I always say that I see in black & white. Then non-photographers think that I mean that I am color blind. Or other photographers think that I am being a pretentious, arty B&W snob. I should instead say that I see in Black & White film.
It doesn’t always happen or the results are not always an exact match for what I thought I saw in the moment, but there are many moments where I can see exactly how the darkroom print will look.
This shot is a great example. I had been shooting this series of Clubracers in California and I entered the Pirelli truck and saw this moment. I metered quickly off the floor at the feet of this man to get the proper exposure of the floor, which I knew would make him a silhouette and would blow out the background. One frame.
When I got the proof sheet back, this tiny image popped. It was exactly as I envisioned it.
Doesn’t always happen, but it is a nice moment when it does.
Fontana, California; Leica M6 TTL 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Agfa APX 400 © Doug Kim
Great shot.
Just curious: do you use the M6’s meter or a hand-held one?