Thank you, Hugh. At an age when I have more years behind me than there are surely ahead of me, I often muse about how I ended up where I am, somewhat economically secure retired old geezer, after decades of teaching art, journalism and digital photography. Your videos that touch upon the internal workings of a photographer, and not just about the gear (which are okay, too), move me. Plus you have a great way with words and your delivery is wonderful. Keep being what you are. I just sent you a donation to buy you a cup of coffee. You’re worth a lot more than that, but for now, my heartfelt thanks. You just made my morning.
Thanks for posting this. When I started my photography journey a few years ago, I dubbed myself a street photographer. I usually asked people permission, made a photograph, processed it in B/W and posted it on social media. It became a daily mechanical exercise. And, for me, it was joyless. So, I stopped asking permission. That improved my enjoyment a bit, but not substantively. The problem was me. I was trying to pound myself into a form I didn’t fit. I did that before, working as an extrovert for 50 years with an introvert trapped inside. My photographic joy comes from seeing things often overlooked. A box set out for trash, leaning against a sign post. A traffic cone on the sidewalk instead of the street. A table and single chair wedged in an alleyway as a makeshift café for an urban dweller. And even though I only see muted colors, I make more color photographs than black-and-white. Why? It brings me joy. I need nothing else.
I’m always impressed by photographers who can verbalise what drives and motivates them. I’ve never been able to articulate this - perhaps not even to myself.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Hugh. This reminds me of the title of a wonderful Buddhist talk I watched recently: 'We don't see things the way THEY are, we see things the way WE are". :-)
While we all love the seduction of photographic gear it’s important to reflect on the “why” we are driven to take photos. Your insightful personal explanation of the “why” will no doubt trigger some soul searching amongst your followers - including myself. Loved the B&W work - which I hadn’t seen previously!
I loved this video very much. As always, very eloquently describing your thoughts. I personally always liked colors, more than I did b/w, but then, with my progression into photography, I started to see more often subjects and scenes in b/w. Today, I still predominantly take color pictures but b/w has become an integral part of how and what I shoot.
Yes! The Girder and Panel Building Sets! I had the “famous buildings” edition from the 1970s and got countless hours of enjoyment from it. Thanks for that trip down memory lane.
Hi Hugh. Thanks for this video, calm, insightful and worth watching as usual. In my work, I shoot black and white about 70% of the time. To me, color in a photograph has to have a purpose; otherwise, the image will be in black and white (as I usually see it and as my camera is set anyway), Sometimes, color makes an image, and (IMO more often), it breaks it. Color can be a useful addition or a major distraction. If I would have to choose one or the other, I would prefer black and white any day. That said, I am glad that I don't have to choose. Fred Herzog, Saul Leiter, Ernst Haas, Joel Meyerowitz, William Eggleston and my others showed us their view of the world where color is no accident but a delibarate choice. Thanks again for your efforts, best regards from Germany Matt
Hugh, I always love your work. Although I’m a black and white photographer, I too have started creating color work. Thanks for the inspiration and all the best!
A couple of the pictures look like Ogunquit beach and definitely Nubbled lighthouse. That area is our favorite vacation spot that we went to every year when we lived in CT.
Even though my photography preference is biased to black and white, I still couldn't resist the works of Saul Leiter, Ernst Haas, which are very painting-like. A gentle reminder for me who gave up learning painting many years ago and switched to photography. Probably it's interesting to note that black and white paintings are not that common hmm... And I think color photos can affect your mood in greater range, compared to black and white which is usually associated with calmness or minimalism. So why color photography? Why not.
Thank you Hugh for a thoughtful monologue. Funny juxtaposition talking about color photography with your black and white video. I am conflicted when I do my photography. B&W or color? With digital photography we can do both simultaneously. Yet I don’t do that. It is one or the other. The world is a place full of color. Why not record the world the way it is? Sometimes the color catches my eye and that is the reason for taking the picture. Sometimes the colors are a distraction from the action I am capturing. Being in black & white focuses me on the here and now that color doesn’t. That being said, most of my images a rein color. I just started doing intentional camera movement (ICM). I love the swirl of colors I create. I am now experimenting with B&W street photo. What fun. I am confused. I love both color plus black & white images. How do I choose which one I will do once out the door? I choose, so far, not to do both. Sometimes I’ll take my photos in the mode the camera is set to. Other times I’m times I am in either a B&W or color mood. It is great to have a choice. It is even better than being in the film days. I can go from one to the other by touching a few buttons. Much better than having to change the roll of film. Choice is good. Imagine my confusion if I had a coine of more than two. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)
The images have to speak to you as a person - first and foremost. Understand perfectly. B/W and Color are just two dimensions of our souls. Very distinct and different mindsets if I go out with my Q2M or my H1D II - They result in different joys and expectations for the day.
Favourite line "and Ernst Haas especially" music to my ears. On B+W have you ever looked at the work of Tony Ray Jones? I enjoyed your colour work Hugh, there was a good connection there. Cheers.
This was excellent and felt very apropos for where I am in my photography journey. I feel I've plateaued in a way where the types of pictures I'm capturing aren't satisfying me the way they used to. Part of this is likely due to the hectic schedule of being a busy father of two high schoolers, but part is that I'm struggling to even find what makes me happy to get out and shoot. A recent day spent shooting in Boston yielded a couple of keepers but it felt like a lot of effort for a small haul, and even those keepers don't hold a candle (IMO) to the work I did at your NYC workshop in 2021. Maybe my standards are higher. Maybe I'm rusty. Maybe my head isn't in the right place. Maybe all of those things. Some introspection about myself would be helpful, but perspective can be one of the most elusive pursuits.
I really enjoy your photography Hugh and your thoughts and observations were all too reminiscent of another man from millennia ago: "Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, and the doors on the street are shut-when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low- they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal fhome, and the mourners go about the streets." Ecclesiastes 12. first 5 verses. As the same writer also said, there is nothing new under the sun.
Interesting as always, and I'd love to see more of this sort of video alongside the gear reviews. Devil's advocate on the colour/black and white discussion: to what extent do you think that the place of black and white in modern photography is down the history of the medium? Put it like this: if colour photography was invented first, and was always as malleable in the darkroom as black and white (in the way that digital is now), would black and white hold the same sway? Would black and white materials even have been invented? Does black and white evoke certain feelings, hold a certain sway, simply because of a lingering belief that it's somehow what proper artistic photography should be, or at the very least, that it evokes the classic photography of the past?
@@3BMEP I was privileged to do the online masterclass with him during Covid. Just received my M11 Monochrom and will be doing much B&W for many months ahead.
![Chris Langan - The Interview THEY Didn't Want You To See - CTMU [Full Version; Timestamps]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9miVG2xT5jY/mqdefault.jpg)
Thank you, Hugh. At an age when I have more years behind me than there are surely ahead of me, I often muse about how I ended up where I am, somewhat economically secure retired old geezer, after decades of teaching art, journalism and digital photography. Your videos that touch upon the internal workings of a photographer, and not just about the gear (which are okay, too), move me. Plus you have a great way with words and your delivery is wonderful. Keep being what you are. I just sent you a donation to buy you a cup of coffee. You’re worth a lot more than that, but for now, my heartfelt thanks. You just made my morning.
Appreciate your encouragement and generosity!
Hugh, I think this is one of my favorite posts from you. Honest, deep and uplifting on so many levels. Looking forward to seeing the resulting images.
😊🙏🏻🖖🏻
Thanks for posting this. When I started my photography journey a few years ago, I dubbed myself a street photographer. I usually asked people permission, made a photograph, processed it in B/W and posted it on social media. It became a daily mechanical exercise. And, for me, it was joyless. So, I stopped asking permission. That improved my enjoyment a bit, but not substantively.
The problem was me. I was trying to pound myself into a form I didn’t fit. I did that before, working as an extrovert for 50 years with an introvert trapped inside.
My photographic joy comes from seeing things often overlooked. A box set out for trash, leaning against a sign post. A traffic cone on the sidewalk instead of the street. A table and single chair wedged in an alleyway as a makeshift café for an urban dweller. And even though I only see muted colors, I make more color photographs than black-and-white. Why? It brings me joy. I need nothing else.
Thank you for digging deep, brother!
I’m always impressed by photographers who can verbalise what drives and motivates them.
I’ve never been able to articulate this - perhaps not even to myself.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Hugh. This reminds me of the title of a wonderful Buddhist talk I watched recently: 'We don't see things the way THEY are, we see things the way WE are". :-)
Great!
Wow Huge such a heart felt journey into growth.Personally im returning to my roots with the use of b/w to express emotions
While we all love the seduction of photographic gear it’s important to reflect on the “why” we are driven to take photos.
Your insightful personal explanation of the “why” will no doubt trigger some soul searching amongst your followers - including myself.
Loved the B&W work - which I hadn’t seen previously!
I loved this video very much. As always, very eloquently describing your thoughts. I personally always liked colors, more than I did b/w, but then, with my progression into photography, I started to see more often subjects and scenes in b/w. Today, I still predominantly take color pictures but b/w has become an integral part of how and what I shoot.
Thanks for sharing! 😊🖖🏻
Yes! The Girder and Panel Building Sets! I had the “famous buildings” edition from the 1970s and got countless hours of enjoyment from it. Thanks for that trip down memory lane.
Famous buildings edition???? I’ve got to find one of those! 😊🖖🏻
@@3BMEP Basically, it had plans included for various famous buildings. The one I remember was the United Nations Building.
Hi Hugh.
Thanks for this video, calm, insightful and worth watching as usual.
In my work, I shoot black and white about 70% of the time. To me, color in a photograph has to have a purpose; otherwise, the image will be in black and white (as I usually see it and as my camera is set anyway), Sometimes, color makes an image, and (IMO more often), it breaks it. Color can be a useful addition or a major distraction.
If I would have to choose one or the other, I would prefer black and white any day. That said, I am glad that I don't have to choose. Fred Herzog, Saul Leiter, Ernst Haas, Joel Meyerowitz, William Eggleston and my others showed us their view of the world where color is no accident but a delibarate choice.
Thanks again for your efforts, best regards from Germany
Matt
Thank you, Matt, for weighing in!
Hugh, I always love your work. Although I’m a black and white photographer, I too have started creating color work. Thanks for the inspiration and all the best!
Thanks, Victor! Enjoy your exploration!
Some stunning photography Hugh. You are truly an artist sir.
Many big thumbs up for this episode! 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
A couple of the pictures look like Ogunquit beach and definitely Nubbled lighthouse. That area is our favorite vacation spot that we went to every year when we lived in CT.
Good eye! 😊🖖🏻
When you go someplace every year for about 30 years you tend to recognize any pictures of the place.
Even though my photography preference is biased to black and white, I still couldn't resist the works of Saul Leiter, Ernst Haas, which are very painting-like. A gentle reminder for me who gave up learning painting many years ago and switched to photography. Probably it's interesting to note that black and white paintings are not that common hmm...
And I think color photos can affect your mood in greater range, compared to black and white which is usually associated with calmness or minimalism. So why color photography? Why not.
Thank you Hugh for a thoughtful monologue.
Funny juxtaposition talking about color photography with your black and white video. I am conflicted when I do my photography. B&W or color? With digital photography we can do both simultaneously. Yet I don’t do that. It is one or the other.
The world is a place full of color. Why not record the world the way it is? Sometimes the color catches my eye and that is the reason for taking the picture. Sometimes the colors are a distraction from the action I am capturing. Being in black & white focuses me on the here and now that color doesn’t. That being said, most of my images a rein color.
I just started doing intentional camera movement (ICM). I love the swirl of colors I create. I am now experimenting with B&W street photo. What fun.
I am confused. I love both color plus black & white images. How do I choose which one I will do once out the door? I choose, so far, not to do both. Sometimes I’ll take my photos in the mode the camera is set to. Other times I’m times I am in either a B&W or color mood.
It is great to have a choice. It is even better than being in the film days. I can go from one to the other by touching a few buttons. Much better than having to change the roll of film. Choice is good. Imagine my confusion if I had a coine of more than two.
Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)
Thanks for such a thoughtful contribution, Marty. 😊🙏🏻
Thanks so much for this thoughtful post--so much to think about. And lovely images.
You are so welcome!😊🖖🏻🙏🏻
For it gives you that pop, you desire. Especially if you shoot B&W for tones.
The images have to speak to you as a person - first and foremost. Understand perfectly. B/W and Color are just two dimensions of our souls. Very distinct and different mindsets if I go out with my Q2M or my H1D II - They result in different joys and expectations for the day.
Favourite line "and Ernst Haas especially" music to my ears. On B+W have you ever looked at the work of Tony Ray Jones? I enjoyed your colour work Hugh, there was a good connection there. Cheers.
This was excellent and felt very apropos for where I am in my photography journey. I feel I've plateaued in a way where the types of pictures I'm capturing aren't satisfying me the way they used to. Part of this is likely due to the hectic schedule of being a busy father of two high schoolers, but part is that I'm struggling to even find what makes me happy to get out and shoot. A recent day spent shooting in Boston yielded a couple of keepers but it felt like a lot of effort for a small haul, and even those keepers don't hold a candle (IMO) to the work I did at your NYC workshop in 2021. Maybe my standards are higher. Maybe I'm rusty. Maybe my head isn't in the right place. Maybe all of those things. Some introspection about myself would be helpful, but perspective can be one of the most elusive pursuits.
Maybe you need a change of scenery, Christopher. You’ll always have a spot with us, wherever we go! 😉
These kinds of videos of your are my favorites
I love how you snuck the selfie in @3:36 in front of the Fred F French Building (almost 100 years old).
😉🖖🏻
Beautiful. Thank you.
Great video Hue
This was a good reminder why do what we love
Thanks
😊🙏🏻🖖🏻
X2D really is something else. I would love to play with it some day.
Yep!
Black and white looks really good but sometimes you just need some color for a sunset!
Thanks I always appreciate your post!!!!
😊🖖🏻
I really enjoy your photography Hugh and your thoughts and observations were all too reminiscent of another man from millennia ago:
"Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;
before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, and the doors on the street are shut-when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low- they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal fhome, and the mourners go about the streets."
Ecclesiastes 12. first 5 verses. As the same writer also said, there is nothing new under the sun.
Nice one Hugh. Plenty to ponder on here✌
😊🖖🏻🙏🏻
Your work is so good!
Thank you so much!😊 🖖🏻
Well said. As usual. You should really write a book, Hugh. 👍😊
Thanks for that!😊
Cave people painted in color! Color!
Yes. Pre-human primates saw color as well.
Thanks!
Thank YOU! 😊🖖🏻
Wow!!!!
😊🖖🏻
Interesting as always, and I'd love to see more of this sort of video alongside the gear reviews.
Devil's advocate on the colour/black and white discussion: to what extent do you think that the place of black and white in modern photography is down the history of the medium?
Put it like this: if colour photography was invented first, and was always as malleable in the darkroom as black and white (in the way that digital is now), would black and white hold the same sway? Would black and white materials even have been invented?
Does black and white evoke certain feelings, hold a certain sway, simply because of a lingering belief that it's somehow what proper artistic photography should be, or at the very least, that it evokes the classic photography of the past?
Good questions, the answers to which are likely to be as varied as the people who offer them.
Bravo
Without abstraction, there is no art…
do I detect some Meyerowitz nostalgia seeping in?
No - but I appreciate his work and did sit down with him a couple of years ago for a Leica conversation. 😊🖖🏻
@@3BMEP I was privileged to do the online masterclass with him during Covid. Just received my M11 Monochrom and will be doing much B&W for many months ahead.
What did you do with my friend Hugh?
Erudite. Ah.