journal no. 5
black and white (and color?)
I wrote previously of our use of photography as a means of escape and a reaction against the neon palette of the 90s, but there is more to our choice of medium than that. Sure, shooting solely in monochrome strips away the clutter and noise of a scene, leaving the attention on the subject, light, and composition; but those elements only address the technical aspect of photography. Anyone can take a technically competent photograph, it merely takes practice. What makes our approach to capturing images special?
When you look at the photographs of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Brassaï, or Robert Doisneau, are you focused solely on the lines and character of the light? Each were technical masters, but I would wager that is not what draws you in, nor why they are still so highly regarded. Photography is an art like any other, technical skill makes you competent, but the emotional response your work inspires in the viewer is what makes you great. I would not think to claim we are remotely near the realm of greatness, rather, I offer the point to illustrate that for which we strive. We view ourselves as artists and set high standards for the work we create, designing our entire process to elicit emotional responses. The mood evoked by jazz cafes heavily influences the way we view the world, and it is a similar mood which we try to convey through our photography.
To return to our choice of monochrome, black and white photographs (particularly those shot on film stock) inherently evoke a distinct mood. From that base, we can manipulate the image by creatively using in-camera and post-processing techniques to alter it to our satisfaction. Our goal (as we have mentioned) is to create a romanticized vision of the world, one that transcends time and provides an escape from everyday life. To that end, monochrome has been a wonderful starting point for developing our own visual language and style, challenging us to think through every detail of the frame.
As Phil and I continue to build our oeuvre and look to the year(s) ahead, the discussion of shooting in color (specifically color film stocks, to start) has arisen a few times. With over a year under our belts, we are incredibly proud of the signature style we have created for Oculoire; however, we also know the dangers of complacency and the importance of constantly pushing ourselves creatively. Color photography comes with its own inherent possibilities and constraints, but we like a good challenge. I cannot definitively say if or when we will begin including color in our oeuvre, but know that while our work may harken back to the past our minds are looking ever forward.