Shadowy Figure – San Francisco, California

Taking about the Embarcadero, I captured this mysterious shadowy figure there, making a getaway. At least it might look that way in this moody black and white. A fabricated story that might fit the impression of an image.

Why does darkness imply mystery? Is it a cultural construct or something inborn and genetically transmitted? I suppose that’s one of the reasons I like black and white. Not only does it add a level of abstraction, but it can add more emotion, mystery and mood to a scene.

The color version, which I like too, is very different, even with a silhouetted shadowy figure. I was originally going to feature only the color version but changed my mind upon converting to black and white.

However, these conversions are not merely the absence of color. There’s increased contrast and a very sharp tone curve that produces these dark shadows. It took me years to understand good black and white conversions and create them adequately. Now, it’s made a lot easier with a pre-built user style that I apply via Capture One.