Color, like words and composition, conveys an abundant amount of meanings and values. It varies across cultures and people interpret them accordingly. Watching the news, I like to stare closely at how politicians/ (wo)men's tie and suit say so much on his/her intent, how subtle, how bold.
When an image turns Black & White, do you think it stripes away a set of predetermined meanings? Well, I think, on the contrary, it adds a façade to the image. It leaves room for viewers to depict the once captured moment once more. Does it mean the original do not exist anymore? Hell no, they are solid history, the blue tie that President Obama often wears and President Trump's signature red tie too. But memory is deceiving, there is no "videotape", we build our memory from traces, and we trust that things happened. ( see the link if interested)
I actually do not remember what tie Obama wore, my memory of him mostly resemble to his grey polo shirt and gorgeous teeth. Same as the series of B&W photos I took in Shum Shui Po, Hong Kong years ago, what color do I recall? I would like to think of the building as stripy pale pink, just because my traces of memory recorded that summer day as beaming, ice-creamy, soft and settled...
t.b.c.
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