JANUARY 2010 CHALLENGE - MONOCHROME

[sheils]

Day 16
http://www.pbase.com/image/121122440

[jolka]

# 16

http://www.pbase.com/image/121122541

[hjnk]

For the 16th:
http://www.pbase.com/hjnk/image/121122863
Have a nice saturday, Heidi

[birsay]

For my Day 15 an easy one.
Monochrome is growing on me, I wish there was a bit more discussion about how to do it, what to look for before the image is taken etc.

http://upload.pbase.com/image/121104085

Hi Sheila,

Difficult question to answer, and I'm sure everyone will have their opinions, but I'll pitch in with my thoughts, not based on anything more technical or academic than my own taste and perceptions, likes and dislikes, so others may disagree

Since there is no colour (obviously!) in a B&W image, our eyes are dependent on the greyscale representation of each colour channel, and this in turn means that what might seem an ordinary or run-of-the-mill seen in colour can be a dramatic, sinister, contrasty scene when converted to B&W. Conversely, a dramatic, vivid colour scene, one with a real 'Wow!' factor, may not make a good B&W image at all. Sometimes you just have to experiment back at the computer. For me, when I think in B&W I'm looking for strong lighting, maybe from an oblique or side angle and almost certainly never straight on or from above - the latter just kills all the lovely contrasts I'm trying to exploit. I'm also looking for a comprehensive tonal range of white to black tones across an image or scene; B&W shots look best when there is a wide contrast between shadows and highlights, and when there's a lot of detail which can be really worked up in post.

As for subjects, obviously portraits make excellent B&W shots, and minimal or abstract compositions, by their nature, can look more effective in B&W than colour. Landscapes can be more difficult but again, it's the lighting that you've got to look for. It can seem ironic and indeed somewhat sacrilegious to take all of the colour out of a beautiful summer composition and render it in shades of grey, especially since we all get so fed up of the long cold grey winter months, but the results can be wonderful. I've have a number of B&W shots here on PBase; you've welcome to have a look at the following galleries for ideas:

http://www.pbase.com/birsay/black_white1
http://www.pbase.com/birsay/black_white2
http://www.pbase.com/birsay/black_white3

Others may differ of course, but this is my MO. Hope this helps, but from what I've seen of your B&W work so far this month, I don't think you need lessons from anyone!

Doug

[norm4fun]

I don't know where to go....
http://www.pbase.com/image/121122928

[smok53]

HI,

My Monochrome entry for Saturday:

http://www.pbase.com/image/121123850

Tomasz

[smit10pics]

For the 16th January....
http://www.pbase.com/smit10pics/image/121123994

Cheers
Stewart

[maritatoftgard]

http://www.pbase.com/maritatoftgard/image/121121821/original

[erland]

Jan 16, 2010

Image #16 - a soothing shade of grey

http://www.pbase.com/image/121124637

Happy Saturday! Hope your weekend is full of wonderful adventures...

Racine

[bellanundo]

#16 - "Infinite Candy" http://www.pbase.com/bellanundo/image/121124748

Peace,
Nancy

[xbsa]

city

[lynnh]

Frozen fountain, another view! http://www.pbase.com/lynnh/image/121125562

[texces]

Here's my Saturday shot. Will catch up on comments later tonight. Have to finish up wedding pictures and head to Dallas to do maternity images.

http://www.pbase.com/image/121127250

[borisalex]

Hello everyone!

How about to go to a bookstore! I love to do it!

http://www.pbase.com/borisalex/image/121127300

Have a wonderful weekend!

Boris

[bijtenhoorn]

My image for the 16th

Beach Restaurant:
http://www.pbase.com/image/121127619

Rgds,
Ronald