My Perspective on Monochromatic (black and white) Photography
I love the drama of black and white, the interplay of shadow and light, its ‘texture’ and feel, its demonstrative attitude - the feeling that I get that tells me ‘I can look at you and find something different-new-grabbing, each time I look at you’: you help me see better. Marcel Proust said, ‘The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new sights- but in looking with new eyes’. Black and white photography or Monochromatic photography helps me ‘see with new eyes’.
I have loved taking monochrome photographs since I shot my first role of TRI-X film in my Dad’s old Leica iif, D.R.P. (sometimes called a ‘Barnack Camera”, after the creator), a post-WW-2 rangefinder camera. The viewfinder was so small that I quickly learned about ‘ f-stop’, depth of field, judging distance and how to make a decent ‘photo’…. without looking through the tiny viewfinder. Wouldn’t he have loved to know that I returned to a career of photography – still using that ‘old Leica’.
My photograph of my Mother, ca. 1960, at the base of Shiprock, NM. I am not sure what plastic camera that I used. This is the earliest photograph that I can find that I took. My Mother took my Brother and I on a road trip in 1960 - two children, by herself. We covered several states, as we headed to the Southwest four corners region. We spent several weeks camping and staying in Rt. 66 motels, traveling in this 1958 Buick station wagon. This trip and experience made an indelible mark on my wanderlust, photography, outdoor life and love of the Southwest. Several decades later I visited this spot again …..and moved across the country to live in New Mexico.
In school, I studied the Masters of Photography. I admired the tenacity and skill of Weston, Cartier-Bresson, Ansel Adams, Cunningham, Evans, Gibson and the lessor known Masters - like Tress, Laughlin, Walker. I learned their technique, style and the stories they told.
I experimented and put myself outside of my comfort zone to capture story, light, patterns and the magic of nature that I felt. Through every ‘critique session’, by my peers and Instructors, I felt my growth and understanding of black and white photography- this ‘soul’ of photography.
Much of my Black and White work has been in film. I still love to work with film- 120 and 35mm. The digital monochromatic world is enticing - working with increased ISO, playing with grain (‘noise’) and always finding and capturing the moment. Arthur Fellig (‘Weegee’), an American news photographer – searching for ‘that’ image, said the key to good photography is: ‘F8 and be there’. In other words, set your f-stop (diaphragm of the lens ‘eye’) at the greatest depth of field and be present to capture the image. Be quick and stealthy and you will get the photo. Ansel Adams, on the other hand and characteristically, lugged his 8x10 camera, with photographic plates, with huge tripod (sometimes by mule – his equipment weighing 50 lbs or more) to a location and waited, waited sometimes hours for the light to present just the image he wanted.
I find myself using both techniques, with both digital cameras and film cameras. However, I do not lug camera equipment by mule.
