You might appreciate the work of Thomas Joshua Cooper. He travels for thousands of miles with a large format camera, rigorously composes the image, and then makes one photograph. Then he goes home.
There's a photojournalist named Milton Brooks who is like this as well. He would wait and wait for the right moment, then take a single photo. And he was shooting back in the 40s! Takes real confidence to shoot just one frame. They say this about Eggleston, too, though I've heard this might be an exaggeration. I love seeing contact sheets for this reason.
Interesting timing. I have thinking about how much I love my little Ricoh GR, but I don‘t like how fast I am to photograph with it. Analogue definitely has the benefit of slowing me down. And yes, b&w even more so. Btw. I just loaded my Mamiya and my Canon AE-1 with Ilford HP5 the other day. So, watch out in the next two years I might post the results. 🤣
interesting timing, you say. well, great people think alike 😉😊
uuuu, can't wait to see the results! my experience will say: don't trust the automatic on the canon and don't forget that you can push the film a little if you need without big compromise
Loved reading this. Somehow it made me think why I write poetry. I don't know if it is a far stretched parallel here but it is a lot easier to do prose or maybe it isn't. What I enjoyed was the thought process behind the b & w and how it pushes you to think. I wonder what else is in there? Glad you didn't give the cheeky answer to us!
I think I am drawn to film for similar reasons. I like the slowness - or maybe the gap - between when I take a photo and when I see it. That space is essential to me.
Graciela Iturbide said for her there are two it as the „decisive moments“ - one when you make the photo and the other when you look at your negatives. I liked that.
This pretty much echoes my sentiments. I am slower and more mindful when I photograph in black and white film. As well as thinking about how the colours will be rendered in black and white, I think about the cost of the film itself and processing the film. It definitely makes me a more considerate photographer.
I love the slowing down. As I’ve gotten back into photography, I wanted something with full manual controls with the dials and knobs, cuz it reminded me of growing up in the 80s and using my dad’s Pentax k1000! I love walking around with it, and fiddling around with the settings. Forces me to go slow!
You might appreciate the work of Thomas Joshua Cooper. He travels for thousands of miles with a large format camera, rigorously composes the image, and then makes one photograph. Then he goes home.
i will have a look, thank you for recommendation!
There's a photojournalist named Milton Brooks who is like this as well. He would wait and wait for the right moment, then take a single photo. And he was shooting back in the 40s! Takes real confidence to shoot just one frame. They say this about Eggleston, too, though I've heard this might be an exaggeration. I love seeing contact sheets for this reason.
There is something nice about slow creativity in a fast paced world!
agreed
Interesting timing. I have thinking about how much I love my little Ricoh GR, but I don‘t like how fast I am to photograph with it. Analogue definitely has the benefit of slowing me down. And yes, b&w even more so. Btw. I just loaded my Mamiya and my Canon AE-1 with Ilford HP5 the other day. So, watch out in the next two years I might post the results. 🤣
interesting timing, you say. well, great people think alike 😉😊
uuuu, can't wait to see the results! my experience will say: don't trust the automatic on the canon and don't forget that you can push the film a little if you need without big compromise
Oh yes, I already learned that about the Canon the other day from you!
Loved reading this. Somehow it made me think why I write poetry. I don't know if it is a far stretched parallel here but it is a lot easier to do prose or maybe it isn't. What I enjoyed was the thought process behind the b & w and how it pushes you to think. I wonder what else is in there? Glad you didn't give the cheeky answer to us!
The slow life is the creative life. Bnw offers that ability to really think about tones, composition and message. Really enjoyed this.
I like that you not only discuss shooting in b&w, but you are also thinking in b&w.
to me it's the only way if using film
I find that Black and White forces me to consider the balance of the composition more than color.
good point!
I think I am drawn to film for similar reasons. I like the slowness - or maybe the gap - between when I take a photo and when I see it. That space is essential to me.
it's kind of twice the miracle: once when you take the shot and once when you see it
Graciela Iturbide said for her there are two it as the „decisive moments“ - one when you make the photo and the other when you look at your negatives. I liked that.
I'm a huge fan of black and white photography. Thanks for explaining about the different tones of greys/blacks and how that happens.
i hope you know that all you have to do is ask 😉😊
You're too kind. thank you. 🙏
Funny, I've been contemplating writing about b/w images. I just sat down to start, and my home page fed my this post. Thanks!
that doesn't mean you have to stop. keep doing what you're doing, the more the merrier. and send us a link so we can all read your post
Will do!
Here it is:
https://kevinhansenphotoart.substack.com/p/color-or-not
Thanks for reading!
This pretty much echoes my sentiments. I am slower and more mindful when I photograph in black and white film. As well as thinking about how the colours will be rendered in black and white, I think about the cost of the film itself and processing the film. It definitely makes me a more considerate photographer.
I love the slowing down. As I’ve gotten back into photography, I wanted something with full manual controls with the dials and knobs, cuz it reminded me of growing up in the 80s and using my dad’s Pentax k1000! I love walking around with it, and fiddling around with the settings. Forces me to go slow!