My father introduced me to photography in 1987. To my surprise he allowed me to use his twin lens Rolleiflex camera. I never knew what this interesting looking machine actually did, other than sit in the bottom of the old filling cabinet in its brown leather case with red velvet interior. Quickly I was taking pictures, estimating exposures and developing film. Once I had a few well exposed negatives we went into the darkroom and my 26 year relationship with black & white photography had started.
While I very much enjoy taking colour pictures I have a particular fondness for black & white. Photography is memory and the process of taking black and white pictures remind me of a time when my dad encouraged me to look and explore the world through pictures.
When shooting reportage wedding pictures the experienced photographer will know which shots work better in black & white and which in colour. This is called pre-visualisation – the ability to see how a picture will look as a finished print, with all its nuances and details before the shutter is released. Successful black & white pictures rely on the interesting use of tone, shadow, light and texture, all combining to make an emotive connection with the viewer. A good black & white picture stands the test of time and look as vital in later years later as when first taken. Photography is a visual medium and sometimes it is difficult to describe in words what is actually seen and felt, but sticking my neck out I will say, like any art form, you can lose yourself in the work and however fleetingly are taken somewhere else for a moment.