Flash of Red February continues to develop our black and white photography skills this week by helping us to look at some important elements which bring out the details of our shots: texture, lines, foreground interest, negative space, shapes and patterns, and contrast. (Pages 22-31 in Andrew Gibson's ebook "The Magic of Black and White 1)
Texture looks great in black and white. It is affected by lighting conditions. Low raking light such as sunrise and sunset, or the soft light of an overcast day, makes texture stand out sharply (although the latter may need some help in post-processing). The worst light for texture is hard, direct light like the midday sun in summer.
Lines guide the viewer's eye from one point to another through the picture. Look for lines that lead towards your main subject and avoid lines that lead the viewer's eye out of the photo. Diagonal lines add movement. They can be curved as well as straight. Gibson writes, "We talk a lot about leading lines but seldom talk about where those lines lead and why". Make sure your lines lead the viewer to parts of the picture they may otherwise miss.
Foreground Interest is just what it sounds like- something interesting in the foreground which balances the rest of the frame. The trick is the find something that does not compete with or distract attention from the subject. Gibson says, "Your subject is the visual center of the picture (it may not be in that physical position, but it is the most important part). All the elements around it, including the foreground, should play a supporting role". A foreground which is a part of the picture will either lead the eye into the picture, provide information (as in context), or balance the image.
Negative Space is the area around your subject which is empty or has very little in it. In other words, your subject is the positive space of your picture. Negative space gives your subject room to breathe, adds balance and can also convey the subject's environment. It is important for us to learn how to distinguish when drawing back and using negative space is better for our subject rather than moving closer to it. Gibson offers 2 exercises to improve the relationship of positive (your subject) and negative space. 1) Shoot a little wider than you normally do, then play with experimental crops in your photo-processing program (Lightroom, Aperature, Picmonkey, etc.). 2) Look at the work of other photographers with a critical eye to see how they use negative space in their compositions.
Shapes and Patterns are two things that every photographer should be on the look out for. They add interest to a shot and can be found in nature and man-made sources. Once you have found something that is interesting to you, don't be afraid to get in close if it is what caught your attention, and especially if it is the subject of your photo.
Contrast is a very important compositional element. Some types which work very well in photos are old/new, light/dark, rough/smooth, solid/blurred and warm/cold. These things are conceptual and visual as they are represented in the objects contained in your photo. This is also different from Tonal Contrast (covered last week) which involves the intensity of the dark and light areas in your picture (and all the shades of gray in between).
For the next 6 days (Feb. 8-13) choose one of these elements to feature in your pictures. Continue to visualize your subject in black and white before you take your shot, but this week add in one element (such as lines) to bring out the details of your shot. On February 14th, it's time to add in that flash of red with some selective coloring! The subject/object is up to you and you are not limited to Valentine's Day. So be creative and have fun!
Need one last refresher on Selective Coloring? Here's those links again:
So- here's my favorite shot of the week. I saw it in my mind and composed it exactly as I saw it. Apparently it was a favorite with a lot of you too! Thanks to all who helped send it to the Popular Page!
I was particularly working on simplicity and minimalism this week.
I had three pictures that worked how I wanted and three that didn't. I haven't posted today's picture yet, but I think this was my favorite from this week. My second favorite was the coin I took a photo of the day before.
I've really been enjoying it! The first week was great! I was mostly uninspired, but the book gave me inspiration to look for interesting subjects in the mundane. That said, this was my favorite of the week... and I think my second most popular photo of all time on 365! I was just about to leave the barn when I looked in on leo and saw his breath catching in the light and I thought it would make a cool subject for black & white. It came out even better than I had envisioned!
This week I've really enjoyed working in b&w and processing in Light room. Never before have my b&w photos been as clear or with as much contrast as they have been with the help of LR. I am now a convert, prior to this week I was only interested in color photography because my previous explorations in b&w always let me down.
My favorite photo of the week is Keep Out. I like the visual effect but also the narrative quality that this photo presents. On the one hand I would like to explore the old derelict head frame but at the same time I am made aware of the danger with the ominous barbed wire in the foreground surrounding the structure.
In LR I was able to emphasis both shape and form along with the highly textured siding of the congregated metal.
@spikez@krenneker@polarvrtx@radiogirl
Thanks for sharing those excellent photographs! Each one is a strong example of the power and artistry of black and white. I'm glad you're all being challenged and enjoying the results of what you've learned.
I have a few favourites, so difficult to choose but I'm going to go with my chalky one because it was about shape and form for me.
I have learnt so much this week. I have always been a lover of b&w but have never really dabbled properly with processing them from RAW. So this week, I have taken every shot in RAW (and have run out of card space so many times!) and have learnt to process the raw image to achieve different looks. The biggest new learning for me has been the processing of colours in the raw file and the effect that has on the b&w image. I have also set myself the task of not processing using other photo editors and over-doing it. I am now at the point where I have a few presets and processes that I can use on the RAW file to get me the kind of look I want.
I've also been trying to make sense of minimalism and negative space when taking the photo, which is something that we are meant to be looking at this coming week - so I am a little out of step with the guidelines. Never mind!
I'm loving this challenge. It makes me learn to think and see in b&w and then express it to my shots. Before I just converted to b&w when I didn't like the color version ;) But now I'm exploring the book one subject at a time, to really focus on that element and explore the options.
This is yesterdays shot. With my new tripod, a flashlight and a dark room I created this shot. With the pages shapes and form as the idea. It was fun exploring what lighting worked and what didn't :) Bring on week 2!!
I am really enjoying the challenge and lerning so much! Thank you to everyone who gives me feedback in particular @nicoleterheide and @olivetreeann ~ your comments and photos are inspiring!
Last week I tried to learn to see in BW and concentrated on side lighting to create form towards the end of the week.
I think if I had to choose one I would say this is my favourite.
Here's my favourite of my pics. I saw this one and it said 'black and white' to me before I took the pic. I like the (totally unintentional) bokeh too.
@alisonp Thank you Alison! It means a lot to me that you appreciate my comments and that you find my photos inspiring :) The photo you chose is a beautiful example of how the sidelighting brings out the form!
@olivetreeann thanks for all this good information you are giving us. You are putting a great deal of time into typing it all out, and it's much appreciated.
I liked this shot, converted from a colour photo, because I think the rose is more defined in b&w and the shapes can be appreciated more without the 'distraction' of colour:
Thanks again for doing this for us Ann, and for the selective color links. I'm eager to learn how to do it. Is there an easy way to do it if you don't have access to PicMonkey?
This was not my favorite shot of the week, but I went to shoot this with something in mind specific to the guidelines that did not quite work out. That said, I was really happy with how this turned out. I chose it because it was a shot I thought about before I shot it, was frustrated with it, but ultimately liked the end result.
I enjoy shooting in b&w. I've not done so, with any real intent in months. It's been fun to "retrain" my eye to see compositions differently. I've liked several outcomes but, I knew before I shot this, this is my fave.
Thanks, Ann, for your time and guidance through this month-long exercise!
My wife spotted this old tree while we were driving around last week and we stopped to shoot it. Thought it turned out well in color and was just playing with the sliders in Lightroom and came up with this. I liked that it got rid of a lot of the extra grasses and stuff in the scene, I guess kinda simplifying it. Thank you so much for doing this, @Olivetreeann, it has been a lot of fun.
I have to admit that I have mostly been shooting pics and then converting to B&W, though I have occasionally thought about how one would appear in B&W. This is my favorite of the week because it makes me think of ships from "back in the day" and since I recently read a book about the Titanic I had those old ships on my mind.
@skstein No Sandy- there are several on-line "freebie" programs that allow you to do selective coloring. Dixie mentioned the one I'd recommend- Ribbet (Ribbet.com). And come to think of it, you can probably go to Picmonkey.com and edit in their basic program for free as well. I think you can also do this on iPiccy.com too.
Thank you Pam, Hazel, Sandy, Nada, Vikki, Steve, Andrea, Marilyn and JT for sharing your favorite shots this week. As always I find seeing other 365 shots both inspiring and motivating! It's my pleasure to put it all together. It's fun to see what you're learning and I'm learning too. There's nothing better than a win-win situation like that!
@lisaisgoingtofrance This is a very striking photo and black and white makes it even more dramatic! I do think it would have been better to include the entire mast, and to set the boat a little off center in the composition, but that is a personal preference that you may have chosen not to do. Good shot!
@juliethephotographer Great capture Julie! As I look at it I think the black and white makes the shapes stand out and the reflection seem real. I don't know if it would have the same impact in color.
@slmaatta The lighting really gives this beauty such an ethereal quality. If it was in color, I can see that the color would have totally removed that aspect of the shot and all you'd see is the color. Lovely capture Stephanie!
Thank you, I do tend to struggle for inspiration on dull, cloudy days but working in black & white & putting more thought into what I'm shooting seems to be working!
I haven't been doing the whole month of B&W, but I *have* been lurking, and this week have been playing around with high-detail stuff... and ended up with a couple of highly-textured selective-colors that might be interesting to share. On the ice fishing one, I'd really like to know how to fix my sky.
@squamloon Thanks for posting your shots Squamloon. I'm not sure if I'd fix the sky- I like it that way! It seems moody and wintery, as if the next snow storm is about to blow in any minute. And all those little pops of red in the second shot are really fun.
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I was particularly working on simplicity and minimalism this week.
My favorite photo of the week is Keep Out. I like the visual effect but also the narrative quality that this photo presents. On the one hand I would like to explore the old derelict head frame but at the same time I am made aware of the danger with the ominous barbed wire in the foreground surrounding the structure.
In LR I was able to emphasis both shape and form along with the highly textured siding of the congregated metal.
Thanks for sharing those excellent photographs! Each one is a strong example of the power and artistry of black and white. I'm glad you're all being challenged and enjoying the results of what you've learned.
I think this was my favorite from week 1. I like it because of simplicity and the strong contrast in it. I also like the lines on the petals.
My favorite from this week!
I have learnt so much this week. I have always been a lover of b&w but have never really dabbled properly with processing them from RAW. So this week, I have taken every shot in RAW (and have run out of card space so many times!) and have learnt to process the raw image to achieve different looks. The biggest new learning for me has been the processing of colours in the raw file and the effect that has on the b&w image. I have also set myself the task of not processing using other photo editors and over-doing it. I am now at the point where I have a few presets and processes that I can use on the RAW file to get me the kind of look I want.
I've also been trying to make sense of minimalism and negative space when taking the photo, which is something that we are meant to be looking at this coming week - so I am a little out of step with the guidelines. Never mind!
@radiogirl Such a strong composition.
This is yesterdays shot. With my new tripod, a flashlight and a dark room I created this shot. With the pages shapes and form as the idea. It was fun exploring what lighting worked and what didn't :) Bring on week 2!!
Last week I tried to learn to see in BW and concentrated on side lighting to create form towards the end of the week.
I think if I had to choose one I would say this is my favourite.
Great contributions everyone! Thanks for sharing them here- they have inspired me with some ideas for shots coming up this week!
Week 2 is on the way! Hope you'll share something you liked from Week 1 here!
@paulam Nicely captured Paula! I also like the softer focus.
at least if you are starting with a colored picture and keeping the odor it is originally
I am combining the B&W and alphabet challenges and basing it around this little artist's mannequin I found.
This was my favorite of the week - a composite of 2 shots - D is for drawing.
Thanks, Ann, for your time and guidance through this month-long exercise!
Thank you Pam, Hazel, Sandy, Nada, Vikki, Steve, Andrea, Marilyn and JT for sharing your favorite shots this week. As always I find seeing other 365 shots both inspiring and motivating! It's my pleasure to put it all together. It's fun to see what you're learning and I'm learning too. There's nothing better than a win-win situation like that!
@miley89 I can see why Miley- it's a fun shot!
@slmaatta The lighting really gives this beauty such an ethereal quality. If it was in color, I can see that the color would have totally removed that aspect of the shot and all you'd see is the color. Lovely capture Stephanie!
http://365project.org/pandorasecho/365/2015-02-12
Valentine's day was central to the calendar and I loved how that looked, so I did my Flash - O - Fred on the 12th this time