Atheist Discussion

I've always had an appreciation of monochromatic imagery
in both movies and stills.  Black and white photographs have
that distinctive touch of romanticism and nostalgia that makes
them basically timeless.

The absence of color forces a viewer to focus on the contrast,
textures, and tones present in the image, which often results
in photographs that evoke a deep sense of emotion and storytelling.

This is a classic example of a single moment in time—never
to be seen again—that's been captured so evocatively.  If it
had been shot in colour, you probably wouldn't look twice at it.


The image above makes use of a common feature in black and
white images;  that of chiaroscuro—literally Italian for "light-dark".

And this image from the 1949 movie "The Third Man" shows its
use—throughout the film—by master Australian cinematographer
Robert Krasker.

I love BnW. Ansel Adams has long been a favorite:

Would this bleak image have been more evocative of the
instant it was captured;  the cold sleet, the social decline
of the razed tenements, and the almost palpable resignation
of the couple leaning into the wind, if it had been shot in colour?

No.  Definitely not.


Oscar Marzaroli, © The Marzaroli Collection, courtesy Street Level Photoworks.

I have a B/W photo of my daughter when she was about 3. The light is coming from behind her a bit and it’s my favorite photo I’ve ever taken. I wish I had a better “eye” to have more like this but, I’m happy I have one that I consider my best!