The Black and white NYC Tension
One of the fastest moving cities in the world and doesn’t stop at any point in time. When you stand still in the heart of it all the world seems to fly by. You can feel the energy when you move through it all, whether you drift through the streets or not, the city makes you move at a certain pace. Otherwise you slow the organised chaos down. Everyone has a destination, a place to be, a job to complete.
Fully aware of the pace of the city, I choose a camera that seems opposite of what you need. I choose the Hasselblad XPan and shoot NYC pictures in black and white. The camera requires deliberate and slow choices. One that was never optimised for speed.
This constraint allowed me to stop amidst the chaos. The city flowed around me. I stood. Observed. Framed a photo. I became an anomaly. New York moves perfectly around you. Never slows. Let me see it in black and white.
Shot on the Fuji TX1 on Ilford delta
Why Black and white pictures in NYC
Why NYC pictures black and white? With hard light falling onto the street in-between the high rise buildings, the unique urban rhythm and the architectural rules that make it a place where you can find anything from any era, it lures me back in every time.
Patterns emerge strongest here. Crowds repeat strides. Shadows stretch the same. Light hits corners predictably. Intermediate shooters know this. NYC pictures black and white reward those who notice repeats.
The city itself feels like a movie set, it is a place I grew up seeing on tv. Many directors and cinematographers have chosen this place for their main cinematic location and I think I understand why. The cinematic panoramic frame feels natural here. Any angle, any corner will reveal something like it came straight out of a movie.
Some days nothing sparks. Others overwhelm. When the days are dull, I look for places where light is flagged by the buildings overhead and becomes directional. When it is sunny, I look for pockets of light and shoot high contrast black and white images. Every day is different and not every day is a success, but if you look well, you will find something everywhere you go in NYC.
Shot on the Fuji TX1 on Ilford delta
How to shoot the XPan in NYC
Even when NYC city moves fast and deliberate, patterns are nowhere more prevalent than here. Things happen on repeat. When you see something of interest, it is very likely it will happen again and again. There are variables that you can not control, like the light. However, it is very likely that a new scene will unfold soon somewhere near you. Whilst street photography is often categorised as fast photography, which requires you to make quick decisions, the Hasselblad XPan or Fujifilm TX 1 is far from it. Therefore the combination of NYC and the patterns that you see are perfect for a camera that delivers the opposite: Deliberate, slow and thoughtful. Instead of quick photos here, there and everywhere, waiting yields results.
The waiting is worth the results. Especially with black and white frames from NYC. The camera is a choice against convention and I deliberately shoot less and hopefully go home with more. The definition of “more” might be only true for myself, but I shoot for great frames and not necessarily many. Against convention I shoot less. Hope for more. More means great frames. Not volume. I learned three keepers beat a roll of duds. Happiness follows quality.
Shot on the Fuji TX1 on Ilford delta
The Black and white workflow
I approach street photography against convention. Walk slow. Wait much. Often even skip shots, against all street photography norms.
However, I will spot a scene, wait for it to build and all variables come together. Sometimes this means I wait a long time, and sometimes it never develops again. If it isn’t what I hoped it would be, I will skip, and wait for it to develop again with (hopefully) the variables in my favour. Then just one frame. I instantly know its worth, wall worthy frame or not.
Patience with a camera like this is essential, it becomes a super power. You will start to see details that you previously overlooked. You learn how to create order in the chaos. Everything about your approach to street photography in black and white in NYC becomes intentional. With each frame costing me about a dollar or more, I know I want to make sure it was worth the frame.
The energy of a place often drives your pace, but certainly in those kind of places it is important to be at peace. I know I need to find my own pace in a place that has higher energy than I can handle when doing deliberate photography. I need to find my own rhythm and make sure I get the shots I want to get. I am fully aware that my photography pace is slower than the city, therefore it is important to remind yourself every now and again that your rhythm is what makes you find the beauty in the moments. Embrace it. Defines your style. Not norms.
Shot on the Fuji TX1 on Ilford delta
NYC Black and White Showcase
The black and white NYC pictures I have taken are ones that show how I slowed down. The moment where I already found the right frame, focus and shutter speed, before it even happened. Where I was just waiting for the right variables to fall into place.
I would like to challenge you to slow down, be intentional and deliberate. Find the patterns and anticipate moments. Be ready and make a photo if you think it has enough value. Go out and explore and find things you might not normally see, when you continue at the pace of the place. Load some black and white film, see my fav black and white film. Commit and create some deliberate frames.
Share them with me via email or tag FilmReasons on Instagram.
