MARFA, TEXAS - DAY 3 (B&W DAY), 6 July 2013

Food Shark Lunch Line-Up - File #1300625

I decided to try something different this day. Instead of pulling out the most wonderful ginormously expensive camera--i.e. my 36 megapixel Nikon D800--I decided to use my much smaller Nikon V1. This is a kind-sized point and shoot camera. While the sensor size is very small it makes very very high quality images when shot with lots of light like the mid-day sun.

I also decided to try something even more different and shoot B&W mode with the sun high in the sky.

More Food Shark - File #1300626

The thing about high-noon sun is the light is considered my most folks as being "bad". Me, I've never thought such things. While I knew it was harder to make compelling images at nigh noon for various images, I always thought there was a way through that limitation. What I found was exploring tonal values seemed to be a worthwhile venture when shooting at high noon like these images. Instead of being distracted by the color--or lack thereof as the case may be--the issue when shooting B&W is all about the shades of gray.

Food Shark Car - File #1300627

By removing the color, a major distracting element is removed from the imagery. All that's left is the relationship of the tones of gray from subject to background. IN theory, when done well you can make pretty awesome imagery shooting this way. If these were color images, you'd be subject to the lack of awesome color--i.e. just everyday noon-day color.

Ceiling Skylight at Marfa Bookstore - File #1300628

The key factor when shooting B&W is getting the exposure right. Of course you tried to get the exposure right with color imagery. But, with B&W imagery the tonal values and their relationship is the most impartant thing. Meaning, the exposure is the most important thing.

In this case, I exposed to wash out most of the sky-light by picking a long exposure. I did this since I knew I didn't care about the sky or the clouds. I only cared about eh sky-light which is what I highlighted in this image.

Marfa Public Library - File #1300633

Since getting the exposure right is the most important thing, challenges just prior to shooting are a bit less. Color relationship is definitely not an issue with B&W. It's all about the tonal values.

Open Door at Marfa Bookstore - File #1300634

This definitely means, you don't shoot auto-exposure. For sure, what your camera thinks is the right exposure is not necessarily what you want to highlight. In the image above, if I left the camera in Auto mode, I would've gotten an overexposed outside and an unsatisfying underexposure in the foreground. By going manual everything, I'm left with full control over the final product. In this case, I wan't to the image to be about going out of the door, instead of staying within the doorway.

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