Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Man of Saguenay

My friend, and Photography partner Roger Gauthier, is from a land that can be at the same time extremely Harsh, and just as extremely Beautiful. He grew up in the Rivière Saguenay region of Quebec. It breeds people of strong will, patriots, and people able to survive. Beautiful in summer, devastatingly dangerous in winter with a different beauty and the need for respect. In short, NOT INDIANA.

Roger and I both talk about the color versus Black and White question. It is only a question/argument (not between us at all) because both have their points. Some color images just HAVE to be color, some color images SHOULD be B&W instead. Why is that, well quite simply: EMOTION. I have never seen a really good B&W that could maybe have been better in color. Black and white conveys emotion more than imagery in my opinion. B&W does it with a strength that color just cannot convey, I don’t know why, maybe it is the distraction of competing colors. I think maybe B&W, is One-Layer-Deeper into the Truth.

That is the case in this image, I will leave it up to you to decide what his eyes are saying, because now he is saying it to YOU. My work on this image was only to bring out, and maybe intensify the emotion in these eyes, and what posture is evident. Is he looking at you, or through you, or into you?

Your Turn. Jim

James Longster, © 2014

Man of Saguenay

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4 comments:

  1. Roger GauthierJanuary 24, 2015 at 5:50 AM

    Well well well. Pray tell me, my friend, are you trying to start a war?

    OK, let's declare a truce of some sort. I will publish during the following days a photo in which you appear (you already saw it I think), but where you are at your advantage! Ha ha ha… well, almost.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Roger GauthierJanuary 24, 2015 at 5:55 AM

    … and I must say that I agree with what you say about colour vs black and white. Black and white can make tremendously strong images, with raw emotions. It can also convey peace and beauty, it's always a matter of treatment isn't it?

    BTW, why can't you write COLOUR instead of COLOR? Is is genetic or what? Omaha ha ha ha…

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownJanuary 24, 2015 at 6:28 AM

      You are a funny man Roger, it is Color instead of Colour because I am a crass American, brung up without a Classical Education, besides, auto correct on this computer does not like that spelling. lol.

      Delete
  3. HélèneJanuary 25, 2015 at 12:46 PM

    I have never seen a really good B&W that could maybe have been better in color.
    Now, just because I'm contrary, I'll make it a point to challenge you on this. Well, to try and challenge you.
    But I like your hypothesis, i.e. B&W being one layer into the truth. What would two layers be, then? Just lines?

    ReplyDelete

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