This article explores what colour really is and shows that it is not a fixed property of objects but an interpretation shaped by light, human vision, cameras, screens, and print. By comparing how the same subject appears under different lighting and display conditions, the accompanying practical exercise encourages photographers to observe how unstable colour can be. The aim is to move away from the idea of “correct” colour and towards using colour deliberately as a creative tool, setting the scene for next week’s focus on colour temperature and tint.

• Yamamoto’s work celebrates quiet, imperfect, memory-like images.

• Ordinary subjects can become meaningful when approached reflectively.

• My “electronic junk” project echoes this idea of photographing traces of time.

This article reflects on a year of creative study in monochrome photography under Simon Ellingworth and questions the dominance of rigid, rules-based critique within contemporary photographic culture. It argues that while technical conventions have value, an over-reliance on them can suppress experimentation and originality, particularly for developing photographers. Drawing on recent minimalist black-and-white work that deliberately embraces over-exposure and abstraction, the piece advocates risk-taking, creative failure, and personal vision as essential components of photographic growth. Ultimately, it suggests that a photograph’s success lies not in universal approval, but in its ability to provoke thought, challenge expectations, and resonate with at least one viewer.