[Leica] color vs bw images...

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

In the really good olden days one never went through all this mind bending
back and forth.

You picked up your 300 rolls of B&W film went off for a month or so and shot
the assignment. Upon return the lab souped your film. 

While you were off doing the next shoot all in colour using the same eyes
and seeing ability without a thought the film had changed. When you got back
you had 300 B&W contact sheets to edit and caption. That was it, there
wasn't any comparison back and forth.

 

The next assignment was all colour because it was all about tourism or a
magazine assignment, they wanted shot in colour, so you used colour film. 

Or due to the designing and technical aspects of the day quite often you
were told. "Shoot both we'll worry about it later!"

That was it, so you did just that, you didn't analyze whether to shoot B&W
or colour, you shot both because that was the instructions.

Actually at one time we were paid more per day when the assignment was in
colour than B&W. I bitched about this endlessly as I could never understand
the reason for it. Eventually my bitching paid off and photographers began
to be paid the same day rate, whatever kind of film.

I don't understand what the discussion is these days simply because in the
blink of an eye we're shooting both films all the time. Either is merely an
eye blink away or the click of a mouse.

I don't think I've deliberately looked at a situation differently whatever
kind of film because I'm always motivated by the moment and not the colour.
Sure you can be totally engrossed in the colours around you, say in India
and you bet you are shooting the colours because that's the visual power! 

But go into the slums and the scene changes even if the colours are simlar,
but for the maximum impact it becomes B&W! It's called "people action and
not colour action!"

But in the blink of an eye the situation changes and all those colours
become meaningless because the content becomes B&W due to the action or
impact of the people situation.

Not sure if this is going anywhere, but I never had nor do I have any
problem shooting one or the other even today.

What I really like today is the quick click colour to B&W and back if I
don't like it. Hail the computer and PhotoShop! :-)

Like I've said.. "KISS" baby! :-)

ted