or not?

[Kirk Gittings]

What do you think of this statement of mine-describing why I prefer B&W photography for my personal work:

Color is too close to normal perception-b&w is inherently an abstraction and therefore intrinsically more profound.

[ROL]

Frankly, it strikes me as pretentious (profound?!?), as most artist's statements do. But if that's truly what you feel, then why ask for criticism. Sorry, I cannot give you positive criticism, as it would really be close to my own reasons, but profound is not really a description I would think one could legitimately ascribe to one's own work.

[IanG]

It's very similar to a quote I've seen somewhere before that Colour is too close to reality, I think it went on that B&W was more artistic, now I need to think where I saw it.

Those are my sentiments as well, except artist rather than professional.

Ian

[E. von Hoegh]

I like B&W because you have only light, texture, and form to work with. It's too easy to dazzle folks with colors. I don't think of B&W as inherently abstract, stripping away the colors can give a very effective, very real, yet unfamiliar presentation of a scene.

I'm not an artist, and do not photograph professionally, so I can't really say anything from those perspectives.

[Leigh]

That's what we always taught the students.

B&W is a fantasy medium.
As soon as someone sees a b&w image, he knows that reality was left at the door and he entered a different world.

It's the same thing that happens when one sense is impaired, like hearing or smell; the other senses become more acute.

- Leigh

[RW Hawkins]

Kirk,
I wrote about this on my blog awhile back Why Black and White?
My observation has been many photographers think this type of statement is pretentious, but then they often think that of any words talking about photography. I have found other artists, and even the "regular folks" I talk with are genuinely interested in my choice of only black and white, so I am trying to write more about photography rather than just putting up pictures and saying that's all I have to say. So write away, everything you say won't be profound to everyone, but some of it will be to someone.

[Oren Grad]

...intrinsically more profound

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by that. But at least one of the dictionary definitions - "penetrating beyond what is superficial or obvious" is arguably applicable here, in the sense that removing the distraction of color makes it easier to pay attention to other things. What I don't agree with is any implication that B&W is therefore necessarily more meaningful or more important.

For context, I'll add that in my own photography I've never been able to figure out what to do with color, though not for lack of trying. I find it strange and distracting and never quite right, and I'm much more comfortable working in B&W. But I don't think my pictures are especially deep in any philosophical sense just because I happen to prefer B&W.

[Mark Barendt]

Too technical and too complicated for my taste.

Maybe ask a question instead. "How else would I be able to focus on the subject instead of the colors?"

[E. von Hoegh]

Too technical and too complicated for my taste.

Maybe ask a question instead. "How else would I be able to focus on the subject instead of the colors?"

I like that!

[rich815]

Personally I groan when I read 99% of artist's statements. Just let your work speak for you.