Black & White: opportunistic or planned choice?

[paolo1 (Paolo Pasquariello)]

Critique Style: In-Depth

The photographer is looking for deeper feedback connected to their intent, creative direction, and specific questions.

Feedback Focus: Artistic + Technical

About This Image

It was a misty and dull day as always in the Amazon forest when I capture this moment of an Owl monkey family intented to rest but always watching at any potential threat coming from everywhere.

Why This Image?

When I looked at this image in colour, it does not convey any of feelings that I had in the fiedl while shooting this moment, which is a mix of cutness and tension at the same moment as these monkey are constantly watching their back for potential threats. But then, I had the ides to turn it in B&W and everthing assumed another dimension.

What I’m Trying to Express or Explore

I usually value colors over black and white but when I came home after this experience, I understood that some photos deos not convey any feeling but sunndely when you turn them in B&W, adjust lights etc.., everithing changes. This is at least what happened with several photos of this trip.

Where Feedback Would Help Most

My question is, do you also have an opportunistic approach with B&W or when you shoot, do you intentionally shoot knwing that then you’ll be post-processing in B&W?

Does this image evoke any emotions when you look at it?

Do you think that the lgiht work or could that work if managed in other way?

Technical Details

NIkon Z8, VR 200-500 5.6E, 450 mm, shutter speed 1/125s, aperture 5.6, ISO 1250, handheld.

Post-processing: Curve adjustment, temp. and some channel in the B&W mixer

[Dennis_Plank]

Welcome to NPN, Paolo. I really like this image and I can certainly see why you chose to go to B&W. It takes a second or two to see what’s happening in this image, but when you do the watchfulness of the monkeys comes through very well.

The large gap to the right of the monkeys does pull my eye quite a bit, so you might consider a tighter crop if you have the pixels to do so. Perhaps something like this:

As to your question. I am not much of a B&W person, so I rarely think of it in the field. Like you, I sometimes try it in processing if the color isn’t conveying what I want it to.

[Kris_Smith (Kristen M Smith)]

Hi and welcome to NPN. I think that this is interesting, but difficult at the same time. The branch in the middle of our trio and the bright areas keep me from engaging as fully as I would if they weren’t there. Still, with wildlife, we take what we can get and I like the watchful aspect of the monkeys.

B&W is something I shot off and on for years with film and I used to be able to “see” pretty well for that kind of image back then. These days I will deliberately shoot monochrome images if I know the composition is there, but still not obvious to me. Sometimes removing color from the equation can help guide better framing and placement. Most modern cameras have a monochrome mode that will show you the image on the screen and this is a huge help. I’ve used it often with complex landscapes and it works really well.

[paolo1 (Paolo Pasquariello)]

Thanks Kristen

[paolo1 (Paolo Pasquariello)]

Thanks, Dennis. Yup, I do have spece for cropping.

[Huw_Thomas]

Blockquote[quote=“Paolo Pasquariello, post:1, topic:52208, username:paolo1”]
My question is, do you also have an opportunistic approach with B&W or when you shoot, do you intentionally shoot knwing that then you’ll be post-processing in B&W?

Hi Paulo and Welcome

B+W is a step away from reality, an abstraction, but it really helps where the colours distract or are too loud to convey a subtle subject hidden away in an image. Because the colours are gone , the light (tones) and structure/textures are enhanced to the eye - so I really shoot in mono if this is the message I want to convey. I always shoot in raw so I can go back to colour , but do have the camera shooting style in mono if I see the possibility of mono.

Mono has a hidden message of “documentary eye” too as so much of early photography was mono.(not all though - google autochrome).

Does this image evoke any emotions when you look at it?

Yes the eyes penetrate through well - but the image is a little of a puzzle until you see them

Do you think that the light work or could that work if managed in other way?

This was a really difficult one - you might have moved the exposure compensation down to -1 or -1.5 to shoot for the brighter areas and then rescued the shadows but its impossible to tell whether that would have worked.

The vine through the face of the third monkey is a bit of a shame. It’s possible that it may be less noticable in colour as it might become part of the framing. Why not post a colour version if you have one?

It’s a lovely memory image of a fantastic trip I’m sure. Please keep posting!

AI doesn’t make a bad job of removing the vine - and how about this crop?

[JRajput]

Hi Paolo ! Welcome to NPN !

Interesting image and I find these eyes very curious. Those bright areas of sky are bit distracting and take attention away from the subject.

Coming to your question, I normally shoot color only, but at times I know in advance if that would work in B&W.