Gayle's Quick Stop - Port Republic, Virginia 

Thoughts on color . . .

Even though experiments in color began shortly after the invention of photography, color photography did not take hold until well into the 20th century. Kodachrome was introduced in 1936, and color negative film was developed and refined during the 1940s. Even after color film and processing reached technical maturity, "serious" photographers continued to work in black and white. It was not until the early 1970s that the color work of photographers like William Eggleston and Stephen Shore began to receive critical attention.

I have been shooting color almost exclusively this year, trying to learn to use color effectively after years of black and white. My interest began with landscapes. The truth of the matter is that I don't have a particularly good eye for black and white landscapes, but I find I respond to color in the landscape. Learning to see and use color in landscapes has increased my interest in color for all kinds of pictures. Suddenly I see color everywhere.

At this point, I am wondering if one can do both color and black and white. Making a conscious effort to use color has changed the way I look at things. Is it necessary to make a choice? I have shot only one roll of black and white film this year. Maybe it is time to throw the Pentax MX and a couple of rolls of B&W film in the car and see how the world looks in black and white again.