We can photograph our subject simply as it is, a faithful record. We can get creative, perhaps using black and white or playing with tone and structure, to produce an image close to the original but not purely representational of it. Or we can interpret the subject with such freedom that it becomes something other than it once was, an abstraction.
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It would be unusual if we weren’t motivated to pick our camera when we see a beautiful flower, an awe-inspiring landscape, an attractive or characterful person, an elegant building. But it would be a shame to restrict our photography only to those more obvious subjects. We can also look for the photogenic in everyday objects, looking at them with fresh eyes to appreciate their forms and textures.
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How do you feel about editing photos? Do you believe that the image you take should be the only one you present to the world? That it’s wrong to mess with the reality of what you saw? Or are you perhaps happy to tweak a shot a little, straightening a horizon or cropping out that person who wandered into it as you pressed the shutter?
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A black and white world is a strange world indeed, but then there is much in the world that seems strange to us. Different cultures, different landscapes, different architecture, different animals … and that is why we travel.
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When you remove the colour from an image you see other aspects of your subject more clearly. Shape, form, texture all stand out more without the distraction of colour, and monochrome highlights the contrasts between them.
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Some photographic subjects are obvious candidates for black and white, others seem better suited to colour. But sometimes it’s interesting to choose a subject or destination that appears to cry out for colour and experiment with some monochrome edits. The results may surprise you!
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In a photo our eyes instinctively take a walk along a line to see where it leads. When it leads to a focal point in the image we talk about leading lines. But wherever they lead, lines can add so much interest to a photo.
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I’ve had several exchanges of comments with blogger friends about the merits or otherwise of editing flower shots in monochrome. Some, like me, find the textures and shapes attractive, while others bemoan the loss of colour.
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What is it that attracts photographers to capture so many doors and windows? Is it because they stand out from the rest of the building? Is it something less conscious, being drawn to exits and entrances as offering adventure (or a way out)?
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If it is true that light is the key to photography, surely it is especially the case that it is key to drama in photography. The most dramatic photos are often those with the most interesting light, and with strong contrasts between light and dark.
