Picture Black and White ~ 6

It's here...

The last installment of Picture Black and White.

This last series of the class dealt with photos that tell stories.

Shoot A Documentary

A documentary shot tells the whole story. You include what's going on around the subject. Kind of the who, what, where, and when of photography. There's a lot going on in this picture. You can tell hot air balloons are being inflated. Notice the girl in the foreground. She has a rope around her waist that it connected to the balloon. She keeps it from raising up before it's fully inflated. You can see people standing and sitting taking in all the activities. I wonder about the little girl standing out there by herself. Is she lost?  Did you notice the family getting their picture made? The couple with the stroller on the right and the man with the camera right in front of the balloon holder.

A Detail Study

Most stories are full of details.  A photo that tells a story will include details that give information about what is happening. The details give the story shape and substance. My grandson loves to help in the kitchen if I remember one detail. He doesn't like the sound of the mixer so he needs his "earmupps" (as he calls them). Then he is quite happy to help me bake cookies!  There's other minor details that help tell the story; the mixer, the measuring cups, the recipe, and the cookie sheet. You can also tell he's standing in a chair so he can "be tall."

In Context

I love to take close-up photos, but when I step back and include a large area it gives the photo context; where I was and what I might have been feeling. I took several close-up photos of these beautiful roses winding in and out of the iron fence. Then, I took a couple of steps back and realized how effective the picture would be if I included more of the cemetery. It went from just beautiful roses to roses that someone planted inside this fence as a  memorial to the persons buried there.

Expression

I've already used these pictures when I posted my {in the picture} shots. I took them for this class. We were to capture someone or something as they expressed themselves. Well, no one was here but me!! So, that's what you get, just me wistfully gazing out the window wishing for cooler weather and a little rain.

Then, I held my remote and just sat in my rocking chair making expressive faces. It was really kind of fun.  Just be thankful you didn't have to see the out takes. Some of them were pretty bad!!

A Simple Gesture

Simple gestures can speak volumes even when you use everyday objects. We were to seek out an object and bring it to life. This photo says you can lean of me if your need to. I'll help you if I can. I also included these lyrics.  "Lean on me, when you're not strong and I'll be your friend I'll help you carry on." ~Bill Withers~

I love color, but I now appreciate the work that it takes to create black and white photos. I think they're more dramatic without the distractions of colors. I definitely will be shooting more in black and white!

Picture Black and White ~ 5

Today I'm bringing to you the next installment of Picture Black and White. Let's get started!

The Sky's The Limit

I love to photograph the sky. It's ever changing; the color, the clouds, sunrises and sunsets. Our goal today was to photograph the sky looking for depth, texture, and light. I had to take a ton of pictures for this shot! I was on one knee with my little point and shoot held to the ground facing up. I was also pushing him and dodging the swing. He kept say, "stop taking pictures, gramma, and push me as fast as a roller coaster!" Finally, I got the shot that I wanted and then pushed him fast and high!!

I made this image the largest I could! Can you see those gorgeous long eyelashes!! I didn't notice them until someone in class commented on them!

Grounded

Ground shots always bring suprises. There are so many details in nature that we miss since we rarely lay on the ground or kneel down to see from that viewpoint. It's fun to get down explore and connect with the earth. If you've been around my blog very long, you know I like mushrooms!  They make me think of magic and little elves! These mushrooms remind me of  salt on pretzels. They are actually about the color of pretels.

I love this delicate mushroom and the contrast with the dark background! Can't you just see a little fairy sitting on top of this one?

Lens on Landscape

I don't take near enough landscape photos. I tend to fill my frame with one thing and forget that there's a great big picture out there! Looking for landscapes in black and white is a bit more tricky. You have to look for shapes, textures, lights, and darks that bring out the magnificence or splendor of the scene. This is the Arkansas River taken from Pinnacle Mountain visitor center.

Getting Intimate

The photo below is an example of the majority of my work. I love to get up close and personal. There's just something fascinating to me about the shapes and textures in a macro image. How many times do we look at a damaged leaf and think it's beautiful? The way insects have eaten this leaf makes it look like lace to me.

The Growth Process

The growth of flowers is a slow process. Unless you see a time lapse you really don't get to see their movements as they unfurl their blooms.  We can only capture a moment in their growth. I have a shade garden full of hostas. I love how they stay so green and lush all summer, if you water them that is!  I've never really been impressed with their blooms. They just didn't seem beautiful stuck up on those long stalks. I didn't appreciate them until I got up close to them. For one thing their blooms hang down.  You see their beauty when you get down on the ground and look underneath them. I've discovered through photography that I like them very much.

Stay tuned for the last segment of Picture Black and White.

We will be finishing the class this week.

Oh, and please excuse any misspelled words!

Spell check is not working today!

Picture Black and White ~ 4

Have I already said I'm enjoying Picture Black and White with Big Picture Classes?   I don't guess I can say it too many times! It's true!!  In this class we have two days to take the photo for the prompt. Well, really you have all the time you want, but I try to keep up!  Here's my next set:

Cracked Open

Cracks in a surface can add interest to an image. Using black and white will show the darks and lights in the cracks. The very day we got this prompt, I dropped a glass measuring cup onto my glass pie plate. Glass went every where!  It was a little sad, I've had this pie plate since our wedding shower, 40 years ago! It did provide an object for this prompt cracked open. I thought it made a pretty good abstract photo!!

The rocks in the side of this mountain have big enough cracks that large cedar trees are growing out of them. This just amazes me, that there's enough soil to nourish them! They're not small trees either, they're about 10 to 12 ft tall.

Watered Down

This day we were to study liquid and look for textures. We've been in drought conditions here!  I've been watering my flowers and plants with my favorite watering can since May.

The next few prompts were not exactly my favorites. I don't ever feel creative when I have to look for words or phrases to photograph. I guess it's just not my thing!! So, just bear with me through the next few photos!!

Note To Self

Today, we were seeking messages that focused on something we needed to hear or  a reminder or a mantra. I found this little saying in McGuffey's Eclectic Primer Revised Edition which even though written years ago is still applicable today. (original copyright 1881 revised edition 1909) 

Good Fortune

To be honest, I've never eaten a fortune cookie and I don't read horoscopes or fortunes! So, I went looking for fortunes on the internet. This one does resonate with me, I love making memories with my family!

Well Said

This prompt was much easier, we were looking for words that have been written that speak to us. I may not have "sayings" around my house or read fortunes, but I do have books. It was fun looking through my stash for titles that spoke to me. I even posted three this day! This book was written by one of my favorite authors, Max Lucado. We all have fears or "giants" that we have to face in our life.

Wouldn't we all love to live simply!!

This one seems to be written just for me!  I enjoy each day! They're not all wonderful but I'm grateful for each one. I hope I can look back and say I've traveled this journey of life joyfully!

No Words Necessary

All messages don't have to have words, some are very easy to translate without them.

Handwritten

The day before this prompt my Mom gave me this letter that I had written to her forty-two yrs. ago. That would be 1970!! I was attending the National FBLA Convention in Philadelphia. Yes, that's me standing by the Liberty Bell when I was 17!! Note the bottom line of the stationery from The Benjamin Franklin Hotel "Air Conditioned Guest Rooms!!" Thank Goodness!! How long has it been since you've seen air conditioning advertised?

That wraps up another segment of Picture Black and White.

Hope you enjoyed!

Picture Black & White ~ 3

I have a few more images to share from the Picture Black and White class I'm taking. It's an enjoyable class. It certainly makes you look at things differently when you don't have color for contrast.

Me And My Shadow

There's just enough child in me that I love shadows. There are lots of fun ways to capture one's shadow. You can also make the image more interesting by choosing different surfaces for the shadow to fall on. I put on my straw had and struck a pose. I uploaded the pictures to my computer and laughed out loud. Seriously laughed! This is so not me!! I'm rather shy and absolutely do not have this sassy attitude. But, I loved the way it turned out. Maybe my inner self is coming out in my shadow!!

In Contrast

Black and white photos depend on contrast.  Light lights and dark darks help to make a better photo. This photo has several contrasts; the name against the machine, the thread against the spool, and even the outfit in the background has contrasting squares.

We're allowed to share three photos for each prompt!  I kept seeing contrasts everywhere. This plaster egg was carved by my son. If I'm not mistaken he was in Junior High. I was impressed by the symmetrical pattern he chose to carve.

And lastly,  I took a picture of a marble. I thought it had cool center contrast!

Smooth Things Over

We were on the lookout for objects that were smooth, yet would be interesting in black and white! This was a hard one for me. It's interesting that sometimes we get hung up and just can't find the right photo! I took a lot of pictures of smooth objects that didn't work. I finally thought about buttons, they're smooth and are a variety of colors.

Rough And tumble

The opposite of smooth is textured. Textures can really make an image interesting. This door has smooth and rough textures.

The Texture Of Textile

This is one of my couch cushions. Lots of textures here!

Light helps bring out the textures in this ribbon embroidered dress scarf.

There's still more to come!!

We're about half way through!

Picture Black And White - 2

It's time to post a few more images for the Black and White class I'm taking with Big Picture Classes. I posted my first photos here.

Our fourth prompt was Building Blocks which centered around architecture. Black and white photos can bring out Iines, shapes, and shadows that aren't as noticeable in color. I  was traveling home from my daughter's and stopped to take pictures of one of my favorite old homes.  I was fascinated with the trim on the roof and the windows where the small panes surround a center pane. I wondered if someone was home, sitting up there in the cupola with the window open letting the breeze blow in.

This is the rest of the house. This home in Yellville, Arkansas is on the National Registry Of Historic Homes. The 34 room house was built in 1904 for the John S. Cowdrey family. The house remained within the Cowdrey family until 1971 when the last surviving child of J. S. Cowdrey sold the house to the present owners. The new owners have restore the site and opened it as a  bed and breakfast.  In 1927, Herbert Hoover, then Secretary of Commerce, visited Yellville.  Due to the lack of hotel facilities in the town, the Cowdrey family opened their home to the future President of the United States. I'm sorry if I've bored you with history, but I love to find the history and stories behind old homes!!

Now, back to Picture Black and White!!
After our studies of lines, shapes, repetition, and architecture we moved on to light. Our prompt was White Out. I have never done any shots like this, so I didn't have a clue what I was doing. You overexpose the photo as you take it and then turn it to black and white. Very interesting, but, I'm not sure I'll use it very often. It's just not my style.

White Out images just seem to fade into the page, don't they. Don't laugh, but I took this one in the bathroom of a yogurt shop. I liked the mosaic in the mirror and thought I'd try a self portrait White Out. Let me tell you, this image is much better in black and white. The wall behind me was bright neon green!

One of my favorite uses of light is Rim Light! Rim Light is when you catch the light along the edge of the subject. I caught a little rim light on this tiny sweat bee's wings and head.

And lastly, Sun Flare which happens when you shoot toward the sun. They can be very stunning with the rays of sunlight and flare that forms.  I had trouble with this one, mainly because I wasn't up early enough and wasn't home in the late evening to catch the low sun. I had to really get down on the ground to capture both the flower and the sun.

I'm discovering that black and white photos can be just as beautiful as those in color. I'm intrigued by all the shades of black, white and grey that are in these images!

I'm looking forward to our next prompts!

Picture Black and White

I’m taking another Big Picture Class, Picture Black and White. In this world of beautiful color you may wonder why would anyone would want to take out those colors and be limited to shades of gray. I grew up with black and white pictures. I remember the excitement of when we first saw color images taken with my Uncle’s camera. Is there a reason we would want to go back to that?

Yes, there is! Black and white or monochromatic images can be stunning and dramatic. They can reveal hidden details, contrasts, or shapes that you miss when they’re saturated with color. Removing color can help to focus your attention on the intended subject.

Here’s the results of my first four assignments in the study of black and white photography.

LINES

I’ve always been attracted to lines in photography. There are all kinds; symmetrical, asymmetrical, vertical, horizontal, a grid, or diagonal. Black and white can make these lines predominate. I was at my daughter’s when I read our first assignment. She has the perfect porch to capture lines. It’s also perfect for just sitting and relaxing!!

SHAPES

Shapes are everywhere! Many times we don’t see them in color photography; we’re distracted by the beauty of color. I love to find things in nature that have heart shapes. My oldest grandson, Jake, and I were on a photo shoot together when we spotted these leaves, the perfect heart shape.

Jake also spotted this moth with it‘s beautiful, symetrical, shapes. This is a good example of when taking out the color draws your attention to the subject of the photo. This moth was almost lost against the color of the bricks and the grey color of the porch. Great eye, Jake, for spotting this!!

REPETITION

Repetition of an element in photography can give us a since of balance or rhythm.  When you look at this photo, your eyes follow the rhythm of the weaving. I did enjoy the rhythm of weaving my first basket!

In color you would see green, old chairs, sitting in a row. In black and white you see the repetition of lines and curves.

PATTERN

Patterns can often go unnoticed in color photography, especially if they’re subtle. Color can draw the attention away from the pattern.

In our class we’re encouraged to use any monochromatic color. I thought using sepia created a vintage look for this vintage beaded purse.

I'm enjoying my journey into black and white and definitely learning a lot! I've never used it much, but, I know in the future I'll be using it more and more!

“I find the creative process with black and white images is so… artistic. It’s like molding clay – you can shape it into a myriad of shapes. Black and White images can be strong, high contrast and powerful – or they can be so soft, gentle and subtle.” – Belle