Kept Light Photography

Photography and Writing by A. Cemal Ekin

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I have been working on a presentation that I will make in a few weeks about color and color photography. I have read many books, visited many Web sites, and the last book I have been reading by Wittgenstein1 prompted me to ask a series of questions in my exploration of the idea of “color.” Ponder upon these:

  • Is it meaningful to talk about the “evolution of color” in the sense that we talk about the evolution of the planets, species?
  • All the colors must have emerged spontaneously.
  • If not, is there an order of appearance?
  • Are there “unknown colors”? Can there be?
  • Once we are aware of the idea of “color” do we know all the colors we can?
  • What is the difference between “surface color” and “emitted color”?
  • Was there a time when humans did not see all the colors we now know?
  • Will humans see more colors one million years from now?
  • Is human evolution a factor in “color”?
  • If it is, is human evolution the analog for the evolution of color?
  • Is there color inside a tightly sealed wooden box?
  • How can we know that?
  • If there is no color, what would it look like if we could observe the objects inside?

Penny for your thoughts.

  1. Ludwig Wittgenstein, Remarks on Colour (University of California Press, 1977).

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  1. * Is it meaningful to talk about the “evolution of color” in the sense that we talk about the evolution of the planets, species?
    No

    * All the colors must have emerged spontaneously.
    “Let there be light”

    * If not, is there an order of appearance?
    No

    * Are there “unknown colors”? Can there be?
    Yes. Just as there are unknown numbers.

    * Once we are aware of the idea of “color” do we know all the colors we can?
    No.

    * What is the difference between “surface color” and “emitted color”?
    One looks at you and you look at the other.

    * Was there a time when humans did not see all the colors we now know?
    No

    * Will humans see more colors one million years from now?
    A million more years is too hard to comprehend for me.

    * Is human evolution a factor in “color”?
    As the human mind becomes more aware of the fact that the colors exist in a continuous array of infinite possibilities, I think humans will just accept it like they do .87777777945615 is ALMOST one.

    * If it is, is human evolution the analog for the evolution of color?
    No.

    * Is there color inside a tightly sealed wooden box?
    yes

    * How can we know that?
    the same way we know 2+2 is 4.

    * If there is no color, what would it look like if we could observe the objects inside?
    They would all appear white, but there is color in the box.
    White is not lack of color. It is just the only even color that is prime like two is in numbers.