Why do YOU shoot black and white?

[caesar_augustus]

I find color photography distracting so that is why I shoot B&W.

[caesar_augustus]

Jasmine Clark says she likes grainy film, and then says she uses Adox and Efke films which are anything but grainy.

[jasmine_clark]

I do like grainy film. Didn't say that Adox and Ekfe films were grainy. I normally use Ilford and wanted to try something new : )

[jukka_lehmus]

I shoot b&w because it's more abstract (as stated above), more graphical and easier to expose and develop.

I shoot colour slides now and then, mostly to check my eye I shoot by sunny sixteen). Also looking into colour negative in medium format.

Favourite film, Fomapan 400 in XTOL. Subject: scenes from the street, parks and people's back yards. I like pictures of temporary installations of rubbish or vegetation in natural condition.

I shoot in the daytime. Diffused light between f8 and f11 is the best one.

Some grain is ok but larger grain breaks up the tonality in 35mm size. I do prefer soft contrast.

I'm usually printing 25 sheets in a session. The developer is good for four sessions.

I do scan some of my working prints and put them online for some feedback. The scans are poor.

 

Why are you asking?

[remy_gautard]

I shoot only black and white and like printing in my lab.

 

I use HP5+ + ID11 1+1

 

All kind of subjects : landscape, portrait, kids, still life...

outside or inside with natural light or flash directed to the ceiling

 

 

Artistic judgments, opinions, philosophies, anything!

 

I think I like the process, the cameras and the look of traditional B&W even if it more slow and difficult to achieve.

[caesar_augustus]

thats a lot of grain. I bet scanning increased it

 

I like it

[cblkdog]

Nice print Gautard. BTW my crack about making real prints was just a little jibe at digital images, I've seen some beautiful ones. I still like the smell of acetic acid better than ink or whatever.

[caesar_augustus]

Digital isn't nearly as good as film. I know because I shoot both. The problem isn't just resolution it is other things.

 

I shoot 6x4.5 and digital, 10.1 MP. Digital does bad stuff film never does, like a thin layer of color you can't get rid of. I have never seen film do that.

[dave_wilson1]

I used to shoot lots of color and BW. Now that I'm done with all work for hire, it's just BW for me, I prefer that medium and some color 35mm developed in drug store for family stuff. BW all 6x6 Hasselblad, FP4+ HC110.