A month ago, when I started this project, I had grave misgivings about my having the time, the ability and the inspiration to complete it. One month on, and whilst I'm still far from comfortable, I'm less concerned than I was.
And now February and a new challenge which frightens the pants off me... a month of B&W shots for the February Black & White Bookclub.
The theme for today and tomorrow is B&W Photography as Art or Abstract. Well, the very idea of me producing art makes me very abstracted so I begin the month with some trepidation.
Nevertheless, here's my first attempt... best viewed large.
@tosee Cheers Tom - I had about 10 goes at his... and then, after I decided that enough was enough, I noticed the 'horn' on the right-hand candle which spoils it a bit for me. Ho, hum - learning all the time!
@lisatargowska Thanks for the Fav, Lisa. This was done in camera: two mirrors, with two candlesticks of different heights and offset from each other, in between them... and then one mirror angled just enough to make the flames rise and converge. Keep the camera out of the image and try to avoid all the stray reflections that you only see after you have loaded the captures on to the computer!
@joansmor Thanks Joan - I did some B&W the old-fashioned way almost 60 years ago - if you were 'into' photography then, it was messy hands time or shades of grey from the chemists - but I haven't tried it since. So this month is going to be fun; scary, but fun. Have a great weekend...
This is beautiful! The way they arc and merge is fascinating. It threw me for a loop before I figured out that the first pair of candles is the first reflection, and that the candle in the bottom right-hand corner is the tip of the actual candle, while the other actual candle isn't visible. Sheesh. The explanatory sentence is nearly as confusing!
@louuncouth Well done Lou, you've worked it out! I drove myself crazy at first with this as I was getting shadow images of the candlesticks and assumed that I was moving the mirror slightly during the exposure, I realised eventually that I was getting two reflections - one from the mirrored surface of the glass, and a fainter one from the front surface of the glass itself. The afternoon just flew by...!!
What a fab shot, Richard. Really creative and brave. Have you read the book? I want to do the b&w thing but was a bit intimidated with the 'art/abstract' thing. You may have helped give me courage! Fav and follow.
@gillg I'm reading the book Gill and really enjoying some of the insights. Thank you for your kind words and the Fav & follow. I can't imagine you being fazed by working in B&W - your shot of Anchor Mills is simply stunning, as I commented in your project.
Great shot Richard, very creative, can you start this project anytime or does it have to be the whole month? I'll look for the details as I haven't had time to keep up to date with all the challenges...
@clarita_71 Hi Claire - I'm sure that you've found the postings on this by now, but just to confirm, the commitment you make is up to you... it's perfectly acceptable to contribute from time-to-time, I think.
Great shot and fantastic idea Richard. I'm trying to do the bookclub thing as well. My book only arrived today and the abstract art thing intimidates me as well, but I love black and white and am eager to learn.
I see I'm not the first person to put this in their favorites. Wonderful take on a familiar mirror concept. I might have thought to see straight lines converging in the center -- I love the way they curve around as they recede.
@mcsiegle My original idea was exactly that Mary and my first shots had the flames receding in a straight line and converging in the centre, but the image wasn't very dynamic. That's when I hit on the idea of angling the front mirror to produce the effect you see here. I tried it with the flames going to the right and the left, but for some reason I couldn't define, I liked the left better. Thanks for your interest.
Ha....No trepidation when it comes to you. Your work and candid humor is refreshing and displays in your work. I truly enjoy seeing and reading everything that you post. You remind me of the phrase --- > “You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.”
― Ansel Adams.
Ian
― Ansel Adams.