Tropical Color in Black & White

Summary

The website content is a reflective essay on the beauty of Puerto Rico as captured in black and white photography by Ronald C. Flores-Gunkle, who invites readers to experience the island's vibrancy beyond the dazzle of color.

Abstract

The essay, titled "Tropical Color in Black & White," presents a collection of monochrome photographs that depict various scenes across Puerto Rico. The author, Ronald C. Flores-Gunkle, shares his perspective on the island's beauty, emphasizing the challenge of capturing the tropics' intense colors and the unique allure of black and white imagery. He recalls a self-published book of these photos, which, despite being unpurchased, is available for free on Issuu. The piece serves as an invitation for readers to appreciate the depth and variety of Puerto Rico's landscapes and cityscapes, suggesting a visual respite for those surrounded by the vivid colors of fall or experiencing sequestered life during the pandemic. Flores-Gunkle hints at a future collection in full color, encouraging visitors to explore the island post-pandemic.

Opinions

The author believes that the tropical environment of Puerto Rico offers a spectrum of colors that is both overwhelming and difficult to fully perceive or capture with a camera.
Flores-Gunkle suggests that black and white photography can reveal the essence of the island's beauty, offering a memory of the sun's brilliance without the distraction of color.
He expresses a personal connection to the island, indicating that his photographs are a way of sharing his vision and experiences with others.
The author values the accessibility of art, making his work available for free online despite the lack of commercial success.
There is an implied opinion that art, such as photography, can provide a form of escape or mental travel, especially relevant during times of restricted movement like the pandemic.
Flores-Gunkle's mention of a future full-color collection indicates his belief in the power of color photography to complement the black and white series and to inspire potential visitors to Puerto Rico.

A dozen views of Puerto Rico

“When you live on a tropical island, as I do, it is easy to be dazzled by color. Each day the sun bursts from the night sky, swings swiftly along an arc to the western horizon, and then sizzles into the sea — as if in a hurry to give our eyes relief. In the course of its journey, it reveals a gamut of hues impossible to name, achingly difficult to perceive. In the tropics, the sky is closer than at any other latitude, and it is not just blue — it vibrates violet and vermilion. The jungle shimmers green and gold. What camera can capture that?

“I remember these lines, translated from the French of Baudelaire: ‘My burnt out eyes can now decry only the memory of suns.’ Tropical Color in Black & White is my vision of Puerto Rico, stripped of the dazzle, but seeking the memory of suns.”

I wrote these lines some time ago to introduce a self-published book of some 40 photos, one that as far as I know, no one ever bought. It was on a print-by-demand site and it may still be there unpurchased and unloved. It is available — at no cost — on Issuu, however.

I offer this as a pause for readers who may be surrounded by the vivid colors of fall and want to add some variety to this sequestered life. In some future post, I may offer a set in full color to tempt you to visit the island once the pandemic is vaccinated off the planet.

All the photos are ©Ronald C. Flores-Gunkle and may not be used commercially. Some have appeared along with my stories or poems. The captions identify the places in Puerto Rico the photos were taken.