When I first started shooting in 1968, I only shot black and white. Except for archival slides of Native American quill and beadwork, it was all black and white. Up until 2000, film was my primary image source. For some reason, in my mind, I felt that black and white prints were fine art and color were snap shots.
In the mid 80’s and through the 90’s I shot color film. Most of those frames were snap shots.
Then in the late 90’s with the emergence of the digital camera, I started shooting more fine art photography in color. Now I shoot almost exclusively digital, but depending on the content and composition, I will keep the image in color or convert to black and white.
That’s what our fine art photographer predecessors did for me, lift the rules.
I have to continually check myself regarding the “rules” and how the paradigm changes regarding shooting digital over film, converting color to black and white, and printing electronically rather then silver prints. It’s a continuous self re-evaluation.
I wouldn’t call myself a photo journalist, though at times I’ve shot as an archivist with a journalistic intent. I wouldn’t call myself a street photographer, but much of the time my camera is by my side shooting what ever catches my eye. I wouldn't call myself a portrait photographer, although I have reveled in the joy of shooting someone in a more formal setting and catching them at “that” moment. I am just a photographer who uses film or 0’s and 1’s to catch a moment. |
