A photographic study: Colour versus B&W

As I continue to explore photography from various angles,  the impact of colour is one of the obvious subjects of interest. And I thought I put this to the test by looking at the same image in colour and black & white.  Now, I would be very interested to hear your opinion. Which image does have a stronger impact for you? My last post which was published in colour, or its black & white version?

Japan Special - Floating Torii

The Floating Torii on Miyajima Island is well visited and has been photographed in all its splendour and from every angle. This journey through Japan has been an interesting experience for me as going sight-seeing is usually not something I do when on the road. So here I was, looking at the Torii from all angles myself and I decided to simply stay with my black & white project and to find out what the Floating Torii meant to me.

Japan Special

In a big city like Tokyo, I noticed that my subject choice seems to be people and structures. Catching the view out of the light rail in the early morning hours, I liked the outlook of both the strong lines and day ahead.

Japan Special

Morning commute in Tokyo. On the way to work. A black and white study.

Japan Special

Continuing to look at Black & White photography, this traditional bakery was pointed out to me while exploring Tokyo. The cookies are made of a waffle-like dough with a sweet bean filling and are very popular around here.

Japan Special

I just have the amazing opportunity to visit Japan and decided to include a study of Black and White photography on my blog. It's been on my list to do a more in depth study of Black & White photography, and to explore what subjects work, how B&W transforms the photo's message and how to translate colour into dramatic shades.

Black & white

As I go on exploring the impact of colour and patterns to the message of the photo I had another look at what happens to that message when I convert it to black & white. I took this photo because I was drawn to the impact the dead trees had on the landscape.

Black and white

To me this image seemed to lend itself to a black and white conversion and, I thought, it contrasts well with my two previous posts.

Mountain moods

Catching the mountain just before it disappeared behind a veil of clouds, this photo posed a challenge in its own right. Different in mood, the invading white breaks the scene in parts and fragments the picture, leaving the individual scenes almost disconnected.

Staying with the theme

How do you move on from a peak? On a mountain, there is only one way to continue, it's to back down. On a stage it's the moment the curtain closes, you take off the make up and the costume. And in photography? I decided to stay with the theme and to find out if I can work as elegantly with other shots that might not be that dramatic to start with and might therefore pose a bigger challenge to the craft.

Following the masters

Inspired by Ansel Adams and Sebastião Salgado's current exhibition, I had to try my hands on dramatic black & white landscapes to see where this new experience takes me...

Street photography

Late afternoon commute at London Bridge. What happens if I'd point the camera and shoot randomly at a crowd coming towards me on a busy afternoon at London Bridge? Nobody seemed to care. And I thought it was an intriguing and liberating experience.

Black and white

Back in the streets of London, I've taken my little project onto the platform and into the train. To me this environment had a similar feel to the pedestrianised areas and tunnels - anonymous, timeless and lonely. On our own, on our way, without looking much around or connecting to the world around us.

Black and white

Back on the streets in London and pursuing my little street photography project. There is a certain scenery I feel drawn to. In this underpass I was fascinated by relationship between the people and the space.

From above

Inspired by my street photography project, I took exploring anonymity and distance a step further, and, looking down onto a specific area, I observed how people walking in and out of my picture field created a flow, a pattern, a continuity.

 

Black and white

Over the winter I started a street photography project. Inspired by a William Klein exhibition in the Tate Modern, I have worked in pedestrianised areas around London, freezing the moment without giving it too much thought. I noticed that I became drawn to the anonymity of people passing by at a distance, almost blending into the landscape, forming a pattern within the urban landscape.

Staircase

Taking a photo of a staircase is such a classic, and I could not resist to explore the theme. Structure, light and geography.

 

Moments

London, Nov 2012. This week I was left with the question "What makes a good photo?" Challenged by that question I continue wondering about the border between abstract and representative image.