Inside the picture
Brave new world
29 July 2024
It might seem to some people a little odd to kick-off this new series of articles about photographs, how they came about and the techniques and methods used to create them, with a colour picture. The reason I say this, is because anyone that knows my work, will quickly realise that colour photography is not really my raison d’etre.
Indeed, I have made enough noise and fuss over the years about the value and beauty of black and white photography, that I have probably all but destroyed any credibility I have, on that of colour. Nonetheless, my appreciation of colour photography is second to none and I sometimes even surprise myself by producing an image of my own that I’m actually quite proud of.
The image to this article above, is one good example. Taken in the area around Wembley Stadium in north west London on a photowalk one morning, I remember feeling that the rather grey and uninspiring weather conditions were about as unconducive to smart street photography as could possibly be. There were no signs of the sun breaking through the thick layer of cloud that permeated and early though the day was, it was heading for a gloomy afternoon.
I have talked before about photographing on grey days and how they can be turned to our advantage by maximising the opportunities in making the best of the poor light conditions. Looking for ways to boost contrast is one of the best ideas. Using contrasting tones, shooting from dark spaces into light and using reflective surfaces are all great ways to help create and improve contrast in your pictures. In addition, I would say that shooting in black and white is another good way to make the best of low light. However, as I found on this particular morning, colour can work just as well, if not better.
The picture above was taken about twelve years ago, during a time that I was so wedded to the idea of black and white photography that colour really did seem like an alien concept to me. I think I felt like I was betraying myself even if I just considered the idea. How could I possibly view a scene through the lens of ‘common’ colour? Everything, to me at the time, had to be viewed through the artist’s commited eye and no deviation from its core principles could be tolerated. That is, until I looked up that dingy morning and saw rich, vibrant, saturated colour beaming down on me like a ray of divine light. There it was, in all its glory, the answer to my creative malaise that morning and as surprising and unexpected as all good street photography moments should be.
This is a good example of how we should allow ourselves the freedom of thought when out looking for pictures. Being tied to a specific way of thinking and seeing is all very well when trying to create a unique photographic style and when trying to apply a personality to our work. However, it can lead to limitations and a rejection of any ‘forbidden’ methods, that we consider to have no place in our artistic vision, can
both hamper both the creative process and the growing maturity as a photographer.
Technically speaking, the picture above is very straight-forward. Exposure was for the brightest area of the red roof, which allowed other parts of the image, such as the wall, to appear largely without detail. The slightly lighter area of the wall, in the centre, is important as it helps to bring the eye towards the human presence moving across the image. I think this figure’s inclusion is crucial as it not only confirms where we are, in the urban environment, but also adds scale and perspective to an otherwise fairly abstract scene.
The person’s demeanour, they were probably looking down at their phone or something, also helps to add a slightly dystopian feel to the image and enhances the sort of other-worldly atmosphere that is present.
Although colour is all here, (the picture really didn’t work in black and white), there are only really two of them, but the more monochromatic tones elsewhere in the image do fully play their part. Perhaps this is why
it spoke to me so clearly at the time. Perhaps it felt like I wasn’t fully betraying myself and my beliefs that black and white photography was
the only serious form of picture taking? I could do colour but only if it kept within the bounds of ‘proper’ photography. Maybe, but looking at the picture today I’m pleased that I was able to look beyond my normal way of seeing and into a brave new world.
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