Photography began in black and white because that was what was possible. Now, making a photo without color is a willful act. In today’s blizzard of full color images, it’s possible to imagine a mildly sheltered person who has never seen a black and white photo. How to explain and justify such a vast departure from human perception of this colorful world?
It’s generally accepted that good reasons exist for the continuing practice of black and white. Less commonly understood is that these arguments also justify the pursuit of a similar form of photography: one in which images are conveyed solely by color — the opposite of using only light and dark. Both forms are abstractions from full color, not pretending to be realistic, and thus allowing a great degree of control and interpretation — more freedom in practice (or performance as Ansel Adams liked to say).
Contemporary black and white has a long history to refer to. Color-only images also have precedents, but instead of early photographs, these are paintings of the impressionist and post-impressionist eras (most particularly Mr. Van Gogh’s) when, partly in response to the new colorless photography, painters resorted to stressing color, often almost completely neglecting light and dark.
My aim is to show that this color-only method can make useful and expressive photos.