Winter is my favorite time to explore black and white imagery. Not all captures are successful as monochromes and sometimes it takes some processing to decide. The following images are ones that worked for me. A couple of these were shot at the end of last winter but they have never been posted here before. I’ve saved them to be included in a future post dedicated to black and white, winter photography … and now here it is!
Back in January my post ‘Alone’ featured the solitary trees I am always on the lookout for. I mentioned that I also keep an eye out for groups of trees … groups that make an artistic impression. My attraction might include pattern, repetition, arrangement and/or placement. When a couple of my selections for this set looked good in black & white, I decided to convert them all. I especially like monochrome winter landscapes, so now is the time! I saw something special in each of these scenes and hope you enjoy viewing them. And, as an avid tree lover I am always adding to my ‘Tremendous Trees’ store gallery. Your favorites sometimes help me decide what to add to that larger collection.
Time to get 2021 started with my first post of the year. I’ve been out shooting when the conditions seem promising and my mood cooperates. Sometimes one shot will spark an idea for a self-assignment that gives me something to work on. And while out I’m always keeping my eyes open for subjects that fit any number of the new, or recurring themes on my list. Mini collections that I post here often add to past examples with the same subject, creating larger collections of what interests me most. This post includes rather random landscapes but the common threads are winter, snow, and black and white conversions. What I’ve learned over the years is that not all captures work as monochromes. I like to use DXO’s (f.k.a. Nik) Silver Efex Pro and experiment with favorite settings to discover an image’s potential. Exploring the color filters within Silver Efex or other conversion tools offers variations to compare results, and decide upon the best solution. I don’t venture far with filters because my style is to keep my photographs looking like photographs. Here are some images I feel worked well as monochromes … I hope you like them!
My previous post was about the first location a friend was kind enough to share, Mystic Falls. Here is the second location … an usual grouping of curved aspen trees! Once again it was a little tight sharing a small space with seven other photographers but taking turns, it worked out all the same. We were lucky to have some puffy clouds that diffused the sunlight that was fast becoming a bit harsh. Straying and swaying from the norm I love the character of these curvy aspen trees and tried as many different compositions as I could. To protect this fragile environment from too many visitors the location is semi-secret. Not wanting to be the one to ‘ruin it’ my friend asked that we not divulge it on the internet. We get a lot of photographers here, and especially in the fall so I can certainly agree with that request. This is another place that will look different in other seasons.
If you have been following my Iceland posts you are learning how diverse this country is. It is what surprised me most. Here I show more diversity, this time in black & white. Some of the scenes just seemed to call for it. It was fun to see all the different land formations that years of volcanic activity and erosion provided. A field with odd mounds that looked like pyramids interested me as did some sea stacks, similar to those found in our pacific northwest. It seemed obvious that many of the formations were relatively new, especially compared to the rounder more weathered Appalachian Mountains I am so familiar with. In the lagoon, glacier chunks, layered with volcanic material waited their turn to be washed out to sea. Following the Ring Road, the sea was never far away and we were happy to be graced by its company as we traveled. I found Iceland to be magnificent in its diversity and long to go back each time I process another image.
Denise Bush's Photo Blog 