It was fascinating to learn how a spontaneous decision to shoot in black and white reshaped your entire perspective and relationship with your craft. An engaging story of a personal artistic journey!
I like to switch to black and white during the harsh light in the middle of the day. Helps you find compositions of light and shadow that work well. Thanks for sharing
Heard a saying once that went something like: “Color photography is descriptive. Black and white photography is interpretive.” I don’t photography the real world just to turn around and show you the same thing you could see with your own two eyes. I use black and white to shape what you are seeing so that you can see what I saw, and feel what I felt. Poetry with images.
I absolutely agree. I read something similar a long time, something like "when you photograph people in color you're photographing their clothes, when you do it in black and white you are capturing their souls". I feel the same way about landscapes and objects in general.
Adrian, I too am a B&W only shooter and I must say you have elucidated in this video the absolute essence of why I choose to use this format. The departure from the reality of what we encounter every day, the artistic possibilities and the lack of distractions. Well done sir; I have saved this short video to share with others to explain my choice as well. Nobody has said it better than you.
I've never felt particularly drawn to black and white photography but watching your channel for the past couple of years has really made me think about it more. As you said, it forces me to be more engaged with the image and I've thoroughly enjoyed being surprised and delighted by the images you create.
Glad to hear! Black and White is definitely not for everyone, but I hope to encourage as many people as possible to at least try it. B&W is a rarity nowadays and I feel it still has so much to offer.
Couldn’t agree more … I’m shooting monochrome Acros JPEG’s with my Fuji X100V and I really like those images. The camera is weather resistant so I’m starting to embrace the rain, snow and foggy conditions for my minimalistic landscapes. Thanks! 📷🙂
That's awesome! Those cameras have great JPGs profiles, and they are so convenient to have on you. About the bad weather, I wish all the luck. It's hard to get out there when it's cold and you might get wet, but it's that hardship that makes photography so rewarding. Well, that, and the incredible results you can get!
Haha, like you just caught a fish. Well, that's fine, it's the way most people think of photography. Which is also very useful. But to me is like comparing writing in a tax form to writing in a novel.
I walked into my kitchen a few days ago. The extractor hood above the stove has a LED strip light and it was the only light switched on at the time. It was illuminating a roll of kitchen paper towel from the side. The light was shining through the embossed paper and half of the roll was in deep shadow and was lost against my all black bread maker. It was a perfect example of a black & white image. There was a small amount of colour in the pattern on the paper but the light and shade made such a beautiful monochrome image. I posted it on Instagram and Face book and many viewers thought it was funny but I just liked the sheer amount of information it conveyed it terms of shape and abstraction. Your videos have helped me notice such images. Thank you.
That's awesome, Berny! Thank you so much for sharing that, it's those little things that make you stop and appreciate the everyday stuff more, to see things that aren't really there. Or there are, but they are very easy to miss. I encourage you to keep paying attention!
Hi Adrian, i must admit i don't shoot much Black and White, but now i think i will make more effort to shoot Black and White. Sometimes Colour photography can be distracting with some Bright and fluoro colours is not very pleasant to look at. Thanks Adrian 😊
Love your channel !!!! I'm still on the road to finding out my style of photography. I love color, black and white, infrared, and also film. Thank You for all the encouragement.
And...even if you end up processing a photo as color; taking the photo with your camera set to show it as black & white can often help you to find the "right" composition (at least in my amateur experience 😉).
Absolutely! That was a game changer for me. I started doing that when shooting film, and I was using my digital camera to "preview" the final image and as a light meter.
Oh, color is totally fine. More than fine, actually. I just wanted to encourage those who might not have found their style to give black and white a try, because it's a different world, one that might inspire them to see everything differently. If color photography does it for you, that's awesome then :)
On most color sensor camera, like yours, you can simply set it up to shoot RAW + JPG, and you will be viewing the images on the monitor as B&W, yet capture all the information on the image as color. The RAW image will have more to work with before conversion to the JPG, so you have the best of all worlds. I will sometimes use the B&W JPG rendering by the camera, then edit the photo a tad more, but in some cases you might be better off to edit that RAW file. Another benefit is that of having color --- color is our world, as much as black and while can simplify, amplify, or eliminate color if it is distracting. There are many times when doing street photography were color is the emphasis, or part of the story, or is simply pleasure to the eye. I see no benefit to the limitations of B&W. You can convert all the B&W of course. These are all conversions anyway, unless one owns a monochrome sensor camera. If going all in on B&W, those will render differently. Otherwise we are talking color sensor conversions. Those are pretty cool in that you can play a lot with them, as you mentioned, once you go with B&W from the RAW. Keep on creating and loving it, is the most important part, Loren
Yup! That's exactly what I do, I shoot RAW but my camera is set to show me the preview in black and white. So I can visualize the final image a little bit better. And I love having the color information as well, I do play with the different colors in post, increasing or decreasing the brightness of each color independently. That's one of the things (and the cost!) stopping me from using a purely monochrome camera. Color is very useful to have in the RAW file.
Oh my gosh. Beautiful area, it surprised me when you said Cottonwood canyon. I use to fly fish there before it was a state park. Beautiful canyons. Nice video.
I set my digital camera to BW very early on. Started that way on film, and just really enjoy that BW first way of thinking. I still do colour, but that's a secondary thought. A choice I make, if colour really is important to the image. Unfortunately, all but one of my cameras has an optical viewfinder. So even with the cameras in BW, I'm still seeing the world through my own eyes. So it took some time to be able to visualise the monchromatic end result from the colour I was seeing. Worth it, though.
That was a "problem" I had when shooting with the Bronica. I ended up using an orange filter at almost all times. To increase the contrast, yes, but it also gave me a more monochromatic look. Like black and white but tinted orange, much closer to the final negative than looking the viewfinder with no filter in front. May be worth a try!
@@aows I'll definitely give that a go. I have been looking to get some colour filters for a while.There's just always something else that comes by first. I did recently get a new 500mm lens, which came with an absolutely monstrous 105mm orange filter, though. Haven't put it on yet. But could be a nice intro, before I get a more human size filter for the rest of the lenses. =D
I still have my a6000 and use it sometimes, my camera is set to b&w preview but all my photography is black and white, its not literal interpretation of the world . I live it because you can creat so much more withblack and white 😊
What a great camera that was... still is! I kind of miss it sometimes. Simpler times, the a6000 with the "crappy" kit lens, no worries about big and heavy equipment.
Every morning, every day, all year 70-100 photographers line up at Mesa Arch to take the same photograph. And that happens at all the iconic color places to photograph. Color photography is extremely limited and limiting.
Now previsualization, zone system. I really love the way you take photographs in B&W, you understood the essence of things. And maybe some day with more budget, I wish you to make real film photography.
It was fascinating to learn how a spontaneous decision to shoot in black and white reshaped your entire perspective and relationship with your craft. An engaging story of a personal artistic journey!
Those of us, like you, who are addicted to photography, will agree. We're all striving for our unique vision. Good message Adrian.
Yes, that's what we all have to find, our very own path. It's hard, but so worth it. Thanks for watching!
I like to switch to black and white during the harsh light in the middle of the day. Helps you find compositions of light and shadow that work well. Thanks for sharing
Absolutely, even on those days black and white can be amazing. Thanks for watching!
Heard a saying once that went something like: “Color photography is descriptive. Black and white photography is interpretive.” I don’t photography the real world just to turn around and show you the same thing you could see with your own two eyes. I use black and white to shape what you are seeing so that you can see what I saw, and feel what I felt. Poetry with images.
I absolutely agree. I read something similar a long time, something like "when you photograph people in color you're photographing their clothes, when you do it in black and white you are capturing their souls". I feel the same way about landscapes and objects in general.
Your channel is unique in a sea of UA-cam photography channels. I do enjoy your vision so much.
there are some others: adam welch, the bearded guy, MediaM
Thank you much!
Thank you for sharing, but who's the bearded guy? I'm curious now haha
@@aows a little channel with a curious nordic photographer
ua-cam.com/video/QxDxKMguI-8/v-deo.html
Adrian,
I too am a B&W only shooter and I must say you have elucidated in this video the absolute essence of why I choose to use this format. The departure from the reality of what we encounter every day, the artistic possibilities and the lack of distractions. Well done sir; I have saved this short video to share with others to explain my choice as well. Nobody has said it better than you.
I've never felt particularly drawn to black and white photography but watching your channel for the past couple of years has really made me think about it more. As you said, it forces me to be more engaged with the image and I've thoroughly enjoyed being surprised and delighted by the images you create.
Glad to hear! Black and White is definitely not for everyone, but I hope to encourage as many people as possible to at least try it. B&W is a rarity nowadays and I feel it still has so much to offer.
Couldn’t agree more … I’m shooting monochrome Acros JPEG’s with my Fuji X100V and I really like those images. The camera is weather resistant so I’m starting to embrace the rain, snow and foggy conditions for my minimalistic landscapes. Thanks! 📷🙂
That's awesome! Those cameras have great JPGs profiles, and they are so convenient to have on you. About the bad weather, I wish all the luck. It's hard to get out there when it's cold and you might get wet, but it's that hardship that makes photography so rewarding. Well, that, and the incredible results you can get!
I have done just this over the last week,and may never go back to colour again...thanks for your constant inspiration!
Good luck on your black and white journey!
100% agree with you. Thanks for sharing all your videos. Yours has been one of my favorite photography channels since you were shooting the Bronica.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate you being around for so long!
Well said. I must admit to getting the shivers if someone says 'Good Capture' referring to a picture I have made.
Haha, like you just caught a fish. Well, that's fine, it's the way most people think of photography. Which is also very useful. But to me is like comparing writing in a tax form to writing in a novel.
Very well said. A lot of people think anyone can take a picture. There is more to it than pushing the shutter button.
I agree
Absolutely agree. Thanks for watching!
I walked into my kitchen a few days ago. The extractor hood above the stove has a LED strip light and it was the only light switched on at the time. It was illuminating a roll of kitchen paper towel from the side. The light was shining through the embossed paper and half of the roll was in deep shadow and was lost against my all black bread maker. It was a perfect example of a black & white image. There was a small amount of colour in the pattern on the paper but the light and shade made such a beautiful monochrome image. I posted it on Instagram and Face book and many viewers thought it was funny but I just liked the sheer amount of information it conveyed it terms of shape and abstraction. Your videos have helped me notice such images. Thank you.
That's awesome, Berny! Thank you so much for sharing that, it's those little things that make you stop and appreciate the everyday stuff more, to see things that aren't really there. Or there are, but they are very easy to miss. I encourage you to keep paying attention!
Hi Adrian, i must admit i don't shoot much Black and White, but now i think i will make more effort to shoot Black and White. Sometimes Colour photography can be distracting with some Bright and fluoro colours is not very pleasant to look at. Thanks Adrian 😊
Yeah, give it a try!
Yes I will thanks Adrian ☺️
Love your channel !!!! I'm still on the road to finding out my style of photography. I love color, black and white, infrared, and also film. Thank You for all the encouragement.
Thank you! All the good luck to you, as long as you enjoy what you are doing, you are on the right path :)
And...even if you end up processing a photo as color; taking the photo with your camera set to show it as black & white can often help you to find the "right" composition (at least in my amateur experience 😉).
Absolutely! That was a game changer for me. I started doing that when shooting film, and I was using my digital camera to "preview" the final image and as a light meter.
Your channel is terrific. Great content. I am always inspired by what you do.
Thank you so much! I appreciate it.
Now we need the story of how you came to shoot 1:1 format.
It was around the same time, actually. For another day, I guess :)
Been following you since those old color photos lol! Love how your photography has evolved dude ❤
Haha, well I appreciate it that's a long time! Thank you so much for the support
You work to be unique! Great work. I cannot totally embrace BW. I love color. Cavepeople painted in color. I enjoy your UA-cams! Bravo.
Oh, color is totally fine. More than fine, actually. I just wanted to encourage those who might not have found their style to give black and white a try, because it's a different world, one that might inspire them to see everything differently. If color photography does it for you, that's awesome then :)
Beautiful photos, poetic words, wonderful video! :)
Thank you for the video, Adrian.
Thank you for watching it, Pete!
I'll try taking black-and-white pictures and see how they turn out. Ty
On most color sensor camera, like yours, you can simply set it up to shoot RAW + JPG, and you will be viewing the images on the monitor as B&W, yet capture all the information on the image as color. The RAW image will have more to work with before conversion to the JPG, so you have the best of all worlds. I will sometimes use the B&W JPG rendering by the camera, then edit the photo a tad more, but in some cases you might be better off to edit that RAW file. Another benefit is that of having color --- color is our world, as much as black and while can simplify, amplify, or eliminate color if it is distracting. There are many times when doing street photography were color is the emphasis, or part of the story, or is simply pleasure to the eye. I see no benefit to the limitations of B&W. You can convert all the B&W of course. These are all conversions anyway, unless one owns a monochrome sensor camera. If going all in on B&W, those will render differently. Otherwise we are talking color sensor conversions. Those are pretty cool in that you can play a lot with them, as you mentioned, once you go with B&W from the RAW. Keep on creating and loving it, is the most important part, Loren
Yup! That's exactly what I do, I shoot RAW but my camera is set to show me the preview in black and white. So I can visualize the final image a little bit better. And I love having the color information as well, I do play with the different colors in post, increasing or decreasing the brightness of each color independently. That's one of the things (and the cost!) stopping me from using a purely monochrome camera. Color is very useful to have in the RAW file.
Great inspiration- Thanks
Glad to hear, thanks for watching!
Oh my gosh. Beautiful area, it surprised me when you said Cottonwood canyon. I use to fly fish there before it was a state park. Beautiful canyons. Nice video.
It is really cool over there. They did an incredible job with the park, love the place.
I set my digital camera to BW very early on. Started that way on film, and just really enjoy that BW first way of thinking. I still do colour, but that's a secondary thought. A choice I make, if colour really is important to the image.
Unfortunately, all but one of my cameras has an optical viewfinder. So even with the cameras in BW, I'm still seeing the world through my own eyes. So it took some time to be able to visualise the monchromatic end result from the colour I was seeing. Worth it, though.
That was a "problem" I had when shooting with the Bronica. I ended up using an orange filter at almost all times. To increase the contrast, yes, but it also gave me a more monochromatic look. Like black and white but tinted orange, much closer to the final negative than looking the viewfinder with no filter in front. May be worth a try!
@@aows I'll definitely give that a go. I have been looking to get some colour filters for a while.There's just always something else that comes by first.
I did recently get a new 500mm lens, which came with an absolutely monstrous 105mm orange filter, though. Haven't put it on yet. But could be a nice intro, before I get a more human size filter for the rest of the lenses. =D
@@somegeezer 105mm filter! Oh my, that is a big piece of glass indeed haha. Good luck with the color filters, let me know how it goes.
preach, bro!
😁😁😁
I still have my a6000 and use it sometimes, my camera is set to b&w preview but all my photography is black and white, its not literal interpretation of the world . I live it because you can creat so much more withblack and white 😊
What a great camera that was... still is! I kind of miss it sometimes. Simpler times, the a6000 with the "crappy" kit lens, no worries about big and heavy equipment.
Great video, love the a6000!
It was such a great camera! I mean, it still is, cameras don't get worse over time :D
Every morning, every day, all year 70-100 photographers line up at Mesa Arch to take the same photograph. And that happens at all the iconic color places to photograph. Color photography is extremely limited and limiting.
if you ever have a chance you should come down to Australia if you like extremes well Australia is a land of extremes cheers
I would really love to. One day, I hope!
Like your videos a lot!
Now previsualization, zone system. I really love the way you take photographs in B&W, you understood the essence of things. And maybe some day with more budget, I wish you to make real film photography.
I love film and I hope to do some more film photography in the future, but for now, I do love the process and workflow I found for myself :)