Close-up black and white photograph of a delicate white flower blossom with visible stamens and petals.

Where color is bold and calls for presence in the current moment, black and white brings out emotion differently, more like a memory.


With black and white, texture and contrast come to the forefront, little details that may not be fully seen or appreciated in color. Both have their place. Both are beautiful in their own ways.

Dreamy outdoor wedding portraits with soft lighting and natural backdrop.
A young child in a cozy white knit cardigan stands outdoors in a sepia-toned photograph.
A series of black and white photographs showing someone walking through a misty field at sunset.

My husband and I have had many conversations about how memory lives in our minds.


He can see everything vividly like a movie replaying in full detail, scene by scene.


For me, the image is duller and ghosted, more like an imprint of a moment that fades in and fades out just as quickly.


Black and white feels closer to that imprint.

Monochromatic close-up photograph of roses with soft focus and dreamy bokeh effect in black and white.
A series of black and white portrait photographs arranged in a horizontal row showing different poses and expressions.
A black and white film strip showing a sequence of romantic moments between a couple in an intimate setting.
Child sitting cross-legged on floor playing with toy cars in black and white photograph.
A series of black and white photos showing tender parent-child moments on a couch.
Black and white photo of a child sitting on floor playing while someone rests on couch in background.
A black and white photo series shows a person walking through a dimly lit hallway with dramatic shadows.
A black and white photograph shows a child sitting at a piano keyboard while an adult stands nearby teaching.

Black and white also carries a larger history with it, an ode to the beginnings of photography and film.


Growing up, my childhood home was filled with antiques and photographs of my relatives. I would often look at their portraits and wonder about the lives they lived.


Recently, I went through my parents’ box of heirloom photos to make copies for my own home. Unlike the formal portraits I remembered from the walls, these felt surprisingly modern and full of life.


They are a reminder that some things will never change.


We are more similar to those who came before than we realize.

A black and white photo sequence shows someone drinking from a glass in four progressive steps.
A series of vintage black and white photos showing wooden shacks and buildings in a rural setting.
Vintage black and white photos show people waiting on a train platform in the 1940s or 1950s.
Vintage black and white photographs showing people seated in chairs along a brick wall exterior.

continuance



The stars, small diamonds, illuminate the heavens.

Main sequence yellow giants

burn so bright they'll dwarf to black.

And still — they keep on glowing.


The mountains, stoic landmarks of old,

faithful lookout, steady titans —

solid rock melts to molten orange.

And still — they keep enduring.


And you and me, our family tree

here but for a moment —

plant seeds we'll never see sprout green.

And still — we keep on sowing.



-LC

A series of dark, moody photographs showing lit candles with smoke trails rising against a black background.