Tuesday 22 April 2014

Black and white nostalgia in Venice (1)


Initially I was surprised to see that Queen Elizabeth's latest official birthday photograph was in glorious black and white. But now I've had time to reflect I think it was a good decision on the whole. It brought out, as David Bailey said, the twinkle in her eye. 

The birthday portrait is certainly different from the various images of the monarch that we've become used to over the years, since the advent of colour photography. 

The photo reminds me of the time when newsworthy images of the royals were always in black and white.

Here I've placed a couple of my own colour photos taken in Venice with their black and white versions together. For the 'experiment' I selected  original pictures with not much colour in them.  

Now, having done that, I can't make up my mind which I prefer. 

Maybe it will happen that I will prefer both versions. When I'm feeling practical and modern I might prefer the coloured ones, and when I'm nostalgic and reflective I might prefer the black and white ones.

In the next post I will repeat experiment using more colourful originals. 













Top: A gallery in Giudecca, Venice.
Bottom:  Canal scene in Dorsoduro, Venice.


6 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. With a one-use camera I ask the shop to produce two sets of prints, one in colour and one in black and white. I have many pictures of Venice in black and white. I love the city and can get away from the crowds quite easily but as you say, if everyone goes and every corner shop shuts, that is the end. I have some favourite bars where I have sat for hours and they are real Venice for me, with football teams on the walls and not a piece of art in sight!

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  3. Two sets of one comment. Sorry, I don't know why.

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  4. Thanks Rachel. I've removed one of the duplicate comments. About the football in Venice, I've watched them play at home couple of times. First time was an uneventful match against Parma, but some idiots high up behind the goals got overexcited and threw burning newspapers onto the fans below them. The person standing with me was struck on the head by a disposable plastic lighter. For the second game I moved myself to the stands on the halfway line. It was against Juventus and needless to say Juventus won. Edgar Davids scored a goal and Del Piero managed a hat-trick.
    So what about Man U. then? I have high hopes for Giggs. But I want him at Rovers ;)

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  5. The bars I went in had Juventus pictures/colours, no mention of Venice.

    Giggs can go to Rovers, Man U will go for one of the big boys. I like the big headed Van Gaal but it will probably be Ancelotti. Moyes was out of his depth.

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  6. I saw Roy Hodgson being interviewed about the World Cup on Italian TV when I was in Venice. He's a totally different person when he speaks Italian. He even sounds and looks interesting. When he was at Rovers I could hardly understand a word. Don't think many of the players from Up North could either. I mean the likes of Ripley, Wilcox, Batty, but maybe Tim Sherwood could, well definitely could, so he could translate I suppose.

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