Black And White Photography

Guest Post – Didier Feldmann

Black And White Photography, Didier, Photography

Photo 01_050915

Words, Photographies, Films.
I have always written ever since I was 18 until now and I am 61 years old.
My writing is shared across these three media types and I always try to link or intertwine them in my creative works.

I worked for a long time an IT Engineer and later a Project Manager in Digital Communication Agencies. While I worked at these jobs just as waves washed ashore at the beach I had phases where my desire of photography was strong and alternatively, I also had times where photography disappeared completely from my life. Ten years ago I became a Free Lance Cinematographer / Photographer for Corporate communication.

Making Corporate films is my breadwinner, and when I have enough money and time I make films for my own enjoyment. Photography is more intimate and I practice it on a daily basis, as a « note look »…

I seldom use people in my photography, only shapes, light, shadows and words. I don’t use words as a legend, but rather as an extension of the image. I use B&W, because of its formal beauty, abstraction and breeding ground for emotions. I explain my move to B&W in my film –  “The Abandonment (of color)” which can be viewed Here

I was born in Paris and still live in Paris for the best and the worst of this city.  For the last 4 years I have used an iPhone but quickly grew tired of the low quality of images (even if the Apple marketing tells us the contrary) and the lack of manual control for making shallow depth of field. I recently switched to a Ricoh GR II and even though it is not the perfect camera it put an APS-C sensor size in my pocket. Bored by Photoshop I also recently switched to Capture One, (which has color corrections tools closed than those I use in Resolve for grading film), for doing contrast and luminance improvements on the whole image and on several areas to break the uniformity of the exposition brings by the Multi Zones internal light meter.
You can find more photographies on – Videopaper
and a selection of films on – Videopaper – Vimeo

 

From The Planet

Black And White Photography, Emilio, Photography
Las Vegas Blvd September 19, 2015 FujiX-T1 1/4000 sec at f/1.4 ISO200 FX23mm(23mmF1.4 R)

Las Vegas Blvd
September 19, 2015
FujiX-T1
1/4000 sec at f/1.4 ISO200
FX23mm(23mmF1.4 R)

From Planet Hollywood, looking southwest towards City Center.

Processed in Lightroom, tilt-shift effect in Perfect Effects, black and white conversion in Topaz.

For a color version, please visit Photos By Emilio.

Table For Three ?

Black And White Photography, Photography, Rico Rodriguez

Table for 3_72dpi

Whilst having a family dinner on a roof terrace in Union Square, San Francisco, this fella landed at the table next to us.
It was as if he was flying past, spotted a couple of friends and just stopped for a chat.
I think the couple thought that me taking this photograph was stranger than them having dinner with a gull.

I often get asked “Why do you always have a camera with you?”….. and this is why.
You just never know what will happen when you’re out and about.

Camera gear, settings..

Canon 7dMK2
EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
f3.2
1/1600
ISO 100

A Cautionary Tale

Emilio
Alamo NV September 12, 2015 1/210 sec at f/8.0 ISO 200 23mm (XF23mmF1.4R)

Alamo NV September 12, 2015
1/210 sec at f/8.0 ISO 200
23mm (XF23mmF1.4R)

OK, boys and girls. Gather round. I will try to make this short and sweet but it is very important and I am being very serious here.

Saturday morning I dropped my wife off at the airport and, since I was already out, I went for breakfast. From there, I drove north on the I-15 (that’s a freeway for those of you outside of the US) and proceeded to Caliente NV on what I thought was the “Loneliest Road in America”. I found out it is not, but to me, it should be. You travel through a desolate landscape for 100’s of miles to reach old mining towns that have few inhabitants, if any. I was alone, no water, no food, just my cell phone to connect me to the outside world when there was a connection! By 4:30 at night I still had not made it to Caliente so I decided to turn around just north of Alamo NV. When I got back onto the I-15 and started home, my check engine light went on. I figured it was because I hadn’t changed the oil in about 6,000 miles. Well, when I got to my exit, at the top of the hill there is a stop light. I slowed for it and my car died. I was in the middle of the exit ramp with cars whipping around me and just my emergency blinkers on. It was 7:30 at night and dark. Of all the people passing me, driving around me, and looking but otherwise ignoring me, a white Mercedes pulled to the side of the road and a Hispanic male came out to push me to the side. I thanked him as he drove off and then I called my brother-in-law to come help me. While I was waiting for him, a bus from one of the hotels pulled up, the doors opened, and another Hispanic male offered me a bottle of water. My brother-in-law finally showed up almost an hour later and towed me home. My mechanic will be coming by to tow the car tomorrow.

Now, imagine what would it would have been like if the car had broken down on the way to Caliente? Last weekend we were in Paso Robles and on the way home passed through about 200 miles of desert. What if the car had broken down then? During the heat of the day?

Anyway, that is my cautionary tale. Take care of your car. When you go on a trip of any distance, take plenty of water and food.

And isn’t it interesting that of all the people who saw me in need- male, female, white, African-American, Asian, Muslim, etc. only Hispanics stopped to helped me. So my message? To all you Hispanics, I love you! To everyone else, I hope you meet one of these guys whenever you need help!