I guess that with monochrome you can experiment more with textures, grain and contrast. There's less options colour-wise, because it's all grey, so it probably forces you to focus on those things, or at least make those things stand out more to toy with. What I'm curious about though, is 'monochrome' always the same 'monochrome' on every machine? Do different cameras and edititing software interpret colour different and thus display it in different shades? I'm guessing different camera settings and presets (like Neutral, or High Contrast, etc) still have influence on how one can shoot in mono.
Yeah, it's definitely different from camera to camera and also editing comes into play. This is also true for color though. I guess the lesson is that there is no such things as a 'definitive' image. :)
The images of the incense smoke near Sensoji temple are fantastic. So atmospheric and mysterious. Love those shots. Great video on monochromatic Asakusa.
what i've always liked about black&white pictures is that it becomes more about forms and shapes rather than colors. sometimes color can distract and black&white becomes "pure" i'm not sure how to explain it but anyway i usually prefer to take monochrome fotos. great video and very interesting hearing your opinion about it. cheers!
This is the best channel on youtube that i look forward to everyday. Not because of the way lukasz photograph but the way he talk about photography. Its kinda therapeutic to me. Keep up the good work
Man. The fluidity and the depth of your thoughts on this subject totally deserve a fluid and deep reply. I will most likely end up writing a whole blog about it one of these days. Btw, some pretty cool pictures with the smoke but for some reason my favourite one was the Honda wing.
I know the focus is shooting still photography in b&w, but I love that you guys shot the video itself in b&w! I'd say that's far less common than monochrome photography, and it was a fun twist. 🙂 As for b&w photography, you raise some interesting questions. It's clear that sometimes it's better for a shot, sometimes color is better. I think color photography and b&w photography should just be thought of as two different mediums, two tools with different strengths and weaknesses. Which then brings us to the question of a body of work, and should we mix the media. I think you're right, it feels off and incongruous to have a mixture of color and b&w photos. And yet, I can't help mixing them, some shots just work so much better in one medium or the other, and I don't want to limit myself! I love how monochrome can simplify a busy scene and help the eye focus on certain subjects, or abstract shapes-- much like a wide open aperture can isolate a subject.
Thank you! Glad you liked that decision. As for the mixing of color and monochrome, If it works for you then it works! I find that just forcing myself to always shoot in color and work with color in post just makes the whole process more simple and more fun. I try not to use monochrome as a 'way out' of a problem. I want to use it someday as a deliberate choice. :)
I like that you kept in the section of you buying the cookie instead of keeping a purely photography oriented video, really helps gives off a nice chill vibe to the whole video - sometimes when your watching TH-camr photographers it can seem like the intent is 100% on the results and the photos and not just the fun of walking around somewhere and the inspiration that comes from just being in the moment 😄 Keep up the great content!
Great video - interesting photos and discussion. At the moment I'm in my "Vivien Maier" mode for street - B&W and square format; it makes me think hard about each photo.
I was just thinking about how neglectful I have been with my bnw photography. This video will surely be and extra push to go back to the shapes and shadows fundamentals.
I shoot 99% of my street photography in monochrome since I for once really like the look but secondly I like the abstraction of the image especially in a "close to reality" genre like street photography. But I do see why one would shoot more color in a city like tokyo due to all the popping colors and neon signs. Even tho I can imagine some cool tokyo night shots in black and white.
Enjoyed the video. I've been working on a project for a couple years now where the light rarely cooperates and accessing the sites in golden or blue hour is not an option. Going monochrome still captures the scene and the contrast "just works" with the scenery. Nice job.
That was a very interseting and refreshing video to watch ! I really enjoyed it, it was like watching a movie (great choise with the B&W video, it really made the video more "wow!"), I myself really enjoy color, and B&W photography, but I do want to shoot more B&W (already have some projects planned in B&W only), it gives such really different view. I've watched many videos in Asakusa, and this one was like seeing it in a very different way, it felt like it's the first time I see it ! Such a great video, and really great and lovely photos! I would definitely enjoy watching another video in B&W ! 🤩
I learned with black and white film in high school but I never use monochrome. I enjoy capturing vibrant color too much. It looks like a good way to focus on form and light though.
Thanks!! Actually, we even shot it in monochrome by setting it in camera, so there was no going back haha. The only things I had to make monochrome in post was out logo and screen graphics. Glad you liked it! :)
I’m just glad I’m not constrained to any particular type of photography for a TH-cam channel etc. I shoot whatever I want whenever I want and could care less what anyone thinks but me.
I used to only shoot in B&W on very old Nikon cameras and loved it. It's something you either love or hate I guess. However since I upgraded to a Fujifilm X100V, I seem to be shooting more in colour now.
Thanks for this... Decades ago (the early '70's) I started my photography on a Voigtländer Vito B with B&W film. That's because it was cheaper to process, and as a 13 or 14 year old kid, I had to scrape up the money for processing the prints. In order to learn about photography, I had to look at books at the library. (Remember those?) Books like "The Encyclopedia Of Photography" and photos by people like Weegee (Usher Fellig) were my inspiration, and I learned a LOT about how to shoot. I don't think there's a distinction between the bodies of work. A good photo is a good photo, but sometimes the situation or photo itself is what decides color or monochrome. One of the best portraits I ever took was in color, and the client adored it; but I prefer it in B&W, and that's what I use in my portfolio. It has a completely different feel. I don't think Haruto Hoshi's work looks as good in color- it's his B&W work that really stands out. I also like to shoot in authentic settings- Film has an ASA, (not ISO) and you were locked into that, so setting the camera to have a locked ISO of 100 or 200 (or 400 for night shooting) made you get really good with light, shutter speed, aperture and composition really quickly, else you ended up with just black way-underexposed prints. One of Weegee's standard sayings when asked about his settings was "F8, and be there." Thanks again, ..Joe
Thanks Joe! Yeah, I say f/8 and be there too. I didn't know Weegee was the origin of the phrase, but I figured it came from that era. Film can also be rated in 'ISO' though I understand there is a difference between the ASA and ISO systems. But ISO predates digital. ISO was introduced in the 1970s. That's great that you feel your BW work and color work can live together in your portfolio. For me, this just doesn't work, but of course it's totally subjective! And I've seen it pulled off well in some works. :)
@@EYExplore No one's really sure it was Weegee who said that, mainly because he used F16, flash set for 25 feet, and a shutter speed of 200. But it had to start somewhere, and it's good that he gets the attribution. ..Joe
He's pretty good, but he also has a hack where he walks forwards but holds the gimbal over his shoulder and look back at the screen a bit. It's easier than walking backwards. :)
As someone who shoots mostly black and white, occasionally colour, it's always interesting to hear from people who are the opposite! Kind of the same as you said in the video, I really appreciate looking at colour photography, I just find I don't often want to make those kinds of images.
Thanks for posting this video, now that’s some interesting content 👍 Seeing in color while shooting monochrome is why the Leica Monochrom edition is still such an interesting proposition I think. For me it’s more about learning too see in monochrome, rather than taking pictures from a monochrome EVF. I think learning this technique will make you a better photographer as you’ll train your mind to focus on composition & contrast. When back in color you’ll get a new subliminal experience!
Yeah, the Leica Monochrome is a cool concept. It's a bit too expensive for me just to try it out though. I with Ricoh would make a monochrome GR. That might be cool! I do focus on composition and contrast. It's not like those things are absent in color haha. Yes, they are different, but not absent. :)
Hi, I love your work! I have been searching for the band your camera is hanging on for months. Where dit you get it from? I have a Nikon d850, it is a little heavy, that’s why I ask! Thanks
Thank you so much!! It's a Peak Design strap. There is a link in the video description. You can get it on Amazon using our link and we get a commission which helps us out! :)
I’m only a few more dollars savings away from the Z9. Coming up from the F3 and F5 with TriX400, I’m anxiously anticipating using this monochrome feature.
Oh man, that's a huuuuuge change. I think you'll be frustrated in some ways but once you get used to everything you're gonna love it. All Nikon cameras have had a Monochrome picture mode for a long time now, but what's cool about doing with with a mirrorless camera is that you get to see the monochrome live in the EVF, which is something you don't get on SLRs (film or digital). :)
I've been using B&W to salvage some shots in post that look too messy with colours and noise. Why to bake it in when in post you can emulate the colour filters too. More dynamic range? I suppose B&W film looks timeless
Yes, I've definitely done the same thing. I feel I'm doing it more often these days as I am more open to the idea in general. I baked it in just for the fun of the exercise for this video. However, I was also shooting in raw, so I could re-edit these shots if I like. :)
I walked through there the day before I took the Metropolis workshop with you and was great. My Japanese friend had a great quote after she saw my black and white photos. "Black and white photos makes me feel bittersweet. It's like memories of a summer that goes by."
Also really like the tonality of the video black and white grade here. Is this just the Z6 on its black and white profile or was there some post work done for this? 😮
Thanks!! This was the Z6II on black and white and some minimal grading for a few scenes (just adjust exposure if it was way too bright or too dark), but it was pretty much all straight from the camera.
@@EYExplore wow. I think I almost like it better than my GR black and white which is kind of impressive. Great job on this video, fellas. I love the idea of introducing a kind of handicap. Another fun constraint might be focusing on dynamic symmetry for a day. Trying to set up complex angular compositions to challenge your eye. I've been wanting an LCD sticker of the grid for a while now. Or maybe shooting for triptychs. Or even a video sequence to capture the streets in motion but with the EYExplore eye. ✌️
@@-grey Actually, I''ve been tinkering with the idea of 'street video' for years now. Have you ever heard of cinemagraphs? Something like that, but for street scenes. :)
@@EYExplore oh yeah. They were pretty trendy for while on tumblr in the early 2010s. I have wanted to do those for artwork in my house for a while. Just need to find a kind of frame that could play a gif/webm on loop. I was mostly think of it to bring to life some landscapes, but that would be a cool concept for street though!
Really enjoyed this video. It must have been hard to resist going back into color to shoot. I tried 2 days in Hanoi. Vietnam in black and white and got some unexpectedly nice shots as im a color photographer normally. Love these types of videos exploring topics like this. Thank you!
Thank you!! Yeah, it's tricky to me. It felt cool in the moment though. The photos look immediately badass on the back screen when shooting, since the monochrome has all this contrast and depth to it immediately. :)
Enjoyable post, images, and thoughtful/complex theme, Lukasz. Clever switch to vid AND splash screen in monochrome - nice. Fav images are older couple at 4:57, sugar snack maker, and incense cauldron w/visible hand. Something amiss w/audio from 12:38 to 14:24 - high pitched whine in background. At risk of “breaking” the visual impact, it might have been insightful to have shown a few images as side-by-side or vertical sweep bar color vs B&W renditions. Does that make sense? Re: “body of work”, not a bad thing for collection to include sub-collections/themes - shows photographer’s versatility and parallels Lightroom collections/sets😊. B&W will always be with us, IMO: historical foundation of the art, think “zone system” and “classic” street images shot in B&W, emphasizes tonality, form, texture, and story-telling. (To be fair, though, the old masters had little choice - color availability, expense, and processing complexities.) Color adds another dimension, but forces us to “Challenge Our Eyes” - sorry, couldn’t resist that one. Some images (e.g., graphic) simply work best in color, and B&W a great way to counter distractions. Rainbows just not same. Valid points about mirrorless LCD and DSLR optical viewfinders. Host gets to show off his Japanese, and get sugar high at same time. Did those pigeons get “hyper”? Love the “horrifically unhealthy” description. Cotton candy, anyone?😊. Cheers!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! the older couple were nice. I wish framed it better, but it's okay I think. The noise in that segment is just from machinery in the area (back alleys tend to have noisy air conditioners and the like). Yeah, showing them in color first might be cool, but I shot them in black and white straight in the camera. I guess I could have gone back to the raws, but this was also meant as an exercise for me. I share your sentiment about the historical foundation, but I feel that if color photography was invented first then black and white would be considered an artistic 'style' or 'filter', which it is today. We only think of black and white as foundational because it happened to come first due technological limitations. If you look at painting, there is pretty much no such thing as black and white painting, right? We paint in color because our world is in color. So, although I do enjoy looking at black and white work, it does feel a bit arbitrary to me. You can show incredible tones, textures, etc. in color as well. But I agree that it is here to stay with us, and rightfully so because it is a fascinating avenue to take within our art form. And yeah, the candy was interesting but felt like eating pure sugar haha. Can't speak for the pigeons, hahaha. :)
Yes, I love the 40mm (I used a Voigtlander 40mm f/2 for years as well). But recently I picked up Nikon's 26mm f/2.8 pancake lens and it's been on my camera most of the time. Basically, I love 40mm and I love 28mm (26 is close enough, basically the same).
Forgot to record the audio in mono as well 😎 A fun way to shoot is to have the viewfinder in b/w but still intending to use the color version. Helps finding and focussing on interesting light
Did I hear you right in the into 1:50 that you are shooting “MONO” in “RAW” on a “Colour Sensor”, does the Z9 do that? Also correct me if I’m wrong that, to my knowledge all mirrorless cameras will reflect the JPEG setting in the EVF; mono, etc? Nice and interesting video thanks.
So, I shot in RAW + JPEG, with the in camera 'Picture Style' set to monochrome. The camera was shooting in color as it must, and then producing monochrome JPEGs for me. But I still had the raws which are of course in full color, no picture style applied. And yes, you are correct that all mirrorless cameras show the JPEG picture in the EVF. That's exactly what I said. I was surprised by this because this is my first time shooting monochrome on mirrorless camera. The last time I tried to shoot monochrome directly in camera was on my D3 (SLR) like 10 years ago. I was talking about mirrorless in general and there is nothing special about the Z9 when it comes to monochrome shooting. Hope that clarifies things! :)
@@EYExplore In 48 years of hobby photography, I have never owned or used a Nikon camera so when you said you were shooting raw monos I wrongly assume the Z9 was different to all colour mirror less cameras. Hence my question. Thanks for your reply.
I shoot mostly in color sometimes in black & white. When I found out about light and shadows my black & white, my photos got MUCH better! Earlier this year I was going to shoot everything in black & white but then I heard about a tulip festival and WELL, B&W wasn't going to happen! 😄
Awesome video ! What a great idea to also shoot the video in monochrome so we can all get really immersed into the theme of the video ! 28:35 Idk about you plus idk what it looked like in color but I think that sign with the graffiti would've made a great monochrome addition to your graffiti collection . Something about the muted grays of the signs lettering with the darker graffiti lettering set against the white surface really works for me but we do all have different tastes . Oh and wow that moment with the Sun and the smoke was too good . I could totally see myself stuck there only being able to leave cause my lighting is gone 😅
I love the old film look BW brings to the table. BW makes everything on those streets look like it’s from the 40/50s. That is so great I’m totally loving the atmosphere BW lends to those streets! Or maybe I just love the picture of the video camera. Very cool.
I think that actually photographing this kind of busy touristy area in black and white is an interesting idea. It removes viewers from the natural attraction of colors and gives a little bit different point of view. Focusing on shapes and textures as well as people. I think of B&W photography like drawing or etching and color photography like painting. It’s just a different medium in which you can express different ideas. Is one closer to realism than the other ? - perhaps. But anyway we do not experience the world in a form of a still image shaped like a rectangle. Whether B&W or color - photography is our interpretation of reality. I do agree though that photography is a journey. Just I have never had a problem of having too many photos. It’s the other way around. It seems like I end up with just a few - if I’m lucky.
I agree that thinking of them as different mediums is a great way to look at it. I also end up with a few *good* ones. But to get those good ones I end up taking hundreds of if not thousands of mediocre ones, haha. :)
An interesting video-I photograph in color, black and white seems flat to me but as a challenge I did a solo photo walk at the beach-Coney Island, New York City-on a cloudy, foggy day and the pictures look veiled and ethereal-I sold the prints as a collection and have decided that I may do another series in the future; but need to get over the unnatural feeling of it, it just feels wrong.
I really like this concept! As soon as I saw the title and thumbnail, I wanted to watch it right away. I like that you challenged yourself to try a different concept. I hope you try this challenge again, but the way you spent so much time complaining about not being able to shoot in color and how you were missing color shots, I doubt it will happen 😔. When shooting in black & white/monochrome, think in terms of light vs dark, contrast, shapes, lines, and form. If you feel yourself being drawn to a scene because of its color. Stop and squint your eyes. If you can perceive a lot of tonal contrast, then go ahead and take the shot. If not, then maybe single in on one part of the scene and take a shot. Less is more in B&W as well. You mentioned that you have tons of photos and you don't know what to do with them. Not all photos have to be made public. Just think of them as homework and practice. All those shots helped to get you to the caliber of photographer you are today. After each shot, you learned something new or learned how to correct something later that has made you a better photographer. I'm glad you guys are able to offer your workshops again. One day I'll be in Japan to take one 🤞😁.
Thank you so much! I wasn't complaining, hehe. I'm just sharing my honest thoughts in the moment. But yeah, it's true I don't really shoot monochrome. I just don't see the world that way. I'm glad others do though because I like looking at black and white photography. I totally get the tonal aspect of black and whit photography. Honestly, color photography has the exact same aspect. It's not like it doesn't exist in color. The problem is the colors are THERE. I don't WANT to ignore them. :) Good way of thinking of the huge amount of photos as 'homework'. I like that analogy. Of course, we practice all the time. But nonetheless, things pile up, and going in too many directions at once is not productive (for me at least). Which is why I like to focus. And I think we will do it again some day. I think I could do a better job with this concept. :)
Nothing disturbs me more than a good photographer who'll only shoot, one narrowly defined style of imagery, at golden hour, on the third Thursday of months beginning in 'J'. The world fascinates us in all its aspects, and we're there to capture it with our cameras. As much as we love our own art, the fact is that in all likelihood nobody's going to care much now or in the future. Like the channel title, Eye Explore....everything.
Sure, we should explore, but we should also do it in ways that are personal and resonate with ourselves. In this case I took a chance and explored an avenue that really doesn't resonate with me, but I wanted to share that exploration with you all. Even the area we chose is really not my jam. I almost never come to shoot in Asakusa, but I felt it was fitting for this video and since we rarely go there it's nice to mix it up. I think next time we try monochrome we'll do it downtown and at night. :)
@@geogu3images Sorry, I don't know if there is a debate or argument going on. I just wanna say, I am open to everyone doing all of their art however they like. And specifically I love looking at some great monochrome work out there (Tatsuo Suzuki, Sebastião Salgado, Trent Parke, and many many others). It's just that every time I try it myself it just doesn't really resonate with me. This video was just a fun experiment and an exploration of abstract ideas and concepts regarding art and the creative process. :)
My apologies for sounding combative, which I had no intention of doing. I photograph in both color and black and white and find detractors for both. So I’ve come to realize that photo art is as subjective as any other art, and that I (me, myself) need to get over it! Thanks for a great video.
It is good that you tried taking monochrome shots although you kept almost being defensive and repeating that the world is in color. I don’t want to debate ways of seeing, as it could be a longer discussion, but I think if you want to shoot monochrome you have to think of time of day. Harsh afternoon light is my least favorite time for B&W. Evening or night work much better to enjoy shadows and neon and soft light. It is about embracing mystery. It also is for those who enjoy classic photography. Of course some cameras are better in B&W like Ricoh GR. Asakusa is also more about color and crowds. Try going at after dark near Hanayashki or those little back street bars a short walk away. They are kind of frozen in the Showa era, and are perfect in B&W (for my tastes). In any case enjoy your eye exploring. Aloha
Sure, but I'm just sharing my open thoughts. I actually DIDN'T want to shoot monochrome. As I said early in the video, it was a suggestion from out community here on TH-cam/Patreon. I thought it would be a fun challenge and I think it turned out pretty good. As for the light, I've seen a lot of great monochrome work on bright, sunny days. I didn't think the light was harsh. It was winter and the sun was low in the sky, giving the atmosphere and golden hour look. Anyway, I'm pretty happy with how some of the photos turned out (especially the smokey ones at the end) but I'm not likely to try this again except for possibly making another video. :)
@@EYExplore thanks for the long reply. Yes the video came out well. Photography is certainly a series of personal choices or style or taste. I was just pointing that out since I think some folks look at you as their teacher.
No abstraction with color photography. Shrinking the world down to fit on a monitor and losing a dimension is a harsh commentary on replicating reality. BW takes an image out of the realm of reality and imposes art.
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I guess that with monochrome you can experiment more with textures, grain and contrast. There's less options colour-wise, because it's all grey, so it probably forces you to focus on those things, or at least make those things stand out more to toy with. What I'm curious about though, is 'monochrome' always the same 'monochrome' on every machine? Do different cameras and edititing software interpret colour different and thus display it in different shades? I'm guessing different camera settings and presets (like Neutral, or High Contrast, etc) still have influence on how one can shoot in mono.
Yeah, it's definitely different from camera to camera and also editing comes into play. This is also true for color though. I guess the lesson is that there is no such things as a 'definitive' image. :)
The images of the incense smoke near Sensoji temple are fantastic. So atmospheric and mysterious. Love those shots. Great video on monochromatic Asakusa.
Thank you so much! :)
what i've always liked about black&white pictures is that it becomes more about forms and shapes rather than colors. sometimes color can distract and black&white becomes "pure" i'm not sure how to explain it but anyway i usually prefer to take monochrome fotos. great video and very interesting hearing your opinion about it. cheers!
Thanks! Yeah, in the end art is subjective and we will all gravitate towards what we like. :)
@@EYExplore very true :)
I shot often in Monochrome mostly with older manual lenses. Its give me that vintage/retro feeling.
That's great! :)
Your videos and commentary are just so interesting to watch. Not just talking about gear or photos but also the people and culture around you.
Thank you so much!! :)
I really enjoy your videos. It is like traveling in Tokyo !!
Thank you so much!! :)
This is the best channel on youtube that i look forward to everyday. Not because of the way lukasz photograph but the way he talk about photography. Its kinda therapeutic to me. Keep up the good work
Thank you so much!! :)
Man. The fluidity and the depth of your thoughts on this subject totally deserve a fluid and deep reply. I will most likely end up writing a whole blog about it one of these days.
Btw, some pretty cool pictures with the smoke but for some reason my favourite one was the Honda wing.
Thank you so much!! I'm glad you enjoyed my ramblings and found them stimulating! :)
I know the focus is shooting still photography in b&w, but I love that you guys shot the video itself in b&w! I'd say that's far less common than monochrome photography, and it was a fun twist. 🙂
As for b&w photography, you raise some interesting questions. It's clear that sometimes it's better for a shot, sometimes color is better. I think color photography and b&w photography should just be thought of as two different mediums, two tools with different strengths and weaknesses. Which then brings us to the question of a body of work, and should we mix the media. I think you're right, it feels off and incongruous to have a mixture of color and b&w photos. And yet, I can't help mixing them, some shots just work so much better in one medium or the other, and I don't want to limit myself! I love how monochrome can simplify a busy scene and help the eye focus on certain subjects, or abstract shapes-- much like a wide open aperture can isolate a subject.
Thank you! Glad you liked that decision. As for the mixing of color and monochrome, If it works for you then it works! I find that just forcing myself to always shoot in color and work with color in post just makes the whole process more simple and more fun. I try not to use monochrome as a 'way out' of a problem. I want to use it someday as a deliberate choice. :)
I like that you kept in the section of you buying the cookie instead of keeping a purely photography oriented video, really helps gives off a nice chill vibe to the whole video - sometimes when your watching TH-camr photographers it can seem like the intent is 100% on the results and the photos and not just the fun of walking around somewhere and the inspiration that comes from just being in the moment 😄 Keep up the great content!
Glad you liked that part! We don't always have such moments in our videos, but when they come up with like to keep them in! :)
Always enjoy your commentary while you walk around.
Thank you so much! :)
Cool thanks for the monochrome Video 📸📸📸
Glad you enjoyed it! :)
Great video - interesting photos and discussion. At the moment I'm in my "Vivien Maier" mode for street - B&W and square format; it makes me think hard about each photo.
That's a good mode to be in! :)
I usually do monochrome photography! Thank you for this!!
My pleasure!! :)
I was just thinking about how neglectful I have been with my bnw photography. This video will surely be and extra push to go back to the shapes and shadows fundamentals.
Work on it only if it calls to you! I was not super indepth on it myself. I could have done more to process the images. :)
Really enjoyed this one. Love monochrome.
Thanks!! :)
I shoot 99% of my street photography in monochrome since I for once really like the look but secondly I like the abstraction of the image especially in a "close to reality" genre like street photography.
But I do see why one would shoot more color in a city like tokyo due to all the popping colors and neon signs. Even tho I can imagine some cool tokyo night shots in black and white.
It all comes down to your own individual creative vision. We should all just create the art that resonates with us! :)
Enjoyed the video. I've been working on a project for a couple years now where the light rarely cooperates and accessing the sites in golden or blue hour is not an option. Going monochrome still captures the scene and the contrast "just works" with the scenery. Nice job.
Thank you!! Monochrome is a viable tool for achieving one's vision! :)
Such an epic video! Loved this for a change up. Fantastic photos as always! 📸
Thank you so much!! :)
That was a very interseting and refreshing video to watch ! I really enjoyed it, it was like watching a movie (great choise with the B&W video, it really made the video more "wow!"), I myself really enjoy color, and B&W photography, but I do want to shoot more B&W (already have some projects planned in B&W only), it gives such really different view.
I've watched many videos in Asakusa, and this one was like seeing it in a very different way, it felt like it's the first time I see it !
Such a great video, and really great and lovely photos! I would definitely enjoy watching another video in B&W ! 🤩
Thank you so much!! I'm glad you enjoyed this one a lot! :)
I really enjoy black and white. It is very unique to shoot in this medium because it shows the scene as it is, without anything to distract the scene.
It's cool that you enjoy it! :)
Dude, you’re rocking the photo world. Looking forward to rolling Tokyo with you next year.
Haha, thank you!! I'm just doing what I can. :)
Less options. Your new series. Great vid thanks!!😃. My dream camera is monochrome only. 🤘😎👍😃
I would love to try a monochrome only camera. There have been rumors of a monochrome only Ricoh GR. That would be fun! :)
Love this video. Inspiring.
Thank you so much!! :)
See you next year Lukas! I’m definitely will booking a street photo shooting tours with you guys with my GR3X🤙🏻
Sounds great!! :)
Cooking on the street with that smoke and light is one of my favourite things, great chanel, yeah to many photos and deviding into projects is hard
Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed this one! :)
Thanks for the great photo walk & talk!
My pleasure! :)
I learned with black and white film in high school but I never use monochrome. I enjoy capturing vibrant color too much. It looks like a good way to focus on form and light though.
Me too! I love colors, the world is so vivid, I can't bring myself to sacrifice it!
Always fun to watch. Thanks
Thank you!! :)
Nice idea to edit in black and white during your video, pretty immersive for us to think and see in term of monochrome. Very cool thematic 👌🏻
Thanks!! Actually, we even shot it in monochrome by setting it in camera, so there was no going back haha. The only things I had to make monochrome in post was out logo and screen graphics. Glad you liked it! :)
Thanks for the upload!
Thanks for watching!! :)
Cool video idea. I’m traveling to Japan next summer and I’m definitely planning on picking up your photo spot map, so please that available.
Thank you so much!! It's on our site. We're planning to add a lot of locations to it over the summer! :)
I’m just glad I’m not constrained to any particular type of photography for a TH-cam channel etc. I shoot whatever I want whenever I want and could care less what anyone thinks but me.
So do I! :)
First here! Awesome channel, someday the TH-cam algorithm will take notice.
Thank you so much!! I hope so!! :)
very cool! great video
Thank you very much!! :)
I used to only shoot in B&W on very old Nikon cameras and loved it. It's something you either love or hate I guess. However since I upgraded to a Fujifilm X100V, I seem to be shooting more in colour now.
I think that's true for art in general. We end up falling in love with our ways of creating it. :)
Thanks for this...
Decades ago (the early '70's) I started my photography on a Voigtländer Vito B with B&W film. That's because it was cheaper to process, and as a 13 or 14 year old kid, I had to scrape up the money for processing the prints. In order to learn about photography, I had to look at books at the library. (Remember those?) Books like "The Encyclopedia Of Photography" and photos by people like Weegee (Usher Fellig) were my inspiration, and I learned a LOT about how to shoot.
I don't think there's a distinction between the bodies of work. A good photo is a good photo, but sometimes the situation or photo itself is what decides color or monochrome. One of the best portraits I ever took was in color, and the client adored it; but I prefer it in B&W, and that's what I use in my portfolio. It has a completely different feel. I don't think Haruto Hoshi's work looks as good in color- it's his B&W work that really stands out.
I also like to shoot in authentic settings- Film has an ASA, (not ISO) and you were locked into that, so setting the camera to have a locked ISO of 100 or 200 (or 400 for night shooting) made you get really good with light, shutter speed, aperture and composition really quickly, else you ended up with just black way-underexposed prints. One of Weegee's standard sayings when asked about his settings was "F8, and be there."
Thanks again,
..Joe
Thanks Joe! Yeah, I say f/8 and be there too. I didn't know Weegee was the origin of the phrase, but I figured it came from that era. Film can also be rated in 'ISO' though I understand there is a difference between the ASA and ISO systems. But ISO predates digital. ISO was introduced in the 1970s. That's great that you feel your BW work and color work can live together in your portfolio. For me, this just doesn't work, but of course it's totally subjective! And I've seen it pulled off well in some works. :)
@@EYExplore No one's really sure it was Weegee who said that, mainly because he used F16, flash set for 25 feet, and a shutter speed of 200. But it had to start somewhere, and it's good that he gets the attribution.
..Joe
Has Axel mastered the art of walking backwards? It must be a videographer thing.
He's pretty good, but he also has a hack where he walks forwards but holds the gimbal over his shoulder and look back at the screen a bit. It's easier than walking backwards. :)
I love Black and White Photography! Please, do more B&W street photography 🙏 thank you.
Thanks!! We may do another video like this some day. :)
Please don’t make excuses for these monochrome images, they’re working for you in the moment and can stand the test of time.
As someone who shoots mostly black and white, occasionally colour, it's always interesting to hear from people who are the opposite! Kind of the same as you said in the video, I really appreciate looking at colour photography, I just find I don't often want to make those kinds of images.
A like-minded individual! :)
Thanks for posting this video, now that’s some interesting content 👍
Seeing in color while shooting monochrome is why the Leica Monochrom edition is still such an interesting proposition I think.
For me it’s more about learning too see in monochrome, rather than taking pictures from a monochrome EVF. I think learning this technique will make you a better photographer as you’ll train your mind to focus on composition & contrast.
When back in color you’ll get a new subliminal experience!
Yeah, the Leica Monochrome is a cool concept. It's a bit too expensive for me just to try it out though. I with Ricoh would make a monochrome GR. That might be cool! I do focus on composition and contrast. It's not like those things are absent in color haha. Yes, they are different, but not absent. :)
Hi, I love your work! I have been searching for the band your camera is hanging on for months. Where dit you get it from? I have a Nikon d850, it is a little heavy, that’s why I ask! Thanks
Thank you so much!! It's a Peak Design strap. There is a link in the video description. You can get it on Amazon using our link and we get a commission which helps us out! :)
I’m only a few more dollars savings away from the Z9. Coming up from the F3 and F5 with TriX400, I’m anxiously anticipating using this monochrome feature.
Oh man, that's a huuuuuge change. I think you'll be frustrated in some ways but once you get used to everything you're gonna love it. All Nikon cameras have had a Monochrome picture mode for a long time now, but what's cool about doing with with a mirrorless camera is that you get to see the monochrome live in the EVF, which is something you don't get on SLRs (film or digital). :)
I've been using B&W to salvage some shots in post that look too messy with colours and noise. Why to bake it in when in post you can emulate the colour filters too. More dynamic range? I suppose B&W film looks timeless
Yes, I've definitely done the same thing. I feel I'm doing it more often these days as I am more open to the idea in general. I baked it in just for the fun of the exercise for this video. However, I was also shooting in raw, so I could re-edit these shots if I like. :)
You missed a shot at the wall, as you walked away the shadows of passers-by filled the brightly lit section
I'm sure I missed loads of shots. I always do! :)
I walked through there the day before I took the Metropolis workshop with you and was great. My Japanese friend had a great quote after she saw my black and white photos. "Black and white photos makes me feel bittersweet. It's like memories of a summer that goes by."
Nice!! Yeah, black and white definitely has that effect. We associated with history. :)
brilliant advice and I believe a good spot with people as subjects are important! Thanks.
Thank you!! :)
I was surprised that the video was also monochrome! I think I'll try shooting in monochrome too!
Hehe, geat! :)
Oooh, I'm excited to see you take on some creative constraints. I'm not a huge fan of black and white, but when it works it really does work.
Also really like the tonality of the video black and white grade here. Is this just the Z6 on its black and white profile or was there some post work done for this? 😮
Thanks!! This was the Z6II on black and white and some minimal grading for a few scenes (just adjust exposure if it was way too bright or too dark), but it was pretty much all straight from the camera.
@@EYExplore wow. I think I almost like it better than my GR black and white which is kind of impressive. Great job on this video, fellas. I love the idea of introducing a kind of handicap. Another fun constraint might be focusing on dynamic symmetry for a day. Trying to set up complex angular compositions to challenge your eye. I've been wanting an LCD sticker of the grid for a while now. Or maybe shooting for triptychs. Or even a video sequence to capture the streets in motion but with the EYExplore eye. ✌️
@@-grey Actually, I''ve been tinkering with the idea of 'street video' for years now. Have you ever heard of cinemagraphs? Something like that, but for street scenes. :)
@@EYExplore oh yeah. They were pretty trendy for while on tumblr in the early 2010s. I have wanted to do those for artwork in my house for a while. Just need to find a kind of frame that could play a gif/webm on loop. I was mostly think of it to bring to life some landscapes, but that would be a cool concept for street though!
Really enjoyed this video. It must have been hard to resist going back into color to shoot. I tried 2 days in Hanoi. Vietnam in black and white and got some unexpectedly nice shots as im a color photographer normally. Love these types of videos exploring topics like this. Thank you!
Thank you!! Yeah, it's tricky to me. It felt cool in the moment though. The photos look immediately badass on the back screen when shooting, since the monochrome has all this contrast and depth to it immediately. :)
Enjoyable post, images, and thoughtful/complex theme, Lukasz. Clever switch to vid AND splash screen in monochrome - nice.
Fav images are older couple at 4:57, sugar snack maker, and incense cauldron w/visible hand.
Something amiss w/audio from 12:38 to 14:24 - high pitched whine in background.
At risk of “breaking” the visual impact, it might have been insightful to have shown a few images as side-by-side or vertical sweep bar color vs B&W renditions. Does that make sense?
Re: “body of work”, not a bad thing for collection to include sub-collections/themes - shows photographer’s versatility and parallels Lightroom collections/sets😊.
B&W will always be with us, IMO: historical foundation of the art, think “zone system” and “classic” street images shot in B&W, emphasizes tonality, form, texture, and story-telling. (To be fair, though, the old masters had little choice - color availability, expense, and processing complexities.)
Color adds another dimension, but forces us to “Challenge Our Eyes” - sorry, couldn’t resist that one. Some images (e.g., graphic) simply work best in color, and B&W a great way to counter distractions. Rainbows just not same.
Valid points about mirrorless LCD and DSLR optical viewfinders.
Host gets to show off his Japanese, and get sugar high at same time. Did those pigeons get “hyper”? Love the “horrifically unhealthy” description. Cotton candy, anyone?😊. Cheers!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! the older couple were nice. I wish framed it better, but it's okay I think. The noise in that segment is just from machinery in the area (back alleys tend to have noisy air conditioners and the like). Yeah, showing them in color first might be cool, but I shot them in black and white straight in the camera. I guess I could have gone back to the raws, but this was also meant as an exercise for me.
I share your sentiment about the historical foundation, but I feel that if color photography was invented first then black and white would be considered an artistic 'style' or 'filter', which it is today. We only think of black and white as foundational because it happened to come first due technological limitations. If you look at painting, there is pretty much no such thing as black and white painting, right? We paint in color because our world is in color. So, although I do enjoy looking at black and white work, it does feel a bit arbitrary to me. You can show incredible tones, textures, etc. in color as well. But I agree that it is here to stay with us, and rightfully so because it is a fascinating avenue to take within our art form.
And yeah, the candy was interesting but felt like eating pure sugar haha. Can't speak for the pigeons, hahaha. :)
I like this episode. I keep watching it over and over
Thank you so much!! I'm glad to hear that! :)
BTW , you can change your shutter sound if you update firmware 4.0.
Oh wow we're on 4.0 already!? I'm still on 3.1. I need to get on some kind of mailing list cuz I always hear about these updates late. :)
I see you chose the 40 f2 for this video. Is that your go-to lens for street?
Yes, I love the 40mm (I used a Voigtlander 40mm f/2 for years as well). But recently I picked up Nikon's 26mm f/2.8 pancake lens and it's been on my camera most of the time. Basically, I love 40mm and I love 28mm (26 is close enough, basically the same).
The answer is that it depends. In the end every life is messy. Edit as it suits your circumstances and goals.
Totally! That's what I was trying to say in the video. So, I chose color long ago and never looked back. :)
Forgot to record the audio in mono as well 😎
A fun way to shoot is to have the viewfinder in b/w but still intending to use the color version. Helps finding and focussing on interesting light
It was in mono actually. We used a Zoom F2 which only records in mono. :)
@@EYExploretouché. You guys thought of everything 😂
@@TheChosenOne_ It was a coincidence haha. :)
Did I hear you right in the into 1:50 that you are shooting “MONO” in “RAW” on a “Colour Sensor”, does the Z9 do that? Also correct me if I’m wrong that, to my knowledge all mirrorless cameras will reflect the JPEG setting in the EVF; mono, etc? Nice and interesting video thanks.
go to 1:03 and listen
So, I shot in RAW + JPEG, with the in camera 'Picture Style' set to monochrome. The camera was shooting in color as it must, and then producing monochrome JPEGs for me. But I still had the raws which are of course in full color, no picture style applied. And yes, you are correct that all mirrorless cameras show the JPEG picture in the EVF. That's exactly what I said. I was surprised by this because this is my first time shooting monochrome on mirrorless camera. The last time I tried to shoot monochrome directly in camera was on my D3 (SLR) like 10 years ago. I was talking about mirrorless in general and there is nothing special about the Z9 when it comes to monochrome shooting. Hope that clarifies things! :)
@@EYExplore In 48 years of hobby photography, I have never owned or used a Nikon camera so when you said you were shooting raw monos I wrongly assume the Z9 was different to all colour mirror less cameras. Hence my question. Thanks for your reply.
@@hmuz8388 the question was to eyexplore not to you, I did not ask for your opinion so dont be an aresole all your life, take a day off!!!
@@victorcarmelo8606 No worries! Maybe my phrasing was not clear. :)
I shoot mostly in color sometimes in black & white. When I found out about light and shadows my black & white, my photos got MUCH better! Earlier this year I was going to shoot everything in black & white but then I heard about a tulip festival and WELL, B&W wasn't going to happen! 😄
Haha yea, I'm the same about colors. So many are so colorful I just don't want to give them up. :)
Was this black & white video also shot on a Nikon Z9 and does the Z9 have a good b&w video mode?
It was shot on a Nikon Z6II and they both have a BW setting which works well. It's not really a 'mode' just a picture style.
Awesome video ! What a great idea to also shoot the video in monochrome so we can all get really immersed into the theme of the video !
28:35 Idk about you plus idk what it looked like in color but I think that sign with the graffiti would've made a great monochrome addition to your graffiti collection . Something about the muted grays of the signs lettering with the darker graffiti lettering set against the white surface really works for me but we do all have different tastes .
Oh and wow that moment with the Sun and the smoke was too good . I could totally see myself stuck there only being able to leave cause my lighting is gone 😅
Thanks!! Oh wow yeah that sign is great! I wish I had seen it haha. Yeah, that was such a nice reward at the end of our shoot. Classic! :)
I love the old film look BW brings to the table. BW makes everything on those streets look like it’s from the 40/50s. That is so great I’m totally loving the atmosphere BW lends to those streets! Or maybe I just love the picture of the video camera. Very cool.
It really does! I enjoyed editing this video a lot because it just looked so different and so retro compared to what we usually do. :)
I think that actually photographing this kind of busy touristy area in black and white is an interesting idea. It removes viewers from the natural attraction of colors and gives a little bit different point of view. Focusing on shapes and textures as well as people. I think of B&W photography like drawing or etching and color photography like painting. It’s just a different medium in which you can express different ideas. Is one closer to realism than the other ? - perhaps. But anyway we do not experience the world in a form of a still image shaped like a rectangle. Whether B&W or color - photography is our interpretation of reality. I do agree though that photography is a journey. Just I have never had a problem of having too many photos. It’s the other way around. It seems like I end up with just a few - if I’m lucky.
I agree that thinking of them as different mediums is a great way to look at it. I also end up with a few *good* ones. But to get those good ones I end up taking hundreds of if not thousands of mediocre ones, haha. :)
Great ! Would have been better with the video in color tho!
Maybe, but I wanted to try it this way. :)
An interesting video-I photograph in color, black and white seems flat to me but as a challenge I did a solo photo walk at the beach-Coney Island, New York City-on a cloudy, foggy day and the pictures look veiled and ethereal-I sold the prints as a collection and have decided that I may do another series in the future; but need to get over the unnatural feeling of it, it just feels wrong.
I think it's good to make a deliberate choice to shoot monochrome for specific projects like you have done. To me, that's the way to do it. :)
@@EYExploreThank You.❤
Good, but for me your shots and videos with ricoh grIII are more interesting
Thanks! We'll probably shoot more Ricoh stuff this summer. :)
1:39 Holy cow that's a good photo for one which you just noticed and took in a split second whilst also talking to camera!!
Hehe thanks! I could have time her movements better though. Her pose is a bit 'in-between' but it is what it is. :)
Jpeg wise. Do you like Nikon Z bw or Ricoh GR?
I never compared. I almost never shoot like this so it's hard to say. :)
I really like this concept! As soon as I saw the title and thumbnail, I wanted to watch it right away. I like that you challenged yourself to try a different concept. I hope you try this challenge again, but the way you spent so much time complaining about not being able to shoot in color and how you were missing color shots, I doubt it will happen 😔.
When shooting in black & white/monochrome, think in terms of light vs dark, contrast, shapes, lines, and form. If you feel yourself being drawn to a scene because of its color. Stop and squint your eyes. If you can perceive a lot of tonal contrast, then go ahead and take the shot. If not, then maybe single in on one part of the scene and take a shot. Less is more in B&W as well.
You mentioned that you have tons of photos and you don't know what to do with them. Not all photos have to be made public. Just think of them as homework and practice. All those shots helped to get you to the caliber of photographer you are today. After each shot, you learned something new or learned how to correct something later that has made you a better photographer.
I'm glad you guys are able to offer your workshops again. One day I'll be in Japan to take one 🤞😁.
Thank you so much! I wasn't complaining, hehe. I'm just sharing my honest thoughts in the moment. But yeah, it's true I don't really shoot monochrome. I just don't see the world that way. I'm glad others do though because I like looking at black and white photography. I totally get the tonal aspect of black and whit photography. Honestly, color photography has the exact same aspect. It's not like it doesn't exist in color. The problem is the colors are THERE. I don't WANT to ignore them. :)
Good way of thinking of the huge amount of photos as 'homework'. I like that analogy. Of course, we practice all the time. But nonetheless, things pile up, and going in too many directions at once is not productive (for me at least). Which is why I like to focus.
And I think we will do it again some day. I think I could do a better job with this concept. :)
10:35 it's rickshaw girl Rie! She was featured in one vlog. 🎉
Hehe, nice! :)
Nothing disturbs me more than a good photographer who'll only shoot, one narrowly defined style of imagery, at golden hour, on the third Thursday of months beginning in 'J'. The world fascinates us in all its aspects, and we're there to capture it with our cameras. As much as we love our own art, the fact is that in all likelihood nobody's going to care much now or in the future. Like the channel title, Eye Explore....everything.
Sure, we should explore, but we should also do it in ways that are personal and resonate with ourselves. In this case I took a chance and explored an avenue that really doesn't resonate with me, but I wanted to share that exploration with you all. Even the area we chose is really not my jam. I almost never come to shoot in Asakusa, but I felt it was fitting for this video and since we rarely go there it's nice to mix it up. I think next time we try monochrome we'll do it downtown and at night. :)
@@geogu3images Sorry, I don't know if there is a debate or argument going on. I just wanna say, I am open to everyone doing all of their art however they like. And specifically I love looking at some great monochrome work out there (Tatsuo Suzuki, Sebastião Salgado, Trent Parke, and many many others). It's just that every time I try it myself it just doesn't really resonate with me. This video was just a fun experiment and an exploration of abstract ideas and concepts regarding art and the creative process. :)
My apologies for sounding combative, which I had no intention of doing. I photograph in both color and black and white and find detractors for both. So I’ve come to realize that photo art is as subjective as any other art, and that I (me, myself) need to get over it! Thanks for a great video.
@@geogu3images Yes! Totally agree! Thank you! :)
It is good that you tried taking monochrome shots although you kept almost being defensive and repeating that the world is in color. I don’t want to debate ways of seeing, as it could be a longer discussion, but I think if you want to shoot monochrome you have to think of time of day. Harsh afternoon light is my least favorite time for B&W. Evening or night work much better to enjoy shadows and neon and soft light. It is about embracing mystery. It also is for those who enjoy classic photography. Of course some cameras are better in B&W like Ricoh GR. Asakusa is also more about color and crowds. Try going at after dark near Hanayashki or those little back street bars a short walk away. They are kind of frozen in the Showa era, and are perfect in B&W (for my tastes). In any case enjoy your eye exploring. Aloha
Sure, but I'm just sharing my open thoughts. I actually DIDN'T want to shoot monochrome. As I said early in the video, it was a suggestion from out community here on TH-cam/Patreon. I thought it would be a fun challenge and I think it turned out pretty good. As for the light, I've seen a lot of great monochrome work on bright, sunny days. I didn't think the light was harsh. It was winter and the sun was low in the sky, giving the atmosphere and golden hour look. Anyway, I'm pretty happy with how some of the photos turned out (especially the smokey ones at the end) but I'm not likely to try this again except for possibly making another video. :)
@@EYExplore thanks for the long reply. Yes the video came out well. Photography is certainly a series of personal choices or style or taste. I was just pointing that out since I think some folks look at you as their teacher.
Early gang! Third!!❤🎉
Haha, love it! :)
I wanna see Lukasz in smoke!
We could have taken a shot through the smoke, that would have been cool! :)
I will be buying access to your map. Just sorting out Yen on a currency card.
Thank you!! :)
Still with the Paper faces 🤐
People were wearing masks in Japan before covid.
needs color
Hold on, lemme just photoshop it back in. :)
Im greedy. Im scare shooting in bw will lose something when i get home. Yes, even though i shoot raw as well
Me too!! I just want all those juicy colors! :)
No abstraction with color photography. Shrinking the world down to fit on a monitor and losing a dimension is a harsh commentary on replicating reality. BW takes an image out of the realm of reality and imposes art.
I guess so. I feel my color work is art, but you're welcome to disagree. :)
So many medical masks. It's depressing.
This was shot last December. Most people don't wear them anymore.
I'll stick to color, B&W is boring to me.
Color for me as well. :)