Seeing the World in Black and White: A Photographer’s Perspective Vassilis Korkas Farnham, 24 April 2017

Vassilis Korkas Photography View from Capitol in Nashville, Tennessee during the Civil War, 1864 Image credit: nashville.about.com Colourised image credit: Sanna Dullaway Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Nikola Tesla 1893 Mark Twain ca. 1900 Charlie Chaplin 1916 Image credit: Danna Keller Image credit: zuzahin Image credit: BenAfleckIsAnOkActor Image credit: Napoleon Sarony Image credit: Unknown Image credit: Unknown Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Overview A very brief history of B&W photography What the masters say Why is B&W photography still appealing? When to shoot (and how to think) in B&W Examples of a B&W workflow Things to try out Your questions Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography A brief history of B&W photography The photographic process became known in 1839 in France (Daguerreotype, after Louis Daguerre) John Herschel coined the term photography, also in 1839 Photography soon became a documentary process (American Civil War, Life magazine, child labour in American factories in the early 20th century) Early signs of specialisation (e.g. Robert Capa, Diane Arbus, Ansel Adams, etc.) Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography The B&W masters I “We have all fallen in love with the beauty and power of black and white photography where everything is stripped down to the core; light, textures, contrast, tonality, mood and raw emotion.” Deanne Fitzmaurice Ansel Adams - The Tetons and the Snake River (1942) Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography The B&W masters II “I think there is a certain nostalgia to it that people long for as we’re bombarded with colour and chaos every day in our lives. Something about it just mellows me out and gives me a different experience when reading a photo. Anything that gives the viewer that experience will always be popular.” Chip Litherland Henri Cartier-Bresson - France. Paris. Place de l'Europe. Gare Saint Lazare. (1932) Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography The B&W masters III “There is definitely something elemental in [black and white] which eliminates so many of the potential distractions (and wonders, alike) that colour is all about. [Black and white] can reduce a scene to something more easily and quickly absorbed. It retains a kind of purity which we respond to without so much study.” David Burnett Richard Avedon - Ronald Fischer, beekeper (1981) Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography The B&W masters IV “Of course, black and white is an abstraction, but from the brightest white to the darkest black what you have is greys, and these greys are what I had in my mind when I took the picture[s].” Sebastião Salgado Sebastião Salgado - Fireball, Greater Burhan oil field (1991) Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Why is B&W photography still appealing? The distraction of colour Appreciation of light Emphasis on emotion The timeless quality of B&W Negative space Forms, shapes and patterns Focus on composition Nimit Nigam - Night Contrast (2014) Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography When to shoot (and how to think) in B&W Shooting subjects with strong graphic elements Highlighting textures and high-contrast situations (light vs shadows) Neutralising non-complimentary colours Skin tones in challenging lighting conditions A B&W image is a creative choice, not a necessity. Ask ‘why’, not ‘when’! Bahadir Bermek - Need some rest (2011) Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Personal experience: B&W workflow The ghosts of West Bay Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Personal experience: B&W workflow In the distance Honourable mention in the Fine Art: Landscape class of the International Photography Awards 2015 Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Personal experience: B&W workflow Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Personal experience: B&W workflow Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Personal experience: B&W workflow Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Personal experience: B&W workflow Rock sea, cotton sky Honourable mention in the Fine Art: Landscape class of the International Photography Awards 2015 Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Personal experience: B&W workflow Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Personal experience: B&W workflow Ancient memories Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Personal experience: B&W workflow Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Personal experience: B&W workflow Look of disapproval Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Personal experience: B&W workflow The face of an angel Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Personal experience: B&W workflow Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Personal experience: B&W workflow Peeling off the past Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Personal experience: B&W workflow Lines Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Vassilis Korkas Photography Things to try out Take up a B&W challenge Design a pre-/post-production B&W project Revisit the work of the masters for inspiration Keep a mental checklist (and put composition at the top!) Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk

Thank you for your attention! Vassilis Korkas Photography Any questions? Vassilis Korkas info@vkphotos.co.uk Vassilis Korkas Photography vkphotos.co.uk