MW | Colour Conversion

Welcome to a Week of Monochrome Studies.

My documentation will be led by my eye and feelings about how Black & White/ Shades of Grey / Monochrome / Greyscale speaks to me.

I felt it important to create a few images in Colour to study the Light and how it impacts and renders Colour.

In doing so, I have set a context for my studies.

I can now reflect on this dramatic contrast of Light on the Colour Red.

This Colour Red has transformed into a darkish Grey on This Zone System.

This for me is interesting to see because already, I can tell why a Black & White image might be successful, Contrast.

Black & White equals variations in tonal contrast.

Study these two images.

Would you feel hungry after studying the different shades of grey?

If Colour is part of the visual message, it stays.

Some images work better when converted to shades of grey.

When I saw this scene earlier, I knew it would be an interesting case study.

The Colour version was only a mouse click away to Shades of Grey.

I walked my neighbourhood earlier looking for a striking Yellow. I wanted Yellow specifically because when it is converted, it takes on a totally different vibe and energy.

Finally;

When converted, the Colour Blue behaves like the Colour Red in the First image above. I suspect Green, Purple would too. All with deep contrast.

The Colour Orange would be slightly darker than Yellow when converted.

So already, I can feel the Greyscale counter part to Primary Colours.

This concludes today’s study.

Tomorrow, I will be documenting as if I was shooting film 50 years ago, in Black & White.

Thanks for reading.