A thought I always have to ponder when going through my shots at the end of one of my expeditions is whether the final shot works better in colour or black and white. Pre digital it was a case of me carrying two film bodies, one loaded with colour the other generally with my favourite Ilford HP5. Shots were taken with whichever film I felt suited the mood of the moment, often I would shoot both and then puzzle over whichever I felt worked the best. The colour film would be sent away while I laboured away in my darkroom, a crunched away corner of a spare bedroom. Over time I refined my technique, downrate from ASA400 to ASA200, develop for 8 mins etc. I found this gave lovely shadow detail that didn’t get blocked up into dense shadows.
FRODSHAM. Castle Park, the conservatory in the formal gardens. Exterior view, it was the elegant bow front which caught my eye. The shot as it came out of the camera.
Anyway with digital it’s one camera and the decisions come when the files pop up on the screen. Quicker, both when you’re out and about, only the one camera body and lens to think about. Quicker, cleaner and certainly less smelly back in my little, now not so darkroom but that tricky choice it still there, just more efficiently.
FRODSHAM. Castle Park, the conservatory in the formal gardens. A black and white version. The problem for me with digital is when do you stop working on the image? When does enough become too much?
A little while ago I took myself off to Frodsham’s Thursday market, I did a post on the visit. While I was there I had a walk around Castle Park and the Arts centre. The park is the setting for Castle House, now the council offices, the arts centre is in the nearby former stables block. The house has its origins in the 18th century and as is the way with these things ownership tumbled it’s way through different generations and families until in the 1930’s the park and house were gifted to the local council as an amenity to be enjoyed by the people of Frodsham. As was the fashion the gardens have many corners in different styles including a conservatory. It’s an elegant construction currently housing a timeline exhibition of the house, park and the families connected with them. I took a photo of it and since then I’ve been pondering which I like/works best, colour or black and white. See what you think.
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BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY AND ARTWORKS
Categories: Design, England, Exhibitions, Heritage, history, Photography, travel, Uncategorized, United Kingdom
Tags: architecture, Black& white photography, Colour Photography, Design, Frodsham, history, lifestyle, photography, travel
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