Analog Perspectives: The Art of Black and White

Every city block, every building, and every street corner has a story to tell through its structure. For me, photography is about uncovering those stories and distilling them into images that speak to viewers. My film photography embraces both high key and low key aesthetics, depending on the mood I wish to convey. High key photography emphasizes bright, clean tones with minimal shadows, often giving a sense of openness and positivity. Low key photography leans into darker tones, shadows, and contrast, creating a moodier, more mysterious feel.

Walking through the streets, I’m constantly scanning for lines, curves, and angles that form the architecture around me. Film, with its grainy texture and rich contrast, offers a timeless quality that digital often struggles to replicate. When shooting city streets, it’s about capturing not just a moment, but the essence of a space—whether it's a towering skyscraper or a quiet alleyway. Film forces you to slow down, and be intentional with every frame. I embrace the shadows, allowing them to add depth and mystery. In both cases, contrast plays a key role. Whether it's an abandoned building with stark shadows or a vibrant street scene highlighted by the play of sunlight, contrast creates emotional resonance. Film enhances this by providing a tactile, analog depth to the image that digital cannot easily replicate.

I invite you to experience the city through my eyes—where each frame tells a story of geometry, emotion, and the beauty found in both the light and the dark.

Drama in frames

In the heart of a dimly lit theater, a captivating scene unfolds. One figure, exuding authority, commands the stage, while in the shadows, another character appears defeated, embodying vulnerability. It's a clash of power and emotion frozen in time.

As a photographer, the allure of shooting live theater performances lies in the authenticity of emotions. These fleeting instances, where strength and weakness collide, offer a unique opportunity to tell a powerful story in a single frame. For me, it’s an adrenaline rush to chase moments like these where the narrative unfolds this way.

Yet, navigating the theater's intricate lighting poses a challenge. To craft a compelling narrative, one must strategically position themselves, anticipating the highs and lows of the performance. Even if you're not part of the set, the power to shape your photo lies in your hands. Your chosen perspective, the angle at which you capture the actors, and the timing of your shot hold transformative potential. Proficiency in reading the lighting is essential – an intimate comprehension of the interplay between light and shadow empowers you to fashion your distinctive version.

In the end, the silent dialogues between characters, the interplay of light, and the raw, unscripted emotions are so worth it. And when was the last time you checked out a theater play?

Forget your boundaries

My recent endeavor involved breaking away from the confines of pristine sharp high-end images and advocating for a more daring approach. This time I truly wanted to craft by making this image a playground of textures and injecting a variance and densely concentrated details into a composition, allowing me to reach the results I was looking for.

Black and white photography, in particular, serves as a canvas for this creative exploration. The idea is to embrace imperfections, forging a unique narrative within the frame.

For anyone venturing into photography, consider this: innovation often arises from the willingness to create, destroy, and explore.

And here is a fun fact: Did you know that the first photograph ever taken required an exposure time of over 8 hours?

Audrey Hepburn Mural

In the heart of New York City's Little Italy, a stunning mural pays tribute to the legendary British actress Audrey Hepburn.

I decided to shoot it in black and white with a film camera since it adds a touch of nostalgia and charm to this already captivating piece of art. She is located on the corner of Mulberry Street and Broome Street. It captures Audrey Hepburn’s most iconic role, as Holly Golightly in the classic film "Breakfast at Tiffany's." In many ways, the mural of Audrey Hepburn is a celebration of the past. It pays tribute to a legendary actress who has left an indelible mark on popular culture and is captured in a medium that harkens back to a time before the digital age. It just needed to be shot in film and that’s what I did.

This mural is a timeless piece of art that will continue to capture the imagination and inspire awe for many years to come.

Patterns and Structure

Shooting structures like these can provide a sense of order, I personally like to let geometry dominate the frame whenever possible and think ahead on how best to use the contrast created between wide solid structures, skinny metal beams, and the spaces where there will be no bouncing light. Taking all these things into perspective will support the visual characteristics of a black-and-white composition.

Take advantage of our brain’s natural need to organize patterns and place things in order, while keeping that in mind, remember that leading lines are powerful compositional tools that can guide the viewer’s eye through an image. Guide your audience, but also make them wonder, and experiment with your environment.

Don’t worry about overexposing or underexposing, screw perfect exposure, with film, you have to be intentional, go for it, and push the film to do what it does best, a moody and dramatic feel.