sploppert Loc: Rochester, NY

I've been working on my anti-black and white bias lately: I'm glad to say that there's been some real progress! The therapist says it may have its roots in some recurring childhood nightmares about colorless Kansas tornadoes carrying off little girls and their dogs, followed by lots of singing and skipping down bright yellow roads through some VERY saturated technicolor trees.
The first step in my journey was to accept that black and white isn't LESS than color. It's just DIFFERENT. Another way of viewing a scene. TONES of darkness and light rather than the infinite number of -- and to me infinitely more satisfying -- shades and tints of color! Alright: Granted. It's a different way of seeing things. But BETTER? In an artists dreams, maybe.
Did you know that we're all color-blind after dark? The cones in our eyes, which are the receptors responsible for color detection (rods are for black and white) all shut down in the dark. You guessed it: Lynda.com. It's also true that our cones are divided into three kinds: One for red, one for green, and one for blue color detection. Sound at all familiar?
The cones in our eyes represent only 2% of our visual perception. 98% of our ability to see is devoted to recognizing tones. Variations in shading. Contrast. No wonder we... some people... find it so satisfying! Did you know that once our eyes adjust to a completely dark room, the rods are capable of detecting a single photon of light?? WHITE light... in BLACK darkness.
Here's the short list of reasons I'm hearing for why black and white is a skill that every photographer should develop. Mind you, I don't subscribe to any of them myself necessarily, but a few on the list are starting to make more sense to me than they once did.
1) B&W represents an overwhelming majority of the photographs taken in the history of photography.
2) B&W photographs are often more compelling than the same image in color.
3) B&W offers an entirely new language for expressing our creative vision for an image.
4) B&W eliminates distractions that keep us from seeing the true essence of a scene.
5) Learning to SEE for B&W shooting makes us better COLOR photographers, as well.

MsJ Loc: Northern Indiana

Wow...may I use your therapist?

ziggykor Loc: East Texas

"I like black and white because the colors are better."
David Vestal.

dennis g

If colors are distracting, would not focused images also be distracting?

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

my shrink is more Jungian I guess than your's. But still only one point of contention - #5 Learning to see for B&W shooting is not the same as seeing in color - and cow 1 is not cow 2. Meaning this is a blanket statement that cannot possibly hold water for anyone but you.

crissx09 Loc: FL-USA

Some pictures look better in B&W and vice versa.
I think it is a matter of personal taste and subject mood.
I am sure that some of Ansel Adams famous could look fantastic in color also.

jenny Loc: in hiding:)

Yes, we know this,and as for the first point you wish to make,you realize you should go to the history of photography for the reason why. Why aren't you out using the information you have gained,didn't the therapist give you that direction to take?

Acountry330 Loc: Dothan,Ala USA

IMHO you need a new therapist. I do not want to make anyone bad, but if we where ment to see in black and white all the time their would be no light. The reasom the greats shot in black and white is because color was not yet invented. Don't get ne wrong some black and white's are OK, but a good color image of the same scene will just out do the black and white hands down. I wish to learn how to do my best in color. I do not think I can improve on what the greats did in black and white so I will for the most part leave it alone.

ziggykor Loc: East Texas

"Did you know that we're all color-blind after dark? The cones in our eyes, which are the receptors responsible for color detection (rods are for black and white) all shut down in the dark. You guessed it: Lynda.com. It's also true that our cones are divided into three kinds: One for red, one for green, and one for blue color detection. Sound at all familiar?
The cones in our eyes represent only 2% of our visual perception. 98% of our ability to see is devoted to recognizing tones. Variations in shading. Contrast. No wonder we... some people... find it so satisfying! Did you know that once our eyes adjust to a completely dark room, the rods are capable of detecting a single photon of light?? WHITE light... in BLACK darkness."

So you're telling us that the cones have some sort of internal clock and they shut down as things darken, is that correct? If it's true, explain why we we are able to see all the color at night when out walking in nature. I realize that some of the color is transmitted, but much of it is reflected too.

Maybe this reduction of color is the result of the intensity of the ambient light rather than some on/off switch in the cones.

As to some of what advantage black an white may have over color to one viewer and not to another, the answers are as varied as we are. Personally I feel that if an image can stand on its own without color, color isn't needed.

We've had functional access to color photographs for more than a hundred years. Stiegligtz and Steichen brought the Autochrome process here from France in the first decade of the 20th Century. Some of this old images are still quite vibrant. The process fell out of favor for many reasons.

Again I like Black and White because for me the colors are better. That's a personal preference, not a value judgement.

When we refer to "seeing in black and white" we don't mean to say seeing without color, we simply mean to visualize the scene, in our mind's, as it would be rendered without color. I often use a special filter for that purpose to assist my old eyes.

Additionally, again this is personal, black and white allows both the photographer to concentrate more on shapes, tones, contrasts, form and texture without color competing for attention.

Does this mean that balck and white is better than color, or the reverse? No! It's different with a different aesthetic. Each has it's place, some just prefer one over the other.

silver Loc: Santa Monica Ca.

I specialize in B&W photography both digital and silver. I also teach B&W photography. The hard part about B&W is being able to visualize an image in B&W when you are looking through the viewfinder of the camera before you press the shutter. Some images are better in B&W is a true statement. Photography started in 1826 in france when Joseph Nicephore was able to create the 1st actual permanent image on a pewter plate. This photograph is still here in the Museum in Austen Texas. Think of that statement, it is the first one. You cant say that about painting or poetry or lithography but photography has its beginnings and we can all see it. This first image is a B&W image of rooftops and for more then 100 years B&W photography was all there was with some minor experimenting in color processes but nothing that was done on any film. B&W photography is an amazing art form with a rich history. Most of the great photographs have been done in B&W, look at the great photographers, ex Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Steigletz etc and you will see a plethora of wonderful B&W. the tradition of B&W photography is wide and varied and by being a part of it we become a part of the photographic history. Keep shooting B&W and keep the history happening. Look at past photographers and learn from them. B&W is special and mysterious because we see color all the time and learning to see and appreciate B&W imaging is definitely good for making your head bigger. B&W photography rules, keep thinking B&W!

Acountry330 Loc: Dothan,Ala USA

I see you are truly excited about shooting, teaching and learning B/W, but I feel if color would have come first we would not be talking about ancient technology. This is the 21st century.

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

Hey that wouldn't be a Kodak Wratten Gel filter that roughly takes color and shifts it to non-color tones would it?

I used to drive around with those things fixed to my glasses so i could see the world in b&w (more like sepia & white).

#57??

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

B&W is special and mysterious because we see color all the time and learning to see and appreciate B&W imaging is definitely good for making your head bigger. B&W photography rules, keep thinking B&W![/quote]

Yes, I can see that this has indeed occured - the head has grown bigger.

photocat Loc: Atlanta, Ga

There is a Wratten filter #90 that has been used to lean about grayscale. Funny thing, everything is more organge. It does help one learn to "focus" on shape , form and contrast, as basically color as we know it isn't there.

silver Loc: Santa Monica Ca.

I am sorry to hear that B&W is an ancient technology. The truth is that photographic roots come from B&W photography not the other way around. To not appreciate what comes before you is to be very clouded. There is a reason why most great photographers worked in B&W for artistic endeavors. For commercial work color is great but when it comes to art B&W has a long and prosperous history. I am very excited about the medium of photography and I am also very aware that others came before me. You are right, this is the 21st century and B&W is still vibrant and strong and it will always be so. I also work a lot in digital both B&W and color. I am also selling my work and I get a lot of money for my B&W prints, there is a greater appreciation for the medium then you know. It is easy to speculate about what it would be like if color came first but the reality of the situation is that color came second and speculating accomplishes nothing. If you dont like B&W photography its fine with me but I feel sorry because you are missing out on a wonderful and exciting way of imaging. Maybe you just cant see in B&W.