In Tokyo, Colour Is Best For Street Photography.
Tokyo Colour
I love to shoot in black and white. I love it so much that I purchased a camera that only shoots in black and white. That camera is the Q2 Monochrom by Leica. That is how much I love black-and-white street photography. This blog is almost entirely in black and white. Why suggest Tokyo looks best in colour? I think that it does.
The busiest locations in Tokyo are awash in colour. Their vibrance is challenging to capture in black and white and explain in words; it is something beyond the bright lights, neon, and signage. Places like Shinjuku or Shibuya experience a level of visual saturation, which requires colour to translate the feeling into an image.
The quieter locations use colour differently. Their vibrance is faded and cracked, lending itself to the nostalgic feeling of black and white photography. However, that sense of saturation still exists, not in a literal way, but figuratively. It is as if the place was once a big deal, or one day; it will be a big deal.
These ideas are better suited in colour.
To be fully transparent, I shoot in colour and black and white. I shoot all over Tokyo with the Leica Monchrom, a fantastic experience. I take excellent pictures every day, regardless of location. I do the same with my colour camera, the Nikon Z9. So, what is the difference?
What is The Difference?
Feeling: the emotion I aim to convey through an image. Every element of the image is considered, including exposure, focal length, framing, colour or black and white, and the decisive moment. Colour is my preferred choice for evoking a strong sense of Tokyo. When the subject takes precedence, I often favour black and white.
Preference: I prefer to shoot in black and white, as I perceive photography in black and white. Tokyo’s inclination is colour. Tokyo lives and breathes vibrant hues. Some days, I bend Tokyo to my vision; other days, she turns me to hers. We have a symbiotic relationship.
Heart: I do my best to follow it. Tokyo has her heart, and I do my best to follow that. When those hearts line up, something special is possible.
Colour or Black and White?
Tokyo needs colour, but she plays nice with black and white. I learned to play nice with colour. Now that I have, I understand that colour is best in many situations despite my vision of black and white. I love that. I love that it is not easy. I love the failure inherent in this kind of approach.
Black and White is best for me; colour is best for Tokyo.
