una mancha blanca (a white spot)
After thousands of photographs I came to the conclusion that black and white photography is an art I like to see but not one I can do. I noticed that almost completely the images I processed were just for curiosity and not because a pre-visualization. So I guess this is my last long post dedicated to black and white pictures. I’ll publish more in the future but just one photograph.
Do kittens dream of electric sheep?
another wold below
sol negro (black sun)
long shadows
empty bottles in a silent night
drops of rain
And well, that’s all. Those photographs were made thanks to the Fujifilm X-E1 and the Fujinon lens 35mm F1.4. I noticed that that combo gave me great files, better than my current Sony R1; so in part as I haven’t them with me I can’t feel the desire to convert files to black and white. Another reason is that in Peru the color in advertisement and traditional clothes is quite elaborated, so it would be a pity to hide so much work negating the colors.
That doesn’t mean that I’m going never to make again another black and white pic. I modified a selfie I took some days ago with the tablet and I think it ended ok. But I don’t see myself doing a lot of them in the near future. But well, never say never ;-)
another portrait….
Qhapaq 
Never say never ! they are very good photos to me :)
Yes, I’m happy with them but I didn’t put the heart in them as in my colored originals, I always try to do the things with a honest intention. But you’re right, we don’t know how is going to be the future :-)
These are good shots, if you really want to do black and white, you will keep at it.
Thanks Karen for the encouragement, I’ve discovered that I love to see black and white photographs but I don’t have the same pleasure trying to doing them. I guess we’ve to do what our soul asks. I’m happy seeing. By the way I am loving your multicolor autumn, and your macro landscapes have unique colors, know that’s what I’m searching I think.
Thanks Francis, you should do what gives you the most pleasure, I do enjoy some black and white images, but I think I really prefer colour images, so I don’t shoot in black and white, but sometimes I might convert and image to black and white, but I don’t get much pleasure out of it.
Exactly. I’m glad because your words gave voice to what I wanted to say. Thanks very much.
Okay, so landscapes don’t work out so well in black and white, but I really like the kitten asleep on the keyboard because there are two objects with very different textures (although I wouldn’t want to clean the hair out of the keys). The photo of the bottles has more of a sepia tone to it, but it works great!
And the self-portrait with half your face is light and the other half in shadow is very interesting as well. You look serious, almost anxious, but you can’t really smile for a photo like that. It’s a photo that would make an interesting topic of discussion in a psychology class (half of your face in light – the other half in shadow).
I look forward to all of your photos – black, white, green, pink, whatever :)
Thanks Melissa for the observation :-) the selfie was a rehearsal with the tablet with a film camera. I was trying to get an effect similar to Rembrandt paintings with the light and deep shadows.
The little kitten has more contrast, it was easier to convert to black and white and there was not much chance to her to be in the keyboards :D
I’ll try to publish good photographs to be worthy of my readership ;-)
Black and white photography is like a dessert at dinner. It’s tasty, but do not saturate. I have seen many remarkable black and white photographs, but remain a fan of color. The world is colorful Francis, and therefore it is so wonderful! I hope that you do not give up to color!
The future is unknown for us. Thanks for your visit Dan. Hoping you’re having a great week and everything is all right with your projects.
Hi Francis, you know I am into black and white. But you know I am also into color photography. But I am not into A or B. I think there are times and images for one of them. When you write about black and white you write about photographs not pics (as you call your photographs), you talk about they have to be worthy to your readership (that’s me) and not about fun (as you are writing about color pics). I absolutely understand if you don’t like black and white and that you go for color. But why are you then posting all these awesome and beautiful black and white photographs? I think if you give it a chance and do it whenever you like it, it will be exciting stuff. For me there is no conflict between both genres. If I am in the mood for b&w… so is it. If not, I do colors. What I actually wanted to say: for me as your readership, I like your b&w photographs and your color pics. I think they go together very well. Like your face in light – the other half in shadow (like Melissa mentioned before). But what ever you decide. It’s your decision, and I could live with that. It’s just my very personal opinion about your b&w photographs / pics. :-)
Oh, just by the way with longer posts I titled them with letters, so the first long post about black and white was “-A” I know it can sounds a bit negative but time ago I decided to set photography exclusively as a hobby, my work as architect is enough demanding to want another occupation so to don’t forget it I use fun or pics to always to be conscious of my goals.
I published these photographs as a help to other people that, like me, could be thinking about the sense of black and white photography. My conclusion is just that if ones have fun then has to do it, but if it’s something mechanic then it could be, despite the good results as I think I got with these compositions, a good idea to let rest the digital filters a bit.
Thanks very much Reinhold :-) I really love your black and white photographs, the long exposures are truly amazing!
May be we are only writing about different subjects, Francis. I don’t understand your answer. But it doesn’t matter. The more I try to explain that I like your b&w, the more will you try to explain why you don’t like b&w photography on a post where you published awesome images in b&w. Let’s close the subject for this post. Sorry for the misunderstanding. We can do it better. Hope you are fine. Greetings. Reinhold
Oh, I’m sorry for that Reinhold. You are right, my answer is a bit obscure.
I’m glad you liked my compositions in black and white and I like these, my compositions in black and white, I’m proud of them and proud that a great artist like you like them. That’s truth and, perhaps that’s the hard part to explain myself, in a personal way doesn’t contradict with what I wrote previously. Kind regards and hoping my words aren’t make me sink more in quicksand :-),
Francis.
I get it! I know the painting that you’re referring to – interesting :) “..worthy of my readership” – Whatcha talkin’ about? Estas loco XD
haha, yeah! a bit, but everybody have a special kind of locura XD I think I tried to say: to publish posts interesting to the ones who visit me. I think that sounds better :D
Rembrandt had faces illuminated in dark rooms, and the other cheek in shadow had a triangle with light. The light seemed correct so I said why not. And here is :-)
@”that black and white photography is an art…” – yes, absolutely… especially for portaits and yours looks great, so bonne continuation, FR!:-)
Thanks Mélanie, glad you liked, lady of blue seas and multicolor gardens. By the way your comment went to the spam section (?) I wonder if that was a system mistake. In any case I send you a smile from far away, saludos :-)
con mucho gusto, FR!;-) WP is kinda “moody” now and then, I guess it’s been because of the “@” inside my forename: Mél@nie…:-)))
That is a good explanation XD Yes, sometimes WP hide commenters and posts of contacts! anyway, I’m glad to review the spam section regularly. Thanks :-)!
I too like the kitten shot, and the obscure Blade Runner reference :) I like colour best but it’s good to do something different now and then, reset the vision :)
That’s a good suggestion. Thanks kind lady :-)
I love the cat picture, choosing monochrome was wise, it adds more contrast. I just love it !! Is it your cat ? I understand your views about monochrome, I feel the same. It’s too much struggle for me do it but I enjoyed seeing it on other blogs :D
Here is the photograph with colors https://guaromekano.wordpress.com/2014/12/03/digital-dreams/ ;-) She is my brother’s cat. I’ve to travel so I couldn’t have cats (or be owned by cats XD)
I’m proud of my black and white photographs, is just that I feel there is no much of my heart or soul in them as in my color compositions. I enjoyed your photographs in black and white, especially the little Icelandic friend.
Damn it, I quite like the colour version as well :D I can’t choose my favourite !!! :D
Why not both? xD If these two photographs would be eaten by a virus and I could choose one then I’d choose the color one (besides you can get a b&w file from a color photograph but not inversely :D) Thanks!!!
I’ll choose the colour as well, I like your point. Yes, we can always create the b&w afterwards :D
I hope you had a nice weekend !
Yeah, it was a relaxed weekend XD, hoping yours was brutal \m/ (in the best meaning of the term of course, lol)
haha, I went to see the pandas in pairi-daiza : http://www.pairidaiza.eu/en
The weather was awful, it was raining but I had fun ! Especially since it’s the first time I’m seeing pandas :-)
I’d love to see it in your blog, besides I’d love to see white tigers; that made me remember the Simpsons episode http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYjjI0RNCvY/UUfvuq3ckjI/AAAAAAAACPI/Vg_B0caZugU/s1600/12-05.png :-)
I have to sort these 100000 pictures of the pandas first :-) (I’m exaggerating a bit but you got my feeling. SO many of them to sort. So many.. too many. I’m lazy ;-)) I can’t remember this episode D:
haha, I know, I can’t post the same day. This is the episode http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_vs._Dignity ;-)
I’ve read the summary, but I don’t think I’ve seen it, it didn’t ring any bell ;-) I’ve seen many,but not an entire season, it was completely random.
I see randomly, but I saw so much that perhaps I saw everything in that way @_@ :D