Project 52 + Black & White (Week 3)

Briana Santiago is an Associate Photographer for Christopher Maddox Photography. Check back weekly to keep up with Briana's weekly 'Project 52' posts.

Unfortunately this week was kind of insane, as my husband has been out of town for 10 days and counting. Hence the reason I am posting my “Wednesday” post in the eleventh hour! But hey, its still Wednesday right?? I like to call myself a ‘part-time single mom’ as he travels for work.

For that reason, I wasn’t able to really play with my camera, as the week’s to-dos really caught up to me. So the image that I chose for today’s theme is actually a past bride and her father during their dance at her wedding.

I can’t say I have ever really taken a photo with the direct intentions of it being a photo that was going to be black and white. Back in the day you used to buy black and white film. Now in the digital age its just a simple swing of the ‘saturation’ bar and ‘voila!’ – its black and white.

Some photographers are accused of turning photos black and white to cover their ‘multitude of sins’. Do I use it that way? Yes, it’s true. Personally, I can use black and white for several different reasons.

#1 – Lighting: A picture was either too bright, too dark and turning it black and white is the only want to bring out the details.

#2 – Color: Sometimes blue doesn’t read blue, or too much yellow is in those dang florescent lights! I have seriously spent 15 minutes on one photo before, trying to get orange out of a bridesmaids self tanner only to leave the bride and the other bridesmaids looking sick. So I gave up and went black and white!

#3 – Clarity: Or lack thereof really… Yes we all hope that every picture out of our camera is as crisp as an early fall morning. BUT we are human and yes, there are photos that are a little on the blurry side. Though blurry some moments can be really touching and I’m not willing to toss them in the ‘trash can’ just yet. One final attempt is good ol’ black and white… it looks ‘artistic’! ;)

But also…

#4 – Mood: It really is true that some photos come alive in black and white! It just fits the mood of the moment.

But this got me thinking in how this relates in life.

In life, sometimes we turn moments to black and white for the same reasons.

As the saying goes… “I wish it were as easy as black and white”. Don’t you wish sometimes you could turn life black and white, just to make a little more sense of it? Or maybe just to make it ‘look a little better?” The lighting may be off, the color a little bland or maybe things are just a little blurry and hard to understand.

I learned through experience that its ok, and at time necessary, to “turn down the saturation” to gain a little more perspective. Maybe that’s a journal session, a talk with a good friend over coffee or maybe just a run with some time to think.

As a mom I have to purposely make time to do this. When life gets a little overwhelming I make moments to break life down, to help me see black to white.

Go buy a new journal and write it out. Remember the days of ‘Dear Journal’? The act of putting it down on paper – white paper, black ink – may be the trick. Call that friend that knows the core of who you are. Another perspective – and someone to remind you what is really important – may be the answer and reminder that you need. Grab those white tennis shoes, go hit the black tarmac and do some good ol’ sweat it out therapy.

I’m thankful for the people in my life who have helped me do such things. They help me see the black… to the gray… to the white… in order to breathe beautiful color back into the life I know I was meant to live.

I hope you find the same.

Always,
Briana