Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 15:26 -0800 15/02/99, Ted Grant wrote: > [ ... ] > "When you photograph people in colour, you photograph their clothes! But > when you photograph people in black and white; You photograph their souls!" > ted Gee-Ohh-Dee: talk about enthusiasm! I have to admit: you do make some sure points and I DO appreciate the dramatic potential of black & white photography. If the people are paying for it with their hard-earned money: that's reason enough right there. But then, I'm so demanding and nit-picking where shooting and lab work are concerned: - warm VS cold prints - ultimate resolution (acutance especially) - gray scale extension and contrast level selection - non bleached out highlights - media specific visual texture content - ultra-fine VS deliberate coarse grain - deep, saturated foundation blacks - on camera filtering or special film types - photo style and conceptual finesse. I'll have to grant you a suspended judgment "review" and reconsider black and white in light of your obviously experience based weighty arguments. Perhaps is it that I need to be exposed to more Leica originated black & white work to rekindle my original appreciation for it all, assuming such a level of proficiency is delivered up-front as to evoke an awed sort of photographic drama and graphic impact, above and beyond slice-of-life or concept photo related qualities. Yet, personally, I can't avoid thinking: Would I be a painter, would I readily give up color? Also, it's more than likely that what I demand out of black & white would almost call for mandatory ISO 100 (and below) film emulsions and a very out-of-the-ordinary lab technician (and equipment), ...except for Type 2875 and the newer 3200 emulsions, and that "annoying" Noctilux and general Leica specific useable full aperture / extreme low light potential (which DOES skew the decks in an altogether different way -- even for color photography ... ) and opens up a whole previously unaccessible level of the photo domain and frees imaging potential we'd never dare to dream of with non Leica optics (unless one is into a personal soft edge, soft focus photo style). Imagine what it'll be when Leica releases those idealized f/1.2 35mm Leica-R and new ultra high resolution 75mm (my preferred focals, 80%+ of the time)... Time ! You sure know how to make a point, Ted. Best regards, Andre Jean Quintal - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Only when it's dark enough can you see the stars." Martin Luther King jr