Look Who it Was Random video

Perfect Inspiration: Episode 41 - Creating Style In The Absence Of Visual Information

2,658 views · Published 4 January 2013 · 12:02 · Indexed 3 October 2026

Channel: ON1 · 2013 · Education

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I distinctly remember sitting on this bamboo train as it shuttled us at an impressive velocity from point A to point B in Battambang, Cambodia. Aside from the experience of actually riding on this primitive-yet-ingenious mode of transportation, I remember the tinge of frustration as I chimped the images that I was taking of our train operator. The sun was high, the light was awful, and the heat was pretty intense. It was, at face value, a perfect recipe for bad photography. At least, that is what I thought while I ogled the back of my camera's LCD. Image after image, I saw all highlight information get obliterated and sacrificed in the name of capturing some mid-tone and shadow detail. In the moment, I thought that these images would be rendered useless and never see the light of day (pun intended).

It wasn't until I started spending more time using Perfect B&W that I learned to appreciate blown out highlights and clipped shadows when working in a black and white medium. There is something intriguing and stylistic about embracing what isn't there when trying to tell a story with an image rather than doing everything possible to convey every little detail. It is a lesson that I have found to be extremely beneficial, especially when I find myself shooting under less than ideal lighting conditions.
- Brian Matiash

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