tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33929660.post563786326895319576..comments2024-03-27T10:27:03.495-04:00Comments on Working Pictures: Another Theater in the Corn FieldsCarl Weesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291898089206705608noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33929660.post-90747482108178227302012-02-15T16:11:35.398-05:002012-02-15T16:11:35.398-05:00Lyle, thanks for those notes. I think you are righ...Lyle, thanks for those notes. I think you are right that the color pictures say "NOW"--look contemporary while the b&w LF shots have a much more "timeless" look. I think you're right about a humorous element being easier to hit with the color shots (though some of the earlier LF ones can be funny). Of course humor is something I aim at routinely in the general color work shown on this blog.<br /><br />I think that some of the handheld digital capture color shots depend completely on the color element, while some of them will actually work better in b&w. That's hardly news--it's just the first time I've thought that any of my pictures shot in color will be improved by b&w conversion. Probably connected to whether the particular subject resonates better with "now" or with "timeless."Carl Weesehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12291898089206705608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33929660.post-7447297124423412192012-02-15T15:53:32.449-05:002012-02-15T15:53:32.449-05:00First I was thinking about the use of graphics/sig...First I was thinking about the use of graphics/signs. So I went back to the large formats and compared the Pike, the Lusk, the Wabash with the color ElmRoad and Skyway. Both use the graphics but I think toward different ends (emotionally, for me that is). The B&W images: the image fits the era of the architecture and heightens the sense of the time. The color images are somewhat humorous: double 'posting' of the movies (ElmRoad), multiple colors (Skyway). That also is more telling of the seemingly on a shoe string operation. The Warner (one of my favorites) and Park (Powell) work as B&W by the sheer power of the strong tones (mostly white). I am not sure the color would be the same. Yet, the color images have a more immediate feel to them - they are from this era, we can go see them. In some of the 7x17's I find myself looking at the autos in the images and thinking, 'damn, these are new cars?' BTW, the 7x17 format is also a big difference. Love that look. I do not find one (color or b&w) 'better' than the other, it is just curious of the emotional response they strike in me.lylenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33929660.post-69026806662042176402012-02-15T10:24:51.688-05:002012-02-15T10:24:51.688-05:00Lyle, this is interesting. Are you looking at the ...Lyle, this is interesting. Are you looking at the web galleries that show scans of Pt/Pd prints with the rough borders? If so, that presentation would make a big difference in the feel of the material. This gallery:<br /><br />http://www.carlweese.com/Drive-inTheaterGallery/index.html<br /><br />takes out that presentation issue. How do you find that compares with the new small-camera/color pictures? On another front, I've made small b&w prints from conversions of a lot of these digital captures, and I'm not sure I don't like them better than the color versions. On one hand, I've been dealing with this subject matter in b&w for over a dozen years so that might not be surprising, but OTOH it's the first time I've *ever* liked any of my color digital captures converted to monochrome...Carl Weesehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12291898089206705608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33929660.post-82199334488254925902012-02-15T10:09:22.362-05:002012-02-15T10:09:22.362-05:00The semi reminds me of something I saw this past s...The semi reminds me of something I saw this past summer, a temporary 'blow up' screen set up in a field for a weekend 'DI' movie fest. Maybe it is cheaper to move the movie from place to place and cash in on the nostalgia for DI's?<br /><br />I just reviewed the large format prints you have online trying to find some differences and similarities between the small camera work and large camera work. I was thinking that maybe there might be a difference in framing, use of graphics, etc. But while there are differences, there is a lot that is similar. But there is real emotional difference between the two that I can't quite put my finger on. This is challenging! thank you for posting.lylenoreply@blogger.com