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Exploring the Image of Black: Visual Representation and Perception
Visual Frequency of Black Life in Contemporary Media
The representation of black life in contemporary visual media is often saturated with images of violence, antiblackness, and premature death. This phenomenon is explored through the work of filmmaker and cinematographer Arthur Jafa, who delves into the labor required to engage with black precarity. Jafa's concept of "still-moving-images" captures the affective labor of feeling through these visual enactments, positioning viewers in a place of discomfort and potential complicity with black precarity1. This approach highlights the emotional and psychological effort needed to remain connected to the visual narratives of black suffering and resilience.
Morphological Analysis of Black-and-White Images
Morphological image analysis provides a method to characterize black-and-white images in terms of their geometry and topology using Minkowski functionals. This technique allows for the calculation of these functionals in both two and three dimensions, offering insights into the structural properties of images. By applying this method to random point patterns on square and cubic lattices, researchers can better understand the underlying geometrical and topological features of black-and-white images2.
Quantifying Complexity in Black-and-White Images
A complexity measure for black-and-white digital images has been proposed, which detects typical length scales in the depicted motifs. This measure associates complexity with the diversity of these length scales, penalizing images with limited or overly broad patterns. The complexity index captures the structural richness of images, providing an objective quantification that can be used in experimental perception research. For instance, a complexity map of South-American topography reveals intricate features such as river drainage networks and fjord-like coasts, demonstrating the index's ability to highlight regions with complex topographical characteristics3.
Effects of Black Luminance Level on Image Quality
The quality of an image is significantly influenced by its black luminance level. Research indicates that when the black level exceeds 0.1 cd/m², the preference for the image decreases. The optimal performance is achieved at a black level of 0.003 cd/m², although there is no significant difference from 0.1 cd/m². This finding suggests that maintaining a black luminance level between 0.003 cd/m² and 0.1 cd/m² is crucial for preserving image quality4.
Perceived Blackness and Visual Impression in Color Images
The perceived blackness in color images is influenced by the RGB values of black surface areas. To achieve a "really black" surface, the RGB values must be lower than those in the original image. This perception affects the visual impression of artistic pictures, with dimensions such as "high-quality," "mysterious," and "feeling of material" being evaluated differently by art and engineering students. Art students tend to be more sensitive to the "high-quality" and "mysterious" dimensions, while engineering students focus more on the "feeling of material" aspect5.
Converting Color Images to Black and White
Converting color images to black and white involves reestablishing the tonal foundations of the image. This process is distinct from local adjustments like dodging and burning, as it requires a comprehensive transformation of the image's tonal relationships. By using the color channels as black and white layers, one can achieve a nuanced and detailed black-and-white representation that maintains the integrity of the original image6 8.
Conclusion
The image of black, whether in the context of visual media, morphological analysis, or digital image processing, encompasses a wide range of complexities and perceptions. From the emotional labor of engaging with black precarity to the technical aspects of image quality and complexity, the representation of black in visual media is multifaceted and deeply impactful. Understanding these dimensions allows for a more nuanced appreciation of black imagery and its significance in contemporary visual culture.
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The Visual Frequency of Black Life
The labor of black precarity, as enacted in still-moving-images by Arthur Jafa, requires the effort to feel across difference and suffering, fostering a connection with another.
Morphological image analysis
This morphological image analysis method can characterize black-and-white images in terms of geometry and topology using Minkowski functionals, with applications to random point patterns on square and cubic lattices.
Highly CitedQuantifying the complexity of black-and-white images
The complexity index effectively quantifies the structural richness of black-and-white images, revealing intricate topographical features like river drainage networks and fjord-like coasts.
Rigorous JournalConverting Color Images into Black and White
In this chapter we’ll go in a different direction, turning color images into stunning black and white. There are a number of reasons why someone might want to make such a conversion: for use in black and white publications, artistic expression, and so on.
The Black Image in Film
The black image in film and television has a significant impact on contemporary America's attitudes, and understanding this relationship can help address the recent Oscars disappointment and promote positive recognition for black filmmakers, actors, and technicians.
Seeing Black and White
The Channels palette allows you to adjust color in a black and white image by using the red, green, and blue components as black and white layers.
A Black-White Representation of a Gray-Scale Picture
The algorithm combines dynamic thresholding and edge detection to create black-white representations of gray-scale images for computer storage, with superior resolution and contrast compared to halftone representations.
The Black Image in the White Mind: The Debate on Afro-American Character and Destiny, 1817-1914
The Black Image in the White Mind: the debate on Afro-American character and destiny, 1817-1914 by G E O R G E M. FREDRICKSON New York, Harper & Row, 1971. Pp. xiii + 343. Paperback edn. 1972. $3-45Black Political Life in the United States: a fist as the pendulum edited by L E N N E A L J. H E N D E R S O N , J R . San Francisco, Chandler Publishing Company, 1972. Pp. xiv + 273. $4-95 paperback.
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