With apologies to Paul Simon, writer of the hit song Kodachrome, everything does not look worse in black and white. To many people’s eyes, everything looks better in black and white photography because with the subtle palette of grey brings out the inner beauty of a subject much better than being masked by a riot of color.

Case In Point: Peter Gabriel

When British rock star Peter Gabriel was asked for a portrait to be on the cover of Rolling Stone for January of 1987, the magazine wanted a color portrait to emphasize the singer’s intensely blue eyes. As Peter Gabriel’s big hit So contained the song In Your Eyes, it was logically thought that a simple portrait of his face centering on his blue eyes would best portray the singer-songwriter.

Robert Mapplethorpe was honored to take the portrait. The sessions lasted over days as both artists battled heads over what constituted a good portrait. In the end, both artists wound up with a profound respect for each other. When Mapplethorpe generously gave Peter Gabriel the pick of the portraits as a gift, Peter Gabriel chose portraits done with black and white photography. That portrait would later grace the cover of his greatest Hits compilation in 1990.

Why Black And White?

Color can be blinding. Just ask anyone who has a red car. Even though there are no actual scientific studies done, it is popularly thought that red cars are ticked more by police than any other color of car. We are ingrained to associate specific color with specific meanings. Colors are archetypes in the collective unconscious. Black and white photography should really be called “grey photography”, since even the colors black and white are softened. But “grey photography” just doesn’t sound as catchy, does it?

In black and white photography, there is no extra baggage hauled around with colors. You concentrate on the shape, the arrangement, the expression, the decay – anything that the photographer wishes to emphasize. Perhaps with the case of Peter Gabriel’s portrait, both Mapplethorpe and Gabriel thought the focus on Peter’s blue eyes and peaches and cream skin did not portray the true man. Gabriel’s music touched more people than just blue eyes white people. By using black and white photography, Gabriel was now race less, sexless and beyond fitting into any categories we automatically place strangers in – he was just a human being like any other one on the planet.