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Sean Giorgianni's avatar

That realization hit me hard.

The moment you recognized you weren’t actually experimenting, you were trying to recreate your color work in black and white, the essay became about much more than photography. It became about the quiet ways we protect ourselves from uncertainty.

I think it takes real courage to write that so honestly. Thank you for sharing the process instead of only the results. I suspect a lot of us needed to read it.

Stephanie Duprie Routh's avatar

Thank you for commenting. Sometimes it feels like vapor into space—you don’t always know if your thoughts resonate with others.

Jacqui Shepherd's avatar

Wow! I understand your resistance and would be very much the same for the same reasons. And I would also add my own, which would be a fear that I couldn’t pull it off. And I’d be right. But you have, absolutely you have. And if it feels like you’re stripping away your beloved colour, you are actually not; you’re inserting yourself into another layer of b&w. These images are truly beautiful - especially, for me, the first one, but all of them are. I think they’re remarkable and yet still absolutely you! ☺️

Stephanie Duprie Routh's avatar

Thank you. I do feel that in the end my photographic voice is still prevalent. It was something that I questioned in the beginning for sure.

Esme's avatar

I especially liked the first three, and wonder how this 4-day “dedication” will impact how you see and approach your future color work. Keep us posted!

Stephanie Duprie Routh's avatar

Thanks Esme! I will follow up when I see how it impacts me going forward. I’m sure it will—I just don’t know how yet!

Deborah Cole's avatar

I understand your feelings completely. Resistance? I think I would have felt even angry being in your shoes. But you did so well to push yourself-a reminder of what we all should do-and the results are pretty spectacular don’t you think?

Stephanie Duprie Routh's avatar

There were a lot of emotions that coursed through the four days. It was a mental exercise for many reasons.

Dalya Sachs's avatar

My favorites are the shadows, and the white shirted head-cast-down man and the white bicycle photographs. Bravo for experimenting.

Stephanie Duprie Routh's avatar

Thanks for sharing your favorites. I always like hearing what people like because it comes from their way of seeing/not mine. 😊