Say hello to Julia, one of my six granddaughters. I can’t imagine this photograph in color. I’ve been photographing the girls for almost nine years now — almost exclusively in black and white.
B&W cuts to the chase when it’s time to capture the moment, especially with kids. They tend to forget about you, the photographer and go about their business. Spontaneity works. Get down on their level, don’t get in their way and keep on shooting. As soon as I saw this negative on my light table I knew I had a good one. I liked the way this photo came together (sometimes I get lucky too).
This shot comes from a roll of Ilford FP4+ and is one of my early experiments developing with Diafine. I’ve tried Tri-X and Ilford HP5, and they are OK, but I really like the tonality of the FP4/Diafine combo and this photo is a good example. FP4 processed in Diafine scans perfectly every time.
I love the expressive qualities inherent in B&W and the total control I have of the entire process. I’m shooting more B&W than I ever have and I’ve been in love with the medium for over 40 years.
Yes, I still use film, I prefer B&W, don’t like zoom lenses and my favorite 35mm lens is a 50mm prime (I have four of them). Guess this makes me a throwback, but I’m a happy and stubborn. I’m not quitting any time soon.
Visit the Monochrome Weekly Theme if you love monochrome photography.
Fabulous shot. Very well captured.
Photographing kids tends to be quite enjoyable for sure, especially after they’ve forgotten your presence. Great photo!
What will happen to the world if there is no colours.
Will our world nature will be beautiful with just B&W?
But..for some reason I love B&W especially portraits and kids.It’s give us the feeling.
Thanks for sharing & also thanks for the visit of my monochrome.
B&W gives us the emotional color.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing. I agree with you 100%.
Great shot. You captured her happiness very well. That swing looks like it would make some nice relections. 🙂
I thought about the swing and the reflections, but I have another one all set to go for next week’s reflections. I have the photos anyway. This is sooooo much fun James. I love it.
I have to confess I enjoy zoom lenses but I appreciate the discipline imposed by sticking with the standard lens.
I have no early negatives left, only prints. My neg stock is building though as I returned to film with a vengeance this year.
All our family was recorded on fixed lenses from 1978 until 2005 – and in colourprint. Rarely scan those negs, the prints do well enough. Hundreds of them.
I am awaiting delivery of a B&W slide processing kit – excited at the prospect of producing such crystal images once more.
I’ve got mostly negatives and slides, but few prints. I only came back to photography in 2001 or so after a long hiatus when life pushed my passion to the background. I’ll never allow this to happen again.
I accumulated a small collection of SLR film bodies and manual lenses, all but one used and all top quality. I’m firmly in the film camp, especially since I have all I need to process and scan my own film.
I do have a couple of zoom lenses. I like the Nikon e series 75-150. It’s a classic lens that I use for all my macro work. I’ve another 35-135 AF zoom but it’s so heavy and doesn’t focus close.
B&W slides are interesting. I shot a roll or two of Agfa Scala, but prefer using negative film since I don’t own a slide projector.
Thanks for stopping by and thanks for giving us all the opportunity to share our love of monochrome on your site.
I can’t take pictures of people. Especially can’t take pictures of children. This may be because I have been formed during a time when to waste one negative mattered so I’m reluctant to do as you say and take lots in trust that one will ‘come out’. I really haven’t got used to the idea that anything un-needed can simply be wiped out without cost or effort.
Note to oneself – reform!
This photo . . .
With some pictures, the art is what comes to the fore. With this, it is the child – which is exactly right. There are nice contradictions in her dress . . . the pretty skirt and the practical shoes; the flowery top and cotton frills reminiscent of summer along with thick tights and warm anorak. Together, they nicely summarise her freedom to chose (re-inforced by climbing cheerfully onto the swing) combined with parental care and caution.
Lucy
Lucy,
Shooting lots of photos is much like a writer with many drafts. When you come right down to it, film is cheap while capturing the moment and the memories are precious.
When I write, I never know what I’ll discover until I’ve written. Same with photography. Keep on shooting.
How cute! Look at the emotional expression in her face. Lovely!
Thanks for passing by and sharing your very beautiful picture of your grandougther!
Thanks for the comment on the blog. Like you I get great satisfaction out of b&w, especially using older cameras as they make you stop and think more than digital. I use FP4 and HP5, I like the grain on HP5 for some images. Agree with your comments on fixed lenses. When I was younger all I wanted was telephoto and zooms. I still use a zoom sometimes, but normally it’s 35-70 (Leica) or a 35-105 (Canon). More and more I am tending to use the wide-angles.
Glad to see there are still some people prepared to take the slow but satisfying film route.
Hi John,
I have a Pentax Spotmatic that I got on e-Bay a few years ago. I needed that camera to replace the Spotmatic I sold when I was in school back in the early 70s because I needed the money and couldn’t afford film in any case.
I like playing with wide angles myself. I have a beautiful 24mm Nikkor lens that I like to use for landscapes.
Digital is fine for color (if you can afford the equipment and the obsolescence), but digital cannot match film for B&W excellence.
If you are happy – we are happy! Just keep them coming…
Great photo, and I agree it is most beautiful in monochrome.
Excellent photo! She is so beautiful…
there is something almost magical about black and white photos, it captures the sentiment and emotion in details…..just an observation,lol!
the happiness of the moments oozes out of that picture, amazing!
Very cute picture! While I do like a variety of “effects” I agree that b/w really breaks a picture down to the moment you are capturing.
I love that you still shoot film. With digital you have so much room for error, but with film, you have to get the picture much closer to right from the start. Impressive!
With the ability to scan my negatives and work in the digital darkroom, I have the best of both worlds. Love it.
That’s a wonderful shot of your granddaughter. When my daughter was little I mostly photographed her in black and white.
Lovely photo …. you must be a very lucky man to have such beautiful granddoughter :o))
Lucky indeed. And I have five more who are just as beautiful. Of course I’m not the least bit biased.
This is most definitely a Superior Snap! I love the content and the contrasts available in b&w. Julia’s expression is priceless! But you already know that, don’t you?
Super shot! Love the action and expression.
I, too, love black and white. Would still be shooting film if I could, however that is not feasible at this time. On the other side of the coin, I do love using the computer and the instant gratification of digital SLR cameras. Good glass is a must, I agree.
You’ve captured such a lively, uninhibited moment. Your granddaughter is lovely, and so is the photo.
I’ve been browsing your posts. You have a real talent!
Thanks so much for stopping by at mine and for leaving such a kind comment.
Beautiful shot of your really cute grandaughter. Reading your ‘camera’ story was over my head, LOL. You are very much the pro and I’m a newbie!
Thanks for the compliment. Everyone starts as a newbie. Every day is a newbie. Each time you try you learn.
It’s good to be stubborn when something works so well for you as B&W film does.
I love this shot of your granddaughter, she is adorable. Perfect photo for B&W.
I have just recently gotten back into photography after a long absence. In the seventies and eighties I always had two cameras with me, one loaded with color film and the other with B&W. There is nothing quite like B&W film for crispness.
Same thing happened to me when life crowded my photography out. I took the occasional photo over the years from the early seventies until 2001. I’ve been back for real ever since.
That’s really such a cutie! You have a great subject to work with?
I’m planning a special post (probably on Tuesday) where I will publish photos of all six of my granddaughters. I’m so lucky because they are all great subjects. Life is good.
There is so much life in the picture.
Seems b&w does wonderful for people! I usually prefer color but at times b&w does so much better!
This is beautiful. There is a real energy to it. Great shot!
Love your passion, John.
I like this kind of photos. So full of life. A beautiful girl.
I agree with you, Black & White photography is great for these kind of images! Lovely smile and pose! 🙂