County Fair Contest Rules Interpretation: I’m planning on entering a print in my county fair’s B&W Category. If I use selective color on an object in the photograph to draw attention...

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

I’m planning on entering a print in my county fair’s B&W Category. If I use selective color on an object in the photograph to draw attention to a particular object in the image, would that disqualify the whole image as a B&W photo? What is your opinion?

Stan

Toment Loc: FL, IL

No IMHO

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

I would not consider that a B&W image. Where would you draw the line- how much of the image could be used for the selective color before it would be considered a color image?
IMHO...

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

To me, if it has any color, it's not a B&W image. (Save sepia/Prussian blue toned.)

Rongnongno Loc: FL

B&W is just that, B&W, regardless of the PP you use to achieve an image you find good enough to present.

Anyone who says it is not true forgets that during the silver era we were using filter before AND after when printing so... They are simply wrong.

As to use a splash of color? Come on, this is B&W, not open season for 'interpretation'.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I would disqualify it, yes. The nature of adding even a tiny bit of color changes the entire point of black and white (or monochrome, if you prefer).

The work is no longer about tonal contrasts, lines, textures, shapes, shadows, light. It becomes solely about the contrast of color to non-color, shining a glaring spotlight on the colored element.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Linda From Maine wrote:

I would disqualify it, yes. The nature of adding even a tiny bit of color changes the entire point of black and white (or monochrome, if you prefer).

The work is no longer about tonal contrasts, lines, textures, shapes, shadows, light. It becomes about the contrast of color to non-color, shining a glaring spotlight on the colored element.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Additionally, if you weren't able to draw attention to a particular object within the monochrome tonal range, it's because your composition and/or light is a problem. Rethink, reshoot.

brentrh Loc: Deltona, FL

Contest judging frustrates me photo started black and white with splashes of color should be allowed but would give puritans problems

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

brentrh wrote:

Contest judging frustrates me photo started black and white with splashes of color should be allowed but would give puritans problems

I wouldn't assume it would be allowed unless the rules specifically said so.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

StanMac wrote:

I’m planning on entering a print in my county fair’s B&W Category. If I use selective color on an object in the photograph to draw attention to a particular object in the image, would that disqualify the whole image as a B&W photo? What is your opinion?

Stan

The "real" answer to your question lies either in the contest rules or is available from the contest administrator. What anyone here believes is completely irrelevant. But my interpretation would be that "black & white photography" is a colloquialism for monochrome photography. That unambiguously means "one color." So if I were the administrator, I would disqualify it if I were feeling grouchy or move it to the color contest if I were feeling generous.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

brentrh wrote:

Contest judging frustrates me photo started black and white with splashes of color should be allowed but would give puritans problems

Then it wouldn't be B&W, would it.......
(My bolding.)

Close, but no cigar.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

What do the published contest rules say?

User ID

larryepage wrote:

The "real" answer to your question lies either in the contest rules or is available from the contest administrator. What anyone here believes is completely irrelevant. But my interpretation would be that "black & white photography" is a colloquialism for monochrome photography. That unambiguously means "one color." So if I were the administrator, I would disqualify it if I were feeling grouchy or move it to the color contest if I were feeling generous.

So obvious ! Wonder why the OP could possibly imagine it might go otherwise.

Rules aside, spot color is just a feeble noncreative cliche. Has its place in the advertising biz but is never gonna win any ribbons even if it were allowed to enter the competition.

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

larryepage wrote:

The "real" answer to your question lies either in the contest rules or is available from the contest administrator. What anyone here believes is completely irrelevant. But my interpretation would be that "black & white photography" is a colloquialism for monochrome photography. That unambiguously means "one color." So if I were the administrator, I would disqualify it if I were feeling grouchy or move it to the color contest if I were feeling generous.

The contest rules do not qualify or define what B&W is in the context of the competition. It just uses the term B&W as one of the Classes. None of the classes are defined as to what they encompass. For instance Landscape is stated as just that - Landscape. The Amateur category has 18 different subject classes. The B&W class is open only to professionals and members of the local camera club who, I suppose, are considered accomplished photographers and would present unfair competition to the general public (amateurs) that are the entrants for all the other subject classes. I am a member of the local camera club, so I have to enter the Professional category.

Stan