I'm so happy I found your channel. As a young girl who photographs film, it's really nice to see a woman in the film photography TH-cam community!! I love this project and I'm so excited to watch how it progresses over the next year.
When you said you can’t rely on the pretty tones of a sunset to make the picture good, that hit home! You’ve inspired me to grab some b&w film and I can’t wait to follow along ❤️
I grew up as a photographer shooting B&W for quite a few years. Tri-X was my canvas. I'll be following along and can't wait to see your journey. One thing to consider is not to think of B&W as a limitation but to see the world in a totaly new way.
I'm not old but when I started photography I started analog. It seemed obvious to me to shoot B&W, learn developing and printing so I have a deep understanding of how it all works. While it never occurred to me as a limitation, it did change my view on a lot of things when color was taken out of the equation. It can even be liberatibg to not have to think about color and simply capture the moment.
Exactly. I love the tonality and the quality of light that comes with black and white photography. I’ve been away from shooting film for a while, but getting back into it. I used to love Tri-X too, yet it has now become prohibitively expensive. I’m thinking to switch to HP5+ which is pretty nice.
"A black and white image has a very special way of showing you who the photographer is" This really hit me. I mainly shoot sports so always in color but I really appreciate your approach.
New SUB! I've been obsessed with b&w photography for decades. Then I discovered the color profiles of Fujifilm. I shoot X series. Now I'm obsessed with Fuji color. I can't get enough. The shots I'm able to make bring me a great deal of peace, comfort, and joy. Oh...and less depression.
Can't wait to see this body of work and how your photos evolve! I always find limitations (color, camera, lens, location, etc.) to be a positive and make things feel so much more cohesive.
I started my journey in photography in 1969 with a Nikonos II underwater camera I bought to document my high school SCUBA diving adventures. But I got hooked on freezing moments in time on film, sold the dive gear and bought a pair of Nikon F bodies, 35mm f/2, 85mm f/1.8 and a 1° Honeywell spot meter using Adams Zone system to simplify making prints. I later apprenticed with and assisted a top pro photographer / teacher and worked in the National Geographic photo labs where I did photo reproductions and maps for the NGS publications. Exposure-wise B&W negative film is the most forgiving medium. By adjusting negative development time it is possible to adjust negative density range to match the contrast of the scene. With the Adams Zone System you always printed on #2 contrast paper and as a starting baseline tested to find the negative development time which would produce a full range of detail on a #2 print in a sunny, cross-lit scene with meters ten stops between detailed highlights and shadows. You then repeated the same development time testing under lower contrast and higher contrast lighting, again with the goal of adjusting negative density range to match that of the #2 print which produced the most pleasing tonal transitions. Unfortunately the Zone System was only practical if using a sheet film camera, a Hasselblad with removable film backs, or shooting an entire roll of film of the same scene. I did the latter by buying my film in 100ft rolls and creating my own 10 frame film cassettes so I could use the Zone System with my Nikon 35mm cameras. The Kodak approach to processing and print making is to start with the same baseline of fitting a cross-lit sunny scene to #2 paper with the baseline negative development time which was then used for all negatives regardless of scene contrast. That resulted in thin negatives on overcast days and negative with too much highlight density in higher contrast lighting conditions like snow covered scene or at the beach. What the lab would do is read the range of the negative from lightest to darkest area then change the paper grade to fit the range of the negative. That required someone making prints to buy several grades of paper. Kodak then invented a “polycontrast” print paper which used magenta and yellow filtration to change the contrast range of the paper. After determining the density range of the negative the print maker would select the appropriate filter to fit paper range to the negative range. I switched to that method for my B&W using a color enlarging head to dial in the filtration based on the spot meter readings I made of the scene range. Nowadays many who shoot B&W film skip the chemical print making step and instead develop the film at a lab, which will use a baseline sunny day development. That results negatives which may not match the range of the sensors of the scanner. That’s not a problem with lower contrast scenes which can be adjusted with levels or curves in post processing but if a scene has high contrast lighting with an f/stop range that exceeds the scanner’s dynamic range detail will be lost in the scan if the film development time is not adjusted lower. I noticed from the description you are using a averaging meter. If you want to better understand tailoring scene range to final reproduction I’d suggest getting a 1° spot meter that will allow reading the brightest solid highlight and darkest object in shadows you desire detail in, making notes of the range in f/stops between the textured highlights and shadow. In that way when you see the results after processing and edit them digitally you’ll come to understand when the range of a scene will exceed that of the scanner being used to digitize the negatives.
great video, also one thing to aid in what film you choose, is the fact of these past two years, (covid), with B&W whether the film shop is open, or NOT, it doesn't matter, a home darkroom is a reletively easy proposition, if just developing and scanning; the tolerance of temperature is more with B&W, less layers, hence steps and chemistry to store, buy, etc. so a much easier process. and love the channel name, no need for a 'rain check' , just a graincheck!
I absolutely love your commitment to solely black and white for an entire year.. I've been doing it myself for around 3 months now with only black and white squares on my Instagram, and it feels great 🙌🏻 B&W just feels different 🤷🏻♂️
I don't think I've ever cried watching a film photography youtube channel before, but, well, this video did it. Beautiful thoughts and even more beautiful images.
Nice commentary on black and white film. I also like black and white IR images. So much fun to revisit many of my favorite spots in the Portland area through the lens of your camera.
With winter coming and the colors from the world fading, this just inspired me to try black and white film 😌🙏 this was beautifully shot and I love the story. Excited to see how the project comes along!
"and even with all of this color around me, the film stocks I keep reaching for, are black and white" what a great expression you have made with your recital. I am fascinated by your decision of choosing to shoot only black and white for a whole year. This is truly a scary decision. Making only black and white pictures when you know that you have an option of making the same in color, is really a big, scary decision. You have all my best wishes. I hope you learn and grow in these coming 365 days of shooting only black and white. I'm so eager to see how that journey of yours turns out. Black and white pictures have always moved me in ways the colored one's haven't so I know what you're talking about, I know how you feel about them. I was mesmerized during this whole video where you talked about how some of the photographers you admire shot a lot in black and white and how black and white photographs brings you back to the basics of photography and that they're more about the memories and feelings. All the very best to you for this journey and for your photobook.
Absolutely LOVE this and it's something I've been planning to start from January 1st 2023 too! I think that when you document your kids first days/weeks/months in black and white it just really makes you realise that you don't *need* colour at all. Really looking forward to seeing your process!
Thank you for making this video. It reminds me that when the muse calls, you need to follow. I've just invested in a half-frame film camera and resurrected my father's rangefinder with the view of shooting my own personal projects. Post COVID, I've struggled to find inspiration but I think sometimes you just need to show up and engage with the process. Looking forward to what you produce over the next year.
I shot exactly two rolls of B&W the first 6 years of shooting film. In the last year it just clicked for me and now it's about half and half. Excited for these videos!
Subscribed for this! I agree completely that "limitation" is liberating. I tend to think of it as if it's something to react against. When I was teaching architecture students, they got blank page syndrome a lot, so I would make a random mark on their fancy, expensive paper and ask them to react to that mark. Do you like it? Why? Do you hate it? Why? How can you integrate it into a sketch of a building? Etc. Built my first darkroom at 12 y.o. B&W only. I miss those days, shooting and developing for pennies in my parents basement. Just getting back into photography, and man did I lose my monochrome eye. Learning to see the world in B&W again is a real blessing. Good luck with your journey!
Tri-x is the truth! I used to shoot that by the rolls ages ago. Thankfully, at the time, I was the photographer for the high school and one of the perks was pretty much an endless supply of Tri-x that I had access to. I was allowed to grab a few rolls for personal use each week and the staff would even pay to have a personal roll developed sometimes. Absolutely love the look of that film and it’s just the right amount of grain, etc
I’ve been on this journey with black & white for mostly the same reasons you described. I love the content so far. I can’t wait to watch this adventure unfold.
also, the ending feels quite appropriate. limitation is grounds for growth. I think of film in many ways as guidelines in which you have to work inside. It acts as sort of a parameter in which you must work. I think this is great for growth, as without restraints, it can be quite overwhelming to try and create something when you have so many ideas or possibilities. By narrowing something down to film or black and white, you are able to limit your distractions and focus on improving in one very specific way, or growing a different skillset to be able to continue to make meaningful work in said parameters.
This video was made with peace and mindfulness. which is very admirable. Thank you for that. Love to follow along with your blogs and folks from Sunny Sixteen, When the videos pop out, I know I just have to grab my teacup and feel cozy for a moment! Saying hi and wishing you all the best!
I love shooting in b&w and you know what Im going to join you for this challenge! Black and white photos just have a way of communicating like nothing else and that’s why I love them so so much
Love love love this and now I want to shoot more black and white! I have to admit that although we're talking about black and white, your color grading and the scenes you captured were awe-inspiring. Good luck and I can't wait to see the results!
Love that sentiment of limitation being the most creative tool of them all. As a fellow black and white lover, I can’t wait to see what you learn in this project!
I love shooting B&W for so many reasons, but not all are for aesthetic purposes. for me it's actually significantly cheaper and faster to shoot B&W. I develop it at home in my bathroom so I can have the images same day if I really wanted to (and after just a couple of rolls the equipment and chemicals pay for themselves)
"Doing this not because it's easy, but the complete opposite" Really loved that. It's going to be hard not to shot all the color you come across I imagine.
I immediately thought of Sissi Liu (Under DVLP) and her month of shooting only B&W and what she learned about noticing contrast edges and textures. The holidays might be the hardest period, with all of the colors and lights. We all look forward to hearing what you are learning.
Ironically (or not?), your eye for colour is exceptional. For instance, that shot at 6:05 would be so flat and not even worth taking in monochrome. But as you've made clear, that's not the point of this project, and black and white offers so much on its own merits. This video is so enjoyable and well done. You are a fabulous filmmaker and really draw the viewer in. Nice old Subaru Outback, too!
Today I'm thankful for the fact that the algorithm presented this absolute gem to me. This is such a well crafted video, that just emits a cozy, relaxed and interesting vibe. Really glad that I'm now able to tag along for this year-long journey from the first video.
Way to go Graincheck, as I tend to agree as I also love to shoot during overcast days with either rain or snow scenes. One camera and One lens. As for film 400 speed B/W either Kodak TX, and Ilford HP5+. As there was once a film that I love in which it is no longer made, it was Fuji Neopan 400 & 1600 as I soup it on a developer once called UFG, and it gave me the unique contrasty scenes and it is a developer that it is made to push process only, but I shot it straight box speed. Love the film, and developer. I wish you luck in getting your shots in a book, as I will be waiting for it to add it into my Photo book collection all 1500 of them... 😄😄😄😄🎞🎞📸📸
As an older guy, I grew up with B&W photography - I’ve recently been going back to it - mostly looking for art and simplicity. I set myself a challenge to photograph a Buddhist Monastery in B&W - here it is all about colour and I found it hard, very hard. A Chinese Festival would probably be the same. I applaud what you’re doing, if you really want to test yourself, I’d love to see how you go with a Chinese Festival or similar.
I’ve been shooting B&W for about 50 years now. These days I use Fuji digital cameras as the cost of shooting film is too high now (in more ways than one). Best of luck on your journey. I’ll be watching.
I've been shooting only black and white for about 4 months because I really don't feel like paying for C-41 processing! It *really* changes how you look at a scene and what makes a composition. GOOD LUCK! 🤞
"For me, the shift in seasons always comes with internal shifts, too. Life takes on a different pace, a different undertone, and inevitably my photographs and the process to make them do, too." Oh man, I LOVE this. More videos like this please.
Excited for this journey for you! I'm with you---my B&W rolls are my favorites, and I'm always happiest with those photos. While I shot more color rolls this year than in any other (maybe 50%), I'm going back to B&W, too. It's just too good to not shoot all of the time, and I enjoy processing and scanning it at home. Good luck!
A whole year, wow! Super excited for this series! I am inspired to shoot more of my digital photos in b&w, totally agree how they have a timeless look to them. I have never shot b&w film I am still new to film but I will definitely have to try thanks for inspiring!
I followed you down the rabbit hole of the X100V. Now I’m finding I keep shooting in Acros film simulation for the reasons you’re shooting b&w film. Back to basics and back to bringing joy into photography 💪✌️
I too love B/W, but I'm into the journalistic look, so I generally reach for TriX. And how are you so amazing at photography‽ The production of this episode was off the charts too. If I were a TV station, your channel would definitely be a TV show. Keep killin it!
Instant convert here. Nice to see someone embracing film, and I have to applaud your discipline of committing to monochrome for a long interval. I am new to your channel-just subscribed, on the strength of this video alone: delightful! It’s interesting to reflect on the fact that I default to color, even though black and white images are so captivating, having so many appealing qualities, as you’ve described. Lacking access to film equipment at the moment, maybe I will cheat this exercise by shooting raw plus b&w film simulation jpegs on fujifilm x-t1 and/or x-t20.
cool! i’m doing the same, and limiting myself to just one of my (too many) cameras: my mamiya 6. i shot black and white film exclusively for all of 2013, just to remind myself to slow down and see differently again. it was a beautiful year, a gift to myself. ten years later, i can’t wait to open that gift again. excited to follow along with your journey.
You just keep on being one of the most inspiring photographers to me. Even made me consider ditching colour film for some time myself. I think what you said about it being timeless and yet intriguing really sticks to me
You're talking about a 365 Project, right? I did this last year, and I never even thought of B&W as being part of the challenge. Finding something worth shooting every single day absolutely was, but if anything B&W made a lot of subjects easier to work with. For maximum creativity/expression/fun, colour filters are your friend. Yellow is great as an everyday walkaround to give most scenes a little contrast boost, blue is generally only for intensifying mist and fog, green will brighten up the new spring leaves when they come, and orange (or even red) beautifully highlights the changing autumnal foliage against blue skies, wet tarmac, or other trees which have not yet started to turn. But you'll already know all of this from your Ansel Adams books. And the fact that you've increasingly been reaching for the B&W over the last several years means that you're pretty much ready for it anyway. 🙂 Remember, it's only one pretty autumn that you'll be missing, you can always break out the colour film again next year. Bon courage!
wow. i wil be following - from fairly far away, where we're currently seeing trees getting their new leaves ready for summer. I have a little list of photography projects/ideas for books and I have been wondering if i can fit in 200 days of soley B&W. Genuinely excited to see how your journey develops.
Totally agree… I shoot B/W from day one…after 25 years still shooting b/w…sometimes I missed the color but I can count it on one hand. Overall I like to take family pictures, and in doing this Sally Mann has been a great inspiration.
Just got my first film camera and got gifted some b&w film wasn’t sure I wanted to use it but now after watching this I’m super excited use the b&w film!
Beautifully made film of your philosophy and thoughts. Thoroughly thought out with nice lead in and out that wraps the whole idea nicely. 👌🏿 Glad the algorithm pushed me to this vid. Keep living the life and journey along BNW. it's all about the memories.
I was having a hard time deciding whether I should buy black and white film or shoot in color like in digital. It literally took me days before I came across this video. Coming across this video may be a sign for me to try and shoot black and white. I was always fascinated by black and white pictures I find at home. I guess I should try taking a few myself. Thanks for this video :D
I love photography and I love the way we have access to so many images. I'm always drawn to desaturated images (and that is the style I tend to create) but I can definitely appreciate the monochrome as well. There are some spectacular images in this video. I am new to your channel (and subscribed!) and cannot wait to see where the next year leads you.
Great endeavor and a tough one for sure! You might become a great source of inspiration. Can’t wait to see more videos and pictures coming. May the grain be with you!
Great little story here. Constraint is a powerful tool for any artist . Looking forward to what you come up with! also it's cool to see the place I live in your videos
I knew it, I was looking at the colors in your video footage thinking how very much like film they were rendered and I thought if she isn’t shooting on a Fuji, she’d love to. Good to see your appreciation for the aesthetics of film, and how the process of slowing down, capturing what matters to you with restrictions. I think it teaches us Mindfulness before it was a thing, but in our creativity, it cultivates intention. I can’t wait to see more. :-)
I almost couldn't bear watching your video. Its the Contax G. I have two G2s with less than 4000 shutter actuations which gave up the ghost last year within a year of each otehr. Everything works but the shutter. There seems to be no on in the Uk who would repair them. There they sit, with all the lenses. Good photography BTW, enjoyed it.
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm so happy I found your channel. As a young girl who photographs film, it's really nice to see a woman in the film photography TH-cam community!! I love this project and I'm so excited to watch how it progresses over the next year.
When you said you can’t rely on the pretty tones of a sunset to make the picture good, that hit home! You’ve inspired me to grab some b&w film and I can’t wait to follow along ❤️
Right? What a sentiment. So glad you're shooting some b/w along with me!!
I grew up as a photographer shooting B&W for quite a few years. Tri-X was my canvas. I'll be following along and can't wait to see your journey. One thing to consider is not to think of B&W as a limitation but to see the world in a totaly new way.
Great advice. Thank you!
I'm not old but when I started photography I started analog.
It seemed obvious to me to shoot B&W, learn developing and printing so I have a deep understanding of how it all works.
While it never occurred to me as a limitation, it did change my view on a lot of things when color was taken out of the equation. It can even be liberatibg to not have to think about color and simply capture the moment.
Exactly. I love the tonality and the quality of light that comes with black and white photography. I’ve been away from shooting film for a while, but getting back into it. I used to love Tri-X too, yet it has now become prohibitively expensive. I’m thinking to switch to HP5+ which is pretty nice.
GOLD :-)
"A black and white image has a very special way of showing you who the photographer is"
This really hit me.
I mainly shoot sports so always in color but I really appreciate your approach.
New SUB! I've been obsessed with b&w photography for decades. Then I discovered the color profiles of Fujifilm. I shoot X series. Now I'm obsessed with Fuji color. I can't get enough. The shots I'm able to make bring me a great deal of peace, comfort, and joy. Oh...and less depression.
100% with your last sentence: “limitation can ultimately be the most creative liberating tool of all”
100% true!!!
Can't wait to see this body of work and how your photos evolve! I always find limitations (color, camera, lens, location, etc.) to be a positive and make things feel so much more cohesive.
In summer or winter this will work for me. During spring and autumn I prefer a landscape or vivid kind of colour.
I started my journey in photography in 1969 with a Nikonos II underwater camera I bought to document my high school SCUBA diving adventures. But I got hooked on freezing moments in time on film, sold the dive gear and bought a pair of Nikon F bodies, 35mm f/2, 85mm f/1.8 and a 1° Honeywell spot meter using Adams Zone system to simplify making prints. I later apprenticed with and assisted a top pro photographer / teacher and worked in the National Geographic photo labs where I did photo reproductions and maps for the NGS publications.
Exposure-wise B&W negative film is the most forgiving medium. By adjusting negative development time it is possible to adjust negative density range to match the contrast of the scene. With the Adams Zone System you always printed on #2 contrast paper and as a starting baseline tested to find the negative development time which would produce a full range of detail on a #2 print in a sunny, cross-lit scene with meters ten stops between detailed highlights and shadows. You then repeated the same development time testing under lower contrast and higher contrast lighting, again with the goal of adjusting negative density range to match that of the #2 print which produced the most pleasing tonal transitions.
Unfortunately the Zone System was only practical if using a sheet film camera, a Hasselblad with removable film backs, or shooting an entire roll of film of the same scene. I did the latter by buying my film in 100ft rolls and creating my own 10 frame film cassettes so I could use the Zone System with my Nikon 35mm cameras.
The Kodak approach to processing and print making is to start with the same baseline of fitting a cross-lit sunny scene to #2 paper with the baseline negative development time which was then used for all negatives regardless of scene contrast. That resulted in thin negatives on overcast days and negative with too much highlight density in higher contrast lighting conditions like snow covered scene or at the beach. What the lab would do is read the range of the negative from lightest to darkest area then change the paper grade to fit the range of the negative. That required someone making prints to buy several grades of paper.
Kodak then invented a “polycontrast” print paper which used magenta and yellow filtration to change the contrast range of the paper. After determining the density range of the negative the print maker would select the appropriate filter to fit paper range to the negative range. I switched to that method for my B&W using a color enlarging head to dial in the filtration based on the spot meter readings I made of the scene range.
Nowadays many who shoot B&W film skip the chemical print making step and instead develop the film at a lab, which will use a baseline sunny day development. That results negatives which may not match the range of the sensors of the scanner. That’s not a problem with lower contrast scenes which can be adjusted with levels or curves in post processing but if a scene has high contrast lighting with an f/stop range that exceeds the scanner’s dynamic range detail will be lost in the scan if the film development time is not adjusted lower.
I noticed from the description you are using a averaging meter. If you want to better understand tailoring scene range to final reproduction I’d suggest getting a 1° spot meter that will allow reading the brightest solid highlight and darkest object in shadows you desire detail in, making notes of the range in f/stops between the textured highlights and shadow. In that way when you see the results after processing and edit them digitally you’ll come to understand when the range of a scene will exceed that of the scanner being used to digitize the negatives.
great video, also one thing to aid in what film you choose, is the fact of these past two years, (covid), with B&W whether the film shop is open, or NOT, it doesn't matter, a home darkroom is a reletively easy proposition, if just developing and scanning; the tolerance of temperature is more with B&W, less layers, hence steps and chemistry to store, buy, etc. so a much easier process. and love the channel name, no need for a 'rain check' , just a graincheck!
I absolutely love your commitment to solely black and white for an entire year..
I've been doing it myself for around 3 months now with only black and white squares on my Instagram, and it feels great 🙌🏻
B&W just feels different 🤷🏻♂️
I don't think I've ever cried watching a film photography youtube channel before, but, well, this video did it. Beautiful thoughts and even more beautiful images.
Omg 😭😭😭
I always see a colorful scene and think (or say out loud),
“This will look great shot on B&W film.”
Nice commentary on black and white film. I also like black and white IR images. So much fun to revisit many of my favorite spots in the Portland area through the lens of your camera.
With winter coming and the colors from the world fading, this just inspired me to try black and white film 😌🙏 this was beautifully shot and I love the story. Excited to see how the project comes along!
"and even with all of this color around me, the film stocks I keep reaching for, are black and white" what a great expression you have made with your recital. I am fascinated by your decision of choosing to shoot only black and white for a whole year. This is truly a scary decision. Making only black and white pictures when you know that you have an option of making the same in color, is really a big, scary decision. You have all my best wishes. I hope you learn and grow in these coming 365 days of shooting only black and white. I'm so eager to see how that journey of yours turns out. Black and white pictures have always moved me in ways the colored one's haven't so I know what you're talking about, I know how you feel about them. I was mesmerized during this whole video where you talked about how some of the photographers you admire shot a lot in black and white and how black and white photographs brings you back to the basics of photography and that they're more about the memories and feelings. All the very best to you for this journey and for your photobook.
Very excited to follow along and see what comes out of your cameras!
looking forward to seeing this series unfold!
Absolutely LOVE this and it's something I've been planning to start from January 1st 2023 too! I think that when you document your kids first days/weeks/months in black and white it just really makes you realise that you don't *need* colour at all. Really looking forward to seeing your process!
GOOD LUCK TO BOTH OF US THEN!!!
Thank you for making this video. It reminds me that when the muse calls, you need to follow. I've just invested in a half-frame film camera and resurrected my father's rangefinder with the view of shooting my own personal projects. Post COVID, I've struggled to find inspiration but I think sometimes you just need to show up and engage with the process. Looking forward to what you produce over the next year.
Limiting ourselves to thrive ❤🔥
So glad that the TH-cam algorithm recommend me this, now I can follow the entire journey on B&W Film!
This is an ode to black and white photography in your own way. I love it (:
(You get it.)
I shot exactly two rolls of B&W the first 6 years of shooting film. In the last year it just clicked for me and now it's about half and half. Excited for these videos!
Subscribed for this! I agree completely that "limitation" is liberating. I tend to think of it as if it's something to react against. When I was teaching architecture students, they got blank page syndrome a lot, so I would make a random mark on their fancy, expensive paper and ask them to react to that mark. Do you like it? Why? Do you hate it? Why? How can you integrate it into a sketch of a building? Etc.
Built my first darkroom at 12 y.o. B&W only. I miss those days, shooting and developing for pennies in my parents basement. Just getting back into photography, and man did I lose my monochrome eye. Learning to see the world in B&W again is a real blessing. Good luck with your journey!
Tri-x is the truth! I used to shoot that by the rolls ages ago. Thankfully, at the time, I was the photographer for the high school and one of the perks was pretty much an endless supply of Tri-x that I had access to. I was allowed to grab a few rolls for personal use each week and the staff would even pay to have a personal roll developed sometimes. Absolutely love the look of that film and it’s just the right amount of grain, etc
I shot and developed a roll of CineStill XX for the first time and fell in love with this film!
I’ve been on this journey with black & white for mostly the same reasons you described. I love the content so far. I can’t wait to watch this adventure unfold.
also, the ending feels quite appropriate. limitation is grounds for growth. I think of film in many ways as guidelines in which you have to work inside. It acts as sort of a parameter in which you must work. I think this is great for growth, as without restraints, it can be quite overwhelming to try and create something when you have so many ideas or possibilities. By narrowing something down to film or black and white, you are able to limit your distractions and focus on improving in one very specific way, or growing a different skillset to be able to continue to make meaningful work in said parameters.
Just......YES!
This video was made with peace and mindfulness. which is very admirable. Thank you for that. Love to follow along with your blogs and folks from Sunny Sixteen, When the videos pop out, I know I just have to grab my teacup and feel cozy for a moment! Saying hi and wishing you all the best!
This comment means a lot to me. Thank you so much for all the kind words.
I love shooting in b&w and you know what
Im going to join you for this challenge!
Black and white photos just have a way of communicating like nothing else and that’s why I love them so so much
NOOOOO WAAYYYYY!!! This is incredible 😭
@@graincheck thanks 😭
The visuals were on another level for this one! Beautiful and excited to see more!
Love love love this and now I want to shoot more black and white! I have to admit that although we're talking about black and white, your color grading and the scenes you captured were awe-inspiring. Good luck and I can't wait to see the results!
"...limitation can ultimately be the most liberating creative tool of all." I love this taylor, I'm so excited!
Love that sentiment of limitation being the most creative tool of them all. As a fellow black and white lover, I can’t wait to see what you learn in this project!
I love shooting B&W for so many reasons, but not all are for aesthetic purposes. for me it's actually significantly cheaper and faster to shoot B&W. I develop it at home in my bathroom so I can have the images same day if I really wanted to (and after just a couple of rolls the equipment and chemicals pay for themselves)
LETS GO TAYLOR ! looking forward to this journey
I’m so excited to see what you do in the future with black and white. You’re work is amazing. This is really inspirational
"Doing this not because it's easy, but the complete opposite" Really loved that. It's going to be hard not to shot all the color you come across I imagine.
I immediately thought of Sissi Liu (Under DVLP) and her month of shooting only B&W and what she learned about noticing contrast edges and textures. The holidays might be the hardest period, with all of the colors and lights. We all look forward to hearing what you are learning.
loved this video & reflection. looking forward to the updates on yr project.
Ironically (or not?), your eye for colour is exceptional. For instance, that shot at 6:05 would be so flat and not even worth taking in monochrome. But as you've made clear, that's not the point of this project, and black and white offers so much on its own merits.
This video is so enjoyable and well done. You are a fabulous filmmaker and really draw the viewer in. Nice old Subaru Outback, too!
This is it! This is the kind of video I’ve been missing! Definitely keep this style up!
Today I'm thankful for the fact that the algorithm presented this absolute gem to me. This is such a well crafted video, that just emits a cozy, relaxed and interesting vibe. Really glad that I'm now able to tag along for this year-long journey from the first video.
So glad you’re here ⚡️
Me too, subscribed immediately
Way to go Graincheck, as I tend to agree as I also love to shoot during overcast days with either rain or snow scenes. One camera and One lens. As for film 400 speed B/W either Kodak TX, and Ilford HP5+. As there was once a film that I love in which it is no longer made, it was Fuji Neopan 400 & 1600 as I soup it on a developer once called UFG, and it gave me the unique contrasty scenes and it is a developer that it is made to push process only, but I shot it straight box speed. Love the film, and developer. I wish you luck in getting your shots in a book, as I will be waiting for it to add it into my Photo book collection all 1500 of them... 😄😄😄😄🎞🎞📸📸
As an older guy, I grew up with B&W photography - I’ve recently been going back to it - mostly looking for art and simplicity. I set myself a challenge to photograph a Buddhist Monastery in B&W - here it is all about colour and I found it hard, very hard. A Chinese Festival would probably be the same. I applaud what you’re doing, if you really want to test yourself, I’d love to see how you go with a Chinese Festival or similar.
Creativity loves constraints! I know you will discover things you didn't expect as you move through this project. Looking forward to seeing the book!
I’ve been shooting B&W for about 50 years now. These days I use Fuji digital cameras as the cost of shooting film is too high now (in more ways than one). Best of luck on your journey. I’ll be watching.
I've been shooting only black and white for about 4 months because I really don't feel like paying for C-41 processing! It *really* changes how you look at a scene and what makes a composition. GOOD LUCK! 🤞
I love this. I'm a big fan of 365 projects. Looking forward to seeing your black and white year.
"For me, the shift in seasons always comes with internal shifts, too. Life takes on a different pace, a different undertone, and inevitably my photographs and the process to make them do, too."
Oh man, I LOVE this. More videos like this please.
i love black and white.... not any black and white ...you are perfect in capturing black and white ...thanks for sharing
B&W is all about story telling. All the best on your journey.
Excited for this journey for you! I'm with you---my B&W rolls are my favorites, and I'm always happiest with those photos. While I shot more color rolls this year than in any other (maybe 50%), I'm going back to B&W, too. It's just too good to not shoot all of the time, and I enjoy processing and scanning it at home. Good luck!
That was lovely! Can’t wait to see your journey.
A whole year, wow! Super excited for this series! I am inspired to shoot more of my digital photos in b&w, totally agree how they have a timeless look to them. I have never shot b&w film I am still new to film but I will definitely have to try thanks for inspiring!
I followed you down the rabbit hole of the X100V. Now I’m finding I keep shooting in Acros film simulation for the reasons you’re shooting b&w film. Back to basics and back to bringing joy into photography 💪✌️
Wow, you've been following for a miiiiinute. Happy you're here!
So well done! Thank you for this.
This video spoke to my soul. This is exactly how I feel about black and white photography and why I can barely bring myself to shoot anything else
I’ve always loved black and white. I just got back into film and I’m hand rolling HP5 until the roll is gone.
So awesome!! I about mainly black and white and you out into words exactly how I feel about it! Thank you for the video!
I too love B/W, but I'm into the journalistic look, so I generally reach for TriX.
And how are you so amazing at photography‽ The production of this episode was off the charts too. If I were a TV station, your channel would definitely be a TV show.
Keep killin it!
This was and is so well done! I’m excited to see where this goes! Thanks for including us on this exploration!
Beautiful. I'm coming along for the ride 👍
Instant convert here. Nice to see someone embracing film, and I have to applaud your discipline of committing to monochrome for a long interval. I am new to your channel-just subscribed, on the strength of this video alone: delightful!
It’s interesting to reflect on the fact that I default to color, even though black and white images are so captivating, having so many appealing qualities, as you’ve described.
Lacking access to film equipment at the moment, maybe I will cheat this exercise by shooting raw plus b&w film simulation jpegs on fujifilm x-t1 and/or x-t20.
I just love black and white so much. Digital and film and almost exclusively black and white for me. I prefer color with my SX70 though.
Wooo! Stoked to see your journey unfold!
Excellent video! I enjoyed this a lot. Can’t wait for some more black and white content!
I can't wait for the day when the world begins to recognize you as the GOAT photographer on youtube!
😭 😭 😭 😭 😭
cool! i’m doing the same, and limiting myself to just one of my (too many) cameras: my mamiya 6. i shot black and white film exclusively for all of 2013, just to remind myself to slow down and see differently again. it was a beautiful year, a gift to myself. ten years later, i can’t wait to open that gift again. excited to follow along with your journey.
You inspire me to shoot more black and white. 🖤
I can't wait a year for your book! Good luck on your journey.
You just keep on being one of the most inspiring photographers to me. Even made me consider ditching colour film for some time myself. I think what you said about it being timeless and yet intriguing really sticks to me
This really hit me. Thank you so much for the kind words.
I just got an electro 35 and watching all your videos for an inspiration. love your work
You're talking about a 365 Project, right? I did this last year, and I never even thought of B&W as being part of the challenge. Finding something worth shooting every single day absolutely was, but if anything B&W made a lot of subjects easier to work with. For maximum creativity/expression/fun, colour filters are your friend. Yellow is great as an everyday walkaround to give most scenes a little contrast boost, blue is generally only for intensifying mist and fog, green will brighten up the new spring leaves when they come, and orange (or even red) beautifully highlights the changing autumnal foliage against blue skies, wet tarmac, or other trees which have not yet started to turn. But you'll already know all of this from your Ansel Adams books. And the fact that you've increasingly been reaching for the B&W over the last several years means that you're pretty much ready for it anyway. 🙂
Remember, it's only one pretty autumn that you'll be missing, you can always break out the colour film again next year. Bon courage!
wow. i wil be following - from fairly far away, where we're currently seeing trees getting their new leaves ready for summer. I have a little list of photography projects/ideas for books and I have been wondering if i can fit in 200 days of soley B&W. Genuinely excited to see how your journey develops.
I love the images especially the baby photos! Not to mention the cinematography is just as great as well!
Looking forward to following this journey with you ...
Totally agree… I shoot B/W from day one…after 25 years still shooting b/w…sometimes I missed the color but I can count it on one hand. Overall I like to take family pictures, and in doing this Sally Mann has been a great inspiration.
Just got my first film camera and got gifted some b&w film wasn’t sure I wanted to use it but now after watching this I’m super excited use the b&w film!
Yesss!!!!!
Beautifully made film of your philosophy and thoughts. Thoroughly thought out with nice lead in and out that wraps the whole idea nicely. 👌🏿 Glad the algorithm pushed me to this vid. Keep living the life and journey along BNW. it's all about the memories.
I was having a hard time deciding whether I should buy black and white film or shoot in color like in digital. It literally took me days before I came across this video. Coming across this video may be a sign for me to try and shoot black and white. I was always fascinated by black and white pictures I find at home. I guess I should try taking a few myself. Thanks for this video :D
I support that! I exclusively shoot Foma 400 or the Across+Red Filter on my x100v
I love photography and I love the way we have access to so many images. I'm always drawn to desaturated images (and that is the style I tend to create) but I can definitely appreciate the monochrome as well. There are some spectacular images in this video. I am new to your channel (and subscribed!) and cannot wait to see where the next year leads you.
Sounds great! I'm sure we all will enjoy following along with you. Hopefully while we are all doing are own journey.
Beautiful. Keen to follow along, for sure!
Incredible video, very inspirational. 👍
You have beautiful scenes and good shots. I'm also a photographer and I like the way you express yourself. I come from Asia - Vietnam
can't wait to see the rest of this series grow fam, so proud of you!!!
😭😭😭😭😭
Way to go. Looking forward to see what you will come up with. Also, now's the time to start developing and scanning your film by yourself.
Oh, most definitely.
Wonderful confession. Full support for your journey!
Great endeavor and a tough one for sure! You might become a great source of inspiration. Can’t wait to see more videos and pictures coming. May the grain be with you!
May. The. Grain. Be. With. Me. YES!
Great little story here. Constraint is a powerful tool for any artist . Looking forward to what you come up with!
also it's cool to see the place I live in your videos
I knew it, I was looking at the colors in your video footage thinking how very much like film they were rendered and I thought if she isn’t shooting on a Fuji, she’d love to. Good to see your appreciation for the aesthetics of film, and how the process of slowing down, capturing what matters to you with restrictions. I think it teaches us Mindfulness before it was a thing, but in our creativity, it cultivates intention. I can’t wait to see more. :-)
Oh my goodness This is so beautiful ❤
your videos look really comfortable and i like it
This is your best YT video IMO, great storytelling, keep up the good work!
Best yet?! Holy shit, that's cool to hear.
Love this. Best of luck and enjoy the journey 🥲
Very exciting and very impressive. I look forward to following the journey.
I almost couldn't bear watching your video. Its the Contax G. I have two G2s with less than 4000 shutter actuations which gave up the ghost last year within a year of each otehr. Everything works but the shutter. There seems to be no on in the Uk who would repair them. There they sit, with all the lenses. Good photography BTW, enjoyed it.
This video is absolutely beautiful and even made me a little emotional 😅 Agree with everything you said and can’t wait to follow along!