Romanian Portraiture.

Taking portraits in black and white can add drama and definition to the subject.

When I took these photo's in Romania a few years ago, I consciously chose black and white to emphasise the culture and age of the subjects.

The age of this man is celebrated in the wrinkles on his face, enhanced by choosing to shoot in the medium of black and white.

The old women sitting in front of her house knitting.

The men socialising.

The Grandmother caring for her granddaughter.

I believe all these photos are aided by being taken in black and white.

Hopefully each of these pictures tells you its own story.

 The poverty of the people in the area where we stayed was noticeable but they didn't seem to be affected by it. The people of these rural, Eastern European communities smiled, laughed, and generally enjoyed life, without seeming to need the trappings we often take for granted in our western societies.

 Hopefully I have given you at least a peek of the characters behind the photos, through these black and white images.

These photos were all shot using black and white film on my old Canon 600 SLR camera.