Just saw this in the Top Rated section. Am curious to know what the rules are regarding shooting in black & white? Especially regarding modern day shots (This was taken in '07).
Basically, can a photographer submit any worthy photo even if it is not in colour?
ThierryD From Luxembourg, joined Dec 2005, 2021 posts, RR: 52 Reply 1, posted (3 years 3 weeks 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 2198 times:
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It's been some time since this has been discussed (and I can't find the thread anymore) but if I remember well, monochrome photos are only allowed if it makes sense in order to give an impression of old age; in this case the aircraft pictured must be a classic or warbird.
OR monochrome is also allowed if it falls under the creative rule, like Tim's photo pictured above.
dendrobatid From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2004, 1605 posts, RR: 64 Reply 5, posted (3 years 3 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 1989 times:
The general rule is that black and white images are acceptable if taken in black and white and with an appropriate subject.
So, for instance a DC-3 may be appropriate but if it has a backdrop of an A-380 it is unlikely to be.
If an image works well creatively in black and white it may be considered and the shot above of Tim's is one which demonstrates that well. The subject is not appropriate but the treatment is, totally, and it remains one of my favourite photos on the site.
Alberto Riva From United States of America, joined May 2002, 124 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (3 years 2 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 1845 times:
Quoting dendrobatid (Reply 5): If an image works well creatively in black and white it may be considered and the shot above of Tim's is one which demonstrates that well. The subject is not appropriate but the treatment is, totally, and it remains one of my favourite photos on the site.
Couldn't say it better.
The advice I would add -- not just for black and white but often for photography in general -- is: Think like a photo editor. Think like you're selecting photos for a magazine or a newspaper story. In the case of Tobias' LH 321 shot, you could totally imagine the photo running under a headline that says something like, "Lufthansa Brings Back The 1950s for a Day". The black and white is pertinent in that retro / nostalgic context.
As Mick notes, Tim's shot is black and white for purely artistic reasons, and once again, if I were a photo editor I would totally run it in B&W; it fits the essential, design-y feeling of the image. Pure form stripped of color, yet also conveying emotion. Imagine it in color: it would be a pretty unexceptional shot. And quite possibly a rejection for dark on this site
In other words, Don't do something cool because Photoshop lets you do it. Do it because you could explain convincingly to a hypothetical photo editor, from a creative point of view, why you think that shot should be the way you decided.
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