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03/26/2011 01:34:47 PM · #1 |
ok DPCers
soliciting opinions on whether the entries to this challenge will need to be B&W to meet criteria? from all i found, all Weston's work was B&W, but the challenge states
"Edward Weston was one of the most famous photographers of the 20th century. Create a photo that resembles his style of photography."
does "resembles" preclude a photo in color (eg., an "update" of the Weston style)?
-mefnj |
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03/26/2011 01:40:03 PM · #2 |
You could enter any interpritation of it as you want, but I would think that the voters will be looking for photos which resemble actual Weston photos so anything that isn't B&W would score lower.
Still, don't let that put you off :) |
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03/26/2011 01:41:30 PM · #3 |
| I doubt you'll score well with a color photo, but I would be interested to see how you intend to capture his spirit in color. |
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03/26/2011 01:41:45 PM · #4 |
| I would be inclined to agree that the photo should be in b+w, but i am a bit disenheartened to see that advanced editing is chosen as the skill level. It seems to me that Edward Weston's style is minimally processed at most, which would lend me to wish that basic editing would be the best level. I realize, however, that processing level sometimes has nothing to do with who has a good picture so maybe that doesn't matter anyway. Either way, definately B+w i'm surprised to see no one else has already asked that question. |
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03/26/2011 01:42:58 PM · #5 |
Well... let me preface my comment by saying that everybody is going to give you all manner of answers, and it will only be a small cross-section of the voters... so it's a crapshoot.
Personally, I would say that so long as the image resembles it, I could care less if it is in color or BW. Beyond that, though, I think there might be an argument in how color effects the feel and look of a photo, particularly by having additional tonal variety and gradation (which I wouldn't wholly say resembles his style). Color photos just induce different feelings and a different representation generally. Does this mean they necessarily don't fit? No. |
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03/26/2011 01:44:39 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by dali_lama_2k:
It seems to me that Edward Weston's style is minimally processed at most |
It may seem that way to you, but you are wrong. |
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03/26/2011 01:44:55 PM · #7 |
If you want to score well, you probably need to shoot B/W, yes.
But Weston, at the end of his career, was working in color, and did one major exhibition in color. Here's some excerpts from what he has to say about color:
Originally posted by Edward Weston, "Color as Form":
So many photographs—and paintings too, for that matter—are just tinted black-and-whites. The prejudice many photographers have against color photography comes from not thinking of color as form. You can say things with color that can't be said in black-and-white.
I never expected to take up color photography, though unconsciously I had been thinking about it. You don't stop thinking about a thing because you don't do it.
. . .
As in black-and-white one learns to forget color, so in color one must learn to forget the black-and-white forms.
. . .
You find a few subjects that can be expressed in either color or black-and-white. But you find more that can be said only through one of them. Many I photographed would be meaningless in black-and-white; the separation of forms is possible only because of the juxtaposition of colors.
At just the moment I began to get somewhere, I had unfortunately, for several reasons, to quit. I feel I only scratched the surface. But those who say that color will eventually replace black-and-white are talking nonsense. The two do not compete with each other. They are different means to different ends. |
So if you wanna go for it, more power to you :-)
R. |
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03/26/2011 01:46:15 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by dali_lama_2k:
I would be inclined to agree that the photo should be in b+w, but i am a bit disenheartened to see that advanced editing is chosen as the skill level. It seems to me that Edward Weston's style is minimally processed at most, which would lend me to wish that basic editing would be the best level. I realize, however, that processing level sometimes has nothing to do with who has a good picture so maybe that doesn't matter anyway. Either way, definately B+w i'm surprised to see no one else has already asked that question. |
Every negative that has been developed has been put through processing that is beyond minimal processing here with the exception of polaroids and what somebody prints and takes to their big box developer. |
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03/26/2011 01:59:37 PM · #9 |
I have a whole book of Ansel Adams color photographs, anyone of which would have scored poorly in the AA challenge here, though when you know they are his, they are very much a piece of his work.
I for one would not vote color down, but if I was a betting man, I would expect the first page to be all B&W. |
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03/26/2011 02:04:22 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by dali_lama_2k:
I would be inclined to agree that the photo should be in b+w, but i am a bit disenheartened to see that advanced editing is chosen as the skill level. It seems to me that Edward Weston's style is minimally processed at most, which would lend me to wish that basic editing would be the best level. |
I have watched Cole Weston print from his father's negatives. I assure you, these prints cannot be accomplished with basic editing. It's a measure of the skill with which they were printed, that they look as if they might have been.
R. |
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03/26/2011 02:28:36 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by dali_lama_2k:
I would be inclined to agree that the photo should be in b+w, but i am a bit disenheartened to see that advanced editing is chosen as the skill level. It seems to me that Edward Weston's style is minimally processed at most, which would lend me to wish that basic editing would be the best level. I realize, however, that processing level sometimes has nothing to do with who has a good picture so maybe that doesn't matter anyway. Either way, definately B+w i'm surprised to see no one else has already asked that question. |
well, i am playing with a range of shots today (mostly 3 exp HDR) for this challenge, and they seem to me to be a bit more engaging in color... sooo.... maybe that means i've got crappy shots that are not going to score well regardless.
as an aside (and i know this came up in the other Weston thread), i found the work of his that is viewable online to be pretty "flat"
-mefnj |
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03/26/2011 02:29:09 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
If you want to score well, you probably need to shoot B/W, yes.
But Weston, at the end of his career, was working in color, and did one major exhibition in color. Here's some excerpts from what he has to say about color:
Originally posted by Edward Weston, "Color as Form":
So many photographs—and paintings too, for that matter—are just tinted black-and-whites. The prejudice many photographers have against color photography comes from not thinking of color as form. You can say things with color that can't be said in black-and-white.
I never expected to take up color photography, though unconsciously I had been thinking about it. You don't stop thinking about a thing because you don't do it.
. . .
As in black-and-white one learns to forget color, so in color one must learn to forget the black-and-white forms.
. . .
You find a few subjects that can be expressed in either color or black-and-white. But you find more that can be said only through one of them. Many I photographed would be meaningless in black-and-white; the separation of forms is possible only because of the juxtaposition of colors.
At just the moment I began to get somewhere, I had unfortunately, for several reasons, to quit. I feel I only scratched the surface. But those who say that color will eventually replace black-and-white are talking nonsense. The two do not compete with each other. They are different means to different ends. |
So if you wanna go for it, more power to you :-)
R. |
hey, can you post a link if it shows some of his color work??
thanks,
-mefnj |
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03/26/2011 03:08:43 PM · #13 |
I originally asked that this challenge be black and white, but the gods didn't smile on me. If you ask me, black and white is required for this challenge.
Message edited by author 2011-03-26 15:09:35. |
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03/26/2011 03:28:38 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
I have watched Cole Weston print from his father's negatives.
R. |
Dang, Ansel Adams, Cole Weston.....Can we all just agree that Robert is the hippest cat on this site? I'm gonna get Ken to make you a logo. |
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03/26/2011 04:36:52 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by mefnj:
hey, can you post a link if it shows some of his color work??
thanks,
-mefnj |
There is a nice blog that posts 7 of his color images that questions if Weston ought not to be considered the father of color photography, including a few shots that are in his classic style as far as subject and lighting. |
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03/26/2011 04:46:14 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by mefnj:
hey, can you post a link if it shows some of his color work??
thanks,
-mefnj |
Also some here, as well as on the next page |
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