My Monochrome Adventure
Click on the images or text above to view my black and white portfolios.
For a good 5 years I haven't shot a roll of black and white film and it feels like a very long time. I've shot color film since 2005 and haven't touched black and white since 2007. I was one that thought that after shooting color I could convert that image into black and white so why bother shooting black and white at all? I thought that for the longest time until Spring 2012 when my friend was talking about shooting black and white so I decided to do so as well. After he got me started again, I fell back in love with it again and felt inspired to shoot a lot more. Even to create a this project called "My Monochrome Adventure" to share my experience with the world.
I take an unconventional approach to black and white photography where I use 2 of my favorite films. Ilford Delta 100 for sharp and fine detail shots and Ilford Delta 3200 which is a high speed film to shoot in low light and high grain film that I use for nature, which most photographers would not recommend doing. I like to go for extreme difference it seems. With Delta 100 you get fine grain images but with Delta 3200 you'll get a lot of grain. Very rarely you'll see me shoot film between those two ranges of film. I've tried searching online for pictures of flower and nature shot with 3200 film but was very unsuccessful. Most nature shots where done either digitally or with fine grain film to have maximum detail of the subject. With 3200 film I've been able to achieve detail pictures while bringing out the characteristic of high grain of the film.
Shooting color/digitally and shooting in back and white are two different ways of seeing and thinking. I do agree that digital produces a lot better quality and sharper images than compared to black and white film but to me, film has certain characteristics that digital cannot replace. With film you're able to focus more on the art and science of photography. I'm a believer of that saying "Less is better." for photography. With film you're limiting your resources when compared to digital and you're forced to think more on shooting and on how to achieve the shot that you want.
To me, I rather spend hours if not my entire day developing film and printing in a darkroom than sitting at my computer editing pictures. It's more the fact that you don't know what your pictures look like after you take them and you feel a bit anxious to see your negatives for the first time. Then when you print them, it's actually pretty cool when you see an image appear on blank piece of white photographic paper. The actual process from shooting to film developing to making the final print is irreplaceable. I feel if you want to understand photography, you'll need to learn black and white film photography and learn the basics.
Since starting this project titled "My Monochrome Adventure", my mood for photography has changed for the better. Prior shooting film again I felt uninspired and unwilling to go out to shoot something new. I honestly felt a bit lost and didn't know where to start. Now here I am opening my eyes for what it seems like the first time in a long time and have been enjoying every minute of it. I have regained my love and passion for the art, whither if I'm shooting digital or with black and white film. This has been the best time and the most fun I have had shooting in a long time. Film and money cannot keep up with how I'm shooting now.
For a good 5 years I haven't shot a roll of black and white film and it feels like a very long time. I've shot color film since 2005 and haven't touched black and white since 2007. I was one that thought that after shooting color I could convert that image into black and white so why bother shooting black and white at all? I thought that for the longest time until Spring 2012 when my friend was talking about shooting black and white so I decided to do so as well. After he got me started again, I fell back in love with it again and felt inspired to shoot a lot more. Even to create a this project called "My Monochrome Adventure" to share my experience with the world.
I take an unconventional approach to black and white photography where I use 2 of my favorite films. Ilford Delta 100 for sharp and fine detail shots and Ilford Delta 3200 which is a high speed film to shoot in low light and high grain film that I use for nature, which most photographers would not recommend doing. I like to go for extreme difference it seems. With Delta 100 you get fine grain images but with Delta 3200 you'll get a lot of grain. Very rarely you'll see me shoot film between those two ranges of film. I've tried searching online for pictures of flower and nature shot with 3200 film but was very unsuccessful. Most nature shots where done either digitally or with fine grain film to have maximum detail of the subject. With 3200 film I've been able to achieve detail pictures while bringing out the characteristic of high grain of the film.
Shooting color/digitally and shooting in back and white are two different ways of seeing and thinking. I do agree that digital produces a lot better quality and sharper images than compared to black and white film but to me, film has certain characteristics that digital cannot replace. With film you're able to focus more on the art and science of photography. I'm a believer of that saying "Less is better." for photography. With film you're limiting your resources when compared to digital and you're forced to think more on shooting and on how to achieve the shot that you want.
To me, I rather spend hours if not my entire day developing film and printing in a darkroom than sitting at my computer editing pictures. It's more the fact that you don't know what your pictures look like after you take them and you feel a bit anxious to see your negatives for the first time. Then when you print them, it's actually pretty cool when you see an image appear on blank piece of white photographic paper. The actual process from shooting to film developing to making the final print is irreplaceable. I feel if you want to understand photography, you'll need to learn black and white film photography and learn the basics.
Since starting this project titled "My Monochrome Adventure", my mood for photography has changed for the better. Prior shooting film again I felt uninspired and unwilling to go out to shoot something new. I honestly felt a bit lost and didn't know where to start. Now here I am opening my eyes for what it seems like the first time in a long time and have been enjoying every minute of it. I have regained my love and passion for the art, whither if I'm shooting digital or with black and white film. This has been the best time and the most fun I have had shooting in a long time. Film and money cannot keep up with how I'm shooting now.
