The Undeniable Magic of Black & White Photography

Back in the 90's, I was a professional photographer based in NYC and was truly into it. All my friends were in the business in some form. At first, I started working solely with B&W photography, which was influenced by Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, Henri Cartier Bresson, and other luminaries. Inevitably, after walking around New York showing my portfolio and trying to get photographic gigs, I was “forced” to switch to colour for commercial purposes. It was that or starve. So, I ate.

I got lucky to find a fantastic duplex on Bleecker St., perfect for it, as it was bathed in sunlight from morning to late afternoon. Jobs came relatively easily to me; I had an agent, two assistants, and a receptionist. I jumped on the waggon of exploding fashion since the 80s while the door was still open.

I landed jobs at trendy fashion magazines, forged connections with leading NY model agencies, and convinced magazine editors to let me shoot some assignments in black and white. Reluctantly, they agreed, but were beyond impressed when they saw the results.

I'm happy to say that it was a hit, and we built trust.

The next step for all of us was a trip to Europe to secure gigs, ideally with Italian Vogue or similar publications, as they were impressive additions to one's portfolio. They gave you respect and a reputation. If the Europeans wanted you and hired you, American publications would love you more for it. Now you are flying high, and your bank account reflects as much.

There was a French photographer named Guy Bourdin, whom I unfortunately never got to meet, who was my hero. This man's images were art pieces, stories he told as you flipped through fashion photography. I had seen nothing like it, but I totally related to it, maybe because of my B&W background. I also tried to tell stories.

Photography has that magic. It tells tales through images, stimulating your imagination and taking you deep into your psyche.

Guy was a master of those.

You could think of him as a Dali or Picasso, Rene Magritte or Man Ray of photography. Breaking all the established rules of the time, his work was revolutionary, and he influenced many photo bugs to the hilt. Helmut Newton was one of them. A rebel with no compromise. My kind of artist.

So, I thrived in that world and was ecstatic that everything could go my way so quickly compared to what I had been told. But I had B&W on my mind. It became my passion. I taught myself how to develop my own film and make my own prints. I devoted an entire room in the duplex, doubling as a darkroom, and before you knew it, I was in there for up to 10 hours a day.

In fact, I didn't need to develop the film, but I had to experiment with techniques for unique tones. From the bottom up, I wanted to learn everything about that profession. I was obsessed with perfecting my craft, seeking to have my style as the preferred B&W photographer in NYC.

I was so proud of my prints. I employed various printing methods for an 11×14” print.

What intrigued me the most about the amazing world of B&W were the shadows, the contrast, and the mystery it produced. Nothing but drama.

Anyone who understands B&W photography would tell you the same thing. You can't beat it. When it's good, it is good; when it's great, it's art.

Things come alive in a B&W photo like they can't once it's colourised or shot in colour to begin with. The shadows ‘own’ the image. The shadows are the star and the main protagonist.

If you've ever seen a Hitchcock film, you know what I'm talking about, or any of the great masters of the 40s and 50s B&W films that are art pieces. No other name suits them.

Because shadows play with your sense of reality and your emotions. What you see and what you feel. B&W photography is in a league of its own.

Hang a framed photo in colour on a white wall, and then change it into a B&W one, pull back, and look at the difference.

That's why we love the art of B&W photography.

~o~

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