Photographers and B&W

[Yemme]

Can you get away with bad lighting in black and white? Are some photographers doing B&W to camouflage their lack of skill in lighting? Or is it the other way around… Are B&W images easier …what’s your view?

 

[kundalini]

More contraversy?

Some images just prevail themselves to B&W.

If I were better at conversion, more of my images may turn out B&W, particularly people photography.

 

[pm63]

I don't think you can get away with bad lighting any more than you can in colour... why would you suggest that?

As kundalini said, some images just look better in BW.

 

[Yemme]

More contraversy?

Some images just prevail themselves to B&W.

If I were better at conversion, more of my images may turn out B&W, particularly people photography.

Ok I'll behave...

Thanks for the response.

 

[Yemme]

I don't think you can get away with bad lighting any more than you can in colour... why would you suggest that?

As kundalini said, some images just look better in BW.

I thought it would be harder in color than B&W. You have that color scale to deal with and the reflection of colors. In B&W that's all there is and maybe gray scale. I'm not a pro... I know nothing of lighting. My mind functions this way and the logic that comes out. More colors broader spectrum. Less color... well you should get my point.

 

[NateWagner]

Hmm, well, much as I hate to admit it, if there is a photo I like, but the coloring is just off and I can't save it I will often turn it b&w. Similarly some photos are just going to look better in black and white than they ever did in color they're just lent to that and I will also often turn those B&W.

Thus, I would say that although sometimes it is used to cover up a mistake it's not always done that way so one shouldn't just assume.

 

[monkeykoder]

In my experience bad lighting is worse in B&W because more of the image is decided by textures and shadows. You're not going to get good B&W without attention to lighting color might be possible if there is enough detail in the color patterns.

 

[kundalini]

Ok I'll behave...

Oh...... please don't.



As others mentioned, I think lighting is more critical in getting a "good" B&W than with color.

 

[Alpha]

this was a post

 

[monkeykoder]

Well, with black and white you only have to worry about nailing one set of tones, but that means the pressure is really on to get it right. There's no hiding your mistakes.

I'm guessing this is a bit more applicable to shots taken specifically for B&W but I don't think B&W is going to save a poorly taken shot maybe just a shot that has poorly matched colors in it (say a 4 year old that dressed themselves in lime green bright purple and somehow hot pink all at the same time while playing with the brightly colored legos...) Both shots would take the same skill from the photographer they're just masking things that were out of their control. It might remove the distraction these colors pose which allows the viewer of the image focus on the content vs the colors.

 

[Alpha]

this was also a post

 

[Alpha]

Oh **** it forget everything I just said I don't event want to participate in this useless discussion.

 

[monkeykoder]

Oh **** it forget everything I just said I don't event want to participate in this useless discussion.

Is something bothering you?

 

[Alpha]

Yes. These conversations go nowhere. Nothing against you or anyone else who's posted. They just go in circles.

BW is harder because of X and Y
No, color is harder because of Z
But X and Y are more important
But sometimes Y is the same as Z
And color makes you do this
But BW makes you focus on that

...ugh

 

[monkeykoder]

My point is lighting is harder in B&W which is the original posters question. I was also making a point as to the fact that there ARE certain things that need control in color that are controlled differently in B&W. Really the original question is meaningless as each medium has it's own set of skills to master. Color needs a skilled hand at getting the right intensities and combination of colors while B&W requires an eye for what things will look like in B&W we don't see that way and even if we did we'd still have to compensate for the fact that film is affected differently by different wavelengths of light. Each medium gives you a different feel for a scene and has it's own challenges. Particularly in B&W you go nowhere without good lighting.