Comments on: What If My Red Is Your Green?

By: Frank Schophuizen

Frank Schophuizen — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 07:38:00 +0000

“A rose is a rose is a rose” [Gertrud Stein]
What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet [William Shakespeare]

The point is, we see the color that we see as we see it, and we give it a name. But the name is not the color! It’s just the name. If we would not give it a name or we would give it a different name, we would still see the same color.

By: znode

znode — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 21:12:00 +0000

Yes! They call us cognitive scientists (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_science). In particular, visual perception scientists (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_perception).

By: Mbutu Namubu

Mbutu Namubu — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:31:00 +0000

Hi Roman,

In my opinion, this topic goes straight to the heart of what it is to be a photographer, but most of the best information about it comes from outside of photography. If you’re interested in going further into this topic, I’d highly recommend a few different books on the subject of the philosophy of color:

One of the classics is called “Color for Philosophers” by CL Hardin. The most up-to-date collection of essays that I’m aware of is edited by Jonathan Cohen and it’s called “Color Ontology and Color Science.” I also really like a book called “Colour Vision” by Evan Thompson. Those are some of my personal picks but other folks might certainly have different recommendations.

By: Larry Clay

Larry Clay — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:58:00 +0000

I am also a colorblind photographer and have had this same experience. My answer to the person asking is that it is not about what green looks like but that in certain circumstances certain shades of green can’t be distinguished from certain shades of red. The person then asks: but what does green look like?
My answer above is accurate for me and the other persons question shows that he has no idea what I am talking about.I find the whole question posed by this article to be not only unknowable but not even worth asking. Who cares what red looks like to someone else as long as we both agree that the strawberry is red.

By: Krisztián Storm Kocsis

Krisztián Storm Kocsis — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:03:00 +0000

Me too!

By: Zack W.

Zack W. — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:49:00 +0000

nope, it’s science!

By: Josh Klynn

Josh Klynn — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:51:00 +0000

I second that as a color blind artist. I have often responded to questions like, “what does green look like to you?” with a similar response.
at times I have wondered if my classification as *color blind* is somehow a form of elitism. supposedly I see colors differently than most people, but who can know for sure?

By: Ken Kotch

Ken Kotch — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:08:00 +0000

As a colorblind photographer I am often asked what I see for green. I respond with, “What do you see wen you look at green? But don’t compare it to anything else or use any color words.”
Still impossible.

By: Jessie Silva

Jessie Silva — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:54:00 +0000

OMG. Can we make a group for people who think this but others think you’re crazy?! This is amazing. I’m not alone.

By: Mark Dub

Mark Dub — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:31:00 +0000

just check the crayon box :)