Reducing Information To The Essentials

I continue to be fascinated by a series of black-and-white photos I’ve made of construction workers.

I don’t know if it is some deep-seated nostalgic emotional cry for the days when everything was shot on black and white film or a new passion that wants to remove the distractions of color and better see shapes, textures, and tones.

An old-school perception of a subject can evoke a sense of timelessness and a different nostalgic response serving as an homage to a bygone era when black-and-white photos were the norm, not just a stylistic choice.

Perhaps making black and white construction worker photos might emphasize the physicality of their work. The use of light and shadow and the timeless nature of labor and creation strip the scene down to its essential forms. king and emotionally resonant.

The use of black and white to tell stories without the distraction of color can transform a scene, focusing the viewer's attention on the core elements that better tell the story: light, shadow, texture, form, and the emotional state of subjects. Without color, these elements become more pronounced to craft a story that might be overlooked in a color photograph.

Consider that the reason I prefer black and white for construction photos is specifically to remove the visual focus on the neon-colored safety clothing. Colors that are designed to attract attention.

Color sometimes overwhelms a scene with too much information, leading the viewer's eye away from the primary subject. Black and white simplifies a scene and ensures that the story you wish to tell is communicated more directly and powerfully.

From a previous My Final Photo Newsletter:

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My Final Photo News also recommends Civic Capacity and Into the Morning by Krista Steele.