03-FEB-2005
Plates, Bagan, Myanmar, 2005
Once again, we are expressing ideas about a photographic subject with only one basic color in it. When we remove the color, the meaning shifts. The color version, which can be seen in my Myanmar trip article at:
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/139134/photo50.html , shows the plates with a golden hue. It may be due to the material of the plates, or perhaps the reflection of the color of the light coming into the tent where these plates were being displayed and sold. The golden hue suggests wealth and power, or perhaps tarnish, depending upon the context you bring to the picture. The light that falls on the plates abstracts them to a degree. The interplay of light and shadow in the reflections make the image less literal, and more interpretive. This color version is quite real, attractive, and perhaps a bit ambiguous. I thought it worked well in my travel article, giving the flavor of what you might want to shop for if you were to visit.
My black and white abstract version removes the color and the ambiguity that came with it. It also removed the emphasis on reality and turned these glistening discs into symbols of Burmese skill at making such handsome products. Because they have been abstracted twice, once by light and shadow and again by conversion to black and white, they acquire a mysterious dimension as well. They almost look like ancient breastplates or shields, lined up for display in a museum. They engage the imagination to a greater degree. Though a bit less real in black and white, these plates become more symbolic in their monochromatic incarnation.
21-JAN-2005
Baci Ceremony, Luang Prabang, Laos, 2005
We were invited into a private home in Luang Prabang for a Buddhist Baci ceremony performed in our honor. This ceremony wished us good fortune and welcomed us to the most beautiful city in Laos. I photographed our hosts in prayer. Their intense sincerity, religious devotion, and kindness toward us, was obvious.
A color version of this image can be seen in the travel article I put together on my Laos trip, posted on worldisround.com. It’s at:
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/139137/photo34.html . The reality of the experience is expressed in that image. Its colors are primarily skin tones, which make the people seem more lifelike. An appropriate choice for a travel image designed to make an experience seem as real as possible.
This black and white version simply eliminates those skin tones. It is not longer a matter of replicating reality. Instead, we are symbolizing a particular aspect of the trip, in this case, the spirituality of the Laotian people. I made this image in a room illuminated only by candles, using a quarter of a second hand held exposure. There a slight bit of camera shake softening the image, which in this case is an asset, particularly in the highly symbolic, less realistic, abstract black and white image. The softening effect makes the prayer seem that much more intense.
02-FEB-2005
Heavy Burdens, Yangon, Myanmar, 2005
Young men, some of them very young, carry huge bags of rice from ship to shore on Yangon's jetty. They must be paid for each bag they carry, because they move very quickly. The image is primarily built around the fellow in the middle, who carries the hem of his sarong in his mouth so he won’t trip, and flashes the white of his eyes as he carries his burden toward us.
Once again the difference between the meaning of the color version (which can be seen in my Myanmar travel article posted at:
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/139134/photo29.html ) and this black and white image, comes down to portraying realty vs. creating a meaningful symbol.
When the purple and yellow clothing, along with the tan roofs and ground, give way to black and white tonalities, the determination of the young man in the middle seems to grow beyond the case in point. His effort becomes a symbol, representing the struggle of all who must carry heavy burdens in order to survive. In color, we see what the scene looked like and felt like. In black and white, we see what these workers represent.
Barred Entry, Yangon, Myanmar, 2005
Most of the people I saw on the busy streets of Yangon seemed relatively relaxed. This woman, however, looking out at me from within this caged doorway, seemed to be an exception. Is she concerned about her own safety and property, or is she being restrained within that entryway?
The color version of this image can be seen in my Myanmar travel article posted at
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/139134/photo22.html . The warm sun dominates that image, making it seem as she is looking out at us from behind a protective gate. She sees to feel safe in there, at least for the moment.
When I converted it to black and white, the meaning of the picture seemed to change significantly, at least for me. The colors of sunlight have vanished. In their place, the shadows of the bars, particularly those moving across her face, are emphasized. She formerly seemed to watch us. Now we seem to watch her. Is she free to come and go? Or otherwise? Our imaginations must supply the answers. Such is the power of black and white abstraction. It has turned a street scene into a question mark.
05-FEB-2005
Maker of Rice Bowls, Mandalay, Myanmar, 2005
The rice bowls carried out for alms every morning by the monks of Mandalay are manufactured by hand in a small "factory" just outside the city. This is one of the workers, taking a stogie break.
This is an effective portrait in both color as well as in black and white because of the degree of abstraction created by light and shadows falling upon the subject. I wanted to express the character of this man – tough but thoughtful, confident, skilled and experienced at what he does.
In this black and white version, the interplay of light and shadow alone is stressed. It brings a sense of the unknown to the picture. Each version has its merits. For sheer realism and presence, the color version is hard to beat. The black and white version stresses the mysteries of life, and his thoughtful approach to them. He becomes a universal symbol when another layer of abstraction, this time the removal of all color, is applied to the image.
06-FEB-2005
In the Halls of Maha Muni, Mandalay, Myanmar, 2005
Mandalay's most important religious structure is the incredible Maha Muni Pagoda. Built in 1874, this glittering Burmese temple complex houses a gold plated image of Buddha that draws pilgrims from all over the world. More interesting to me, however, was the life that goes on within the walls of the Maha Muni. It is a labyrinth of corridors, linking courtyards, shops, and religious shrines. Here, a little boy carries his young brother on his back as he scurries through one of them. They are probably the children of one of its many shopkeepers.
This is basically an example of street photography. (See Gallery Sixteen for more on this subject.) Street photography often lends itself to black and white imagery, because of its hard-edged grittiness. In color, even sad things can sometimes be made to look at least somewhat pleasant. The color version of this image soothes the loneliness of these children, and works very well as an expressive travel image, showing off both the beauty and reality of the Maha Muni. You can see it in color in my travel article on Myanmar posted at:
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/139134/photo97.html
As well as it worked in color, I think this image works even more forcefully and memorably as a gritty black and white “street shot.” Once I’ve taken away the warmth of those red and gold walls, this little boy and his brother suddenly become more forlorn and vulnerable. They are trapped between what now become two grim black walls on each side of the image (they used to be brown). They represent forces seemingly beyond the understanding of this uncomprehending child with a blurred foot and sleeping burden on his back. He now must dodge menacing figures while navigating a labyrinth of cold, tiled corridors, instead of strolling through that warm and welcoming gilded world of the Maha Muni we saw in the color version.