«What do a tropical bird, fruit, and a new box of crayons all have in common? Well, they're bright and full of color, of course—something that can't be found within the array of photographs in the Met's current exhibition Garry Winogrand, on view through September 21. Growing up, I was always told, "Not everything is black and white…" But who says it can't be?»
Aside from Winogrand's in-your-face attitude when taking photos, the lack of color in his photographs helps to instill an instant curiosity in his viewers, leaving them to wonder what was truly going on while the photo was being captured. This, along with the way he paid attention to the lighting of his surroundings, proves that the moments are as genuine as the people who capture them. Winogrand once said, "Is the photograph more dramatic than what was photographed? It has to be."
I find that the beauty of black and white, especially when used photographically, can be inherently dramatic. In some circumstances, it's precisely the lack of color that makes the photo dramatic. You can have a really good shot of something—let's say a bridge—taken at a great angle with great lighting. The only thing holding it back from being a great shot might then be that the beauty of the subject—the bridge—has gotten washed out by the many colors of its surroundings—the sky, cars, buildings, water, etc.
Photographs courtesy of loserwithacamera.tumblr.com
I believe that the key to mastering black-and-white photography is knowing when it's appropriate. For starters, the decision to shoot in black and white should come as a feeling that stems from the initial passion a person has for taking pictures. Sometimes, you just know that a picture should be colorless. For example, examine the two shots above. They were taken on the same day, at the same time, same place, same moment. The only difference is that one has color while the other does not. The lack of color in the second photo allows viewers to fix all of their attention on the emotions revealed in that moment, rather than the many different colors found there.
In the same way that the use of black and white can occasionally change the perspective of a photo, so can the use of vibrant colors. In the black-and-white photo of the beautiful parrots below, it's hard to appreciate the natural beauty of the birds which are known for their vibrant plumage. However, in the color photo, the vibrancy and saturation of the colors, along with the light, almost white, sand in the back, helps to direct the viewers' attention to the birds. The use of color is a luxury that wasn't available in the earliest days of photography.
Photographs courtesy of loserwithacamera.tumblr.com
It seems to me that black-and-white pictures are best for giving a classic look and feel to the moments being captured, whereas color helps us to appreciate the beauty of a subject, especially one in nature.
What do you think? Which of the photos in each set works best in terms of capturing the moment? Which of the photos in each set do you feel is the most dramatic?