The photo challenge for the next two weeks is Black and White Photography. This type of photography is alive and well in the era of colour photography. It allows you to focus your attention on the essence of light without the distraction of colour. It makes you think in terms of tonal values of light and dark. Alex Kilbee has two lectures on this subject. One that highlight a number of famous Black and White photographers and one on the B&W Zone system. It is not just about taking great pictures without colour but also about post processing these images in the digital darkroom, by bringing out detail through selective brightening and darkening. Some areas in your image can be emphasized for a stronger emotional impact.
For lecture 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJj21MB2lMs
For lecture 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3XWGpChBww
I was at Heritage Park and was looking for Black and White compositions. I was purposely looking for minimalism style shots. 1/640s, f9.0, ISO 100. Edited in LR and Topaz Photo AI
My Heritage Park visit was just before our meeting on Tuesday.
Great timing Paul
Second composition. Trying to frame the people in the background with the car and the fence. 1/1000s, f4.5, ISO 100
May not get out for more B&W photos, as heading to the Great Bear Rainfores soon.
This image was captured the evening of Aug 6th at the Strathmore Chuckwagon Races (Heat nine). Di, Terry and I were positioned in the grandstands shooting NE to the finish straight. This is the great Chance Vigen leading heading home (sadly he’d clipped a barrel).
Captured with my Fuji XT-5, in camera B&W ( jpeg Across w/Red filter to boost contrast). Handheld with 210mm telephoto.
ISO 1280/F 5.0/ SS@1/2500.
Two trees at Confederation Park, ISO 360 80mm f7.1 1/125
Used one of the presets in Lightroom for b/w
ISO 1800 80mm f7.1 1/125
I like the juxtaposition of the child’s face and the tree trunks
Here is an experiment with B&W filters in Lightroom Classic. I am trying to achieve an Ansel Adams type of look with dark sky and luminous foliage. Exposure was for a neutral broad histogram. I removed some distracting clouds with Photoshop AI.
Here is a straight out of the camera, almost identical image taken a short distance away from the first one. It shows how dramatically different a B&W image can be manipulated in post processing
I went to the Summer Skirmish at the Military Museums. I figured the old-timey action would lend itself well to the black and white theme.
Members of Lord Strathcona’s Horse in First World War cavalry uniforms look on as a gunner turns away from the cannon he has just set off in the black powder demonstration. Very loud! The horses didn’t flinch, but people in the audience did. The cannonball could sail a mile away.
ISO 1600, 200 mm, f/6.3, 1/3200 sec
The Society of Tilt and Lance Cavalry (Jousting) gave a fantastic demonstration. Women on horseback in elaborate costumes competed in the first session, throwing spears at a target as they galloped by, catching rings on the end of their lances, hitting a target with the lance and seeing who could make it spin around the most number of times, and knocking heads off three peasants (no real peasants were harmed). This woman is holding her lance, waiting for her turn.
ISO 1600, 227 mm, f/6.3, 1/3200 sec
Wolfdog at the Wolfdog Sanctuary west of Cochrane. Adjusted in Apple Photos, sharpened in GIMP. ISO 100, f/10, 1/500
This is Joey, a high content wolfdog. For more information go to:
https://www.yamnuskawolfdogsanctuary.com
A fall harvest image captured on the prairies east of Calgary. a gang of combines working a wheat field provided us with fat paced and unique B&W photos
Handheld with Fuji XT-5 at 81mm, In camera Fuji Acros B&W simulation.
ISO 320/ F 7.1′ SS@1’1600
Really like the sense of depth by the successively fainter, dust obscured harvesters. Like the elements of 3.
Took some photos of the Waxing Gibbous Moon on Sunday to get ready for the Super Blue Moon on Wednesday. Unfortunately it was very overcast and rainy on Wednesday so no moon shots. On Sunday, I tried to get some photos at moon rise but the lower sky was too hazy, so I settled for some photos about 1 hour after moon rise. Tried some different settings. This one was shot with my Sony RX 10, High Contrast Mono filter, in Aperture Priority, ISO 200, f/4.0, 1/125 sec, +0.3 EV compensation, 600 mm.
Used Photoshop Elements to crop, increase the contrast and lighten the shadows.
Taken in Glenmore reservoir
f/4, 1/160, iso80
and another,
f/4.8, 1/1000, iso80
This my trip to the superstore taken with my Olympus FE 340 cropped and added a pinhole filter in Nik.
In the alley found some clematis going to seed the same camera. Black and white then sharpened and worked the sliders for green and reds.
Just a flower in our house. I tried three ways in photoshop to go to B&W and liked this one.
My only adjustment was to slightly decrease the Levels at either end.
1/40 sec, f4, ISO 400
Motorcycle parked on street, so clean and shining that is was glistening. Taken with my 50-230 lens at f/22, 1/13 sec, ISO 250
The emblem of a Galaxie 500. The car was solid black but showed up in photo more like a painting. Taken with my 70-300 mm lens at f/22, 1/13 sec, ISO 250
my dog Cindy cell phone with b&W (warm filter)