BLACK & WHITE ONLY: Nude Photos
Black & white photos have a beauty all their own. This is a place for posting and discussing black & white photos, also monotone sepia photographs as well as the aesthetics of portraying nudity inB & W.
- created by Leolucbx
Why Are We Still Drawn to Black & White Images?
Return to DiscussionsColor film went mainstream in the 1930's. Yet, after all these years, an attraction to black and white persists, we still find black and white photos appealing.
I've done some research on the internet and have, hopefully, come up with some interesting opinions. Color can sometimes overwhelm a photo, distract the viewer from what makes an image special. In black and white though, the shapes, the structures, the composition, and the specialty of the lighting situation become the most clear. Sometimes an otherwise inferior photo works simply because of color--a large patch of red or yellow, whereas with black and white we're drawn in primarily by aesthetic appeal, it's capture of human nature.
Excellent question. Theory: could the answer relate to the fact that the vast majority of the photoreceptors in our eyes are super-sensitive rods, not less-sensitive color sensing cones? Black and white turns a photo into art. Removes wave-lengths that we equate with reality. The rods convey the detail of the picture, but the cones are silent. So our brain is triggered to recognize the photo as artificial. Derived from reality. And, so, those parts of the brain alert to art analyze it as artistic? Would be interesting to study which brain regions relate to a color or b/w photo. Thanks again for topic! Very cool!!!
Thanks for making this club! Great idea!
I am a fine art figure photographer. I am naturally drawn to B+W photos in general. When the nude in photography is presented, I feel B+W ads a dimension of art to the image. A nude can easily look like a snapshot when the image is in color. Now and then an image works better for me in color, but rare. I photograph in color (digital) Then convert to B+W. I model now and then for photographers, and am much happier if I know they work in B+W.
Drew
I love grayscales as much as I love colors. Sometimes you want to create a special mood, sometimes the colors show no message at all in a photo - then it is time to switch to B&W. The photo attached was made +20 years ago. I developed the black-and-white film and made a print out of it. The flaws were also handmade ;-) as a homage to Bruce Weber - a famous fashion photographer well known for this B&W photos.
Yup I find black & white photos appealing and they are clearer in perspectives too.
That's why I would "convert" some of my digital colour into black & white photos using picture editors, and they will be just the way I wish for - clear and nice.
I got a new camera and has an option to set to b&w which I've found so cool. Going to be testing it out and see what kind of results I get. The pics on this blog are very interesting. What attracts my attention is that you are left with a bit for the imagination with the darkness some areas are left in b&w pics.