, in the 1930s, as technical advances were made in cameras and other stylistic trends emerged, autochrome fell out of favor.
It wasn't until the 1960s that color photography re-emerged. The Kodak Instamatic meant anyone could take color photos. Not precisely what gallery owners, curators, and museums were looking for. They considered black and white to be the only pure art form of photography.
In the 1970s, a new breed of color photographers finally got the attention of the 'art' world. Among them were Wiliam Eggleston, Ernst Haas, and Saul Leiter. As do the others, Leiter's color work continues to have a lasting impact. Todd Haynes, the director of the 2015 film "Carol," said the cinematography was a tribute to Leiter.
Streets of Marvão #4
Donald McGuire
So today, color and monochrome are finally on a level playing field. As photographers, we are left with a decision. When to use color and when to use black and white? It's easy to fall into the trap that 'black and white' is perceived to be more artistic. Most of the photos I take are rendered in color. Sometimes even about color. Marvão, though, was a time for timelessness.
A sense of time standing still is just the tip of the monochrome iceberg. A deeper dive waiting to be explored on another day. In the absence of color, the scene is about lines, tones, and shapes. They become an abstraction of the colors' reality.
Because black and white photos don't reach out and say, "Hey, Look Here," they need to be studied a little longer. I now look more closely and enjoy them more. Learn more. It feels good to slow down.
Tips and Tricks
Typically, I won't get too involved in photography's technical or post-processing aspects. However, I feel some are worth noting because they ultimately dictate how the photo is perceived.
Streets of Marvão #5
Donald McGuire
'Black and White' is already not realistic. You can take more liberties in post-processing because the photo is already not what the eye is used to seeing. Contrast, texture, and dynamic range can be pushed beyond what would work in a color photograph. For example, in 1927, Ansel Adams used a red filter on the blue sky in "Monolith, The Face of Half Dome," He later said it was instrumental in the direction his work took.
If your intent is black and white, set your camera's LCD on the same. Setting your camera's default JPEG option to monochrome allows you to see in black and white immediately. The impact of the shadows becomes more telling. The graphic lines become more apparent. The RAW file still has all of the colors if needed. The colors can be further manipulated in post-processing to affect the tonal range.
Pink and Green will look exactly the same in black and white. Light blue and yellow also will look the same. If you are converting from color, adjust the tones before converting to Black and White. Darken the green or darken the blue. The point is you have endless creative possibilities to manipulate the tonality to tell your story best.
Streets of Marvão #6
Donald McGuire
Ask yourself about the scene that suggests a monochrome look and mood. Again, timeless can often come to the forefront.
Removing color eliminates distraction and enables an underlying story or sentiment to emerge. In 'Black and White,' a picture is what it symbolizes and not what it is. In color, a red sports car is - a sports car that happens to be red. The absence of color represents speed, youth, rebellion, and adventure.
If the color doesn't add, it subtracts. Colors are going to be washed out in harsh light. On a rain-swept street, grey will be the dominant color. As such, color is no longer part of the story. Instead, the underlying tones work together in monochrome to tell a more moody, decisive story.
Black and white can make beautiful prints. The best printer I've used has 6 color ink tanks and 6 black to grey ink tanks. The tonality expressed in a print across that much ink is very impressive. If you ask a photographer about "Shades of Grey," a book and movie won't come to mind.
