This week Flash of Red moves from the broad scope of landscapes to something a little more personal- a theme I’m calling “Trinkets, Treasures and Trash”.
Some of us are experiencing extreme winter weather right now and others are battling summer’s heat and humidity. So here’s a chance to stay out of the weather, wander around the house, and find some of those special pieces to feature in your black and white photography this week. And for those of you who are a little less sentimental, well, you can figure out which part of the theme is for you! Actually what you photograph and even if you decide to shoot something in your garden, something you see while you’re taking a walk or a favorite item in your home is up to you; the main goal this week is to get up close and personal with your subject. You can go as close as a macro or keep your subject a few inches away- but don't go too far!
Week #2 runs from Monday, February 8th through Sunday, February 14th.
Let’s recap some of the characteristics of good black and white photography. These apply to macro and close-ups just as well as landscapes. The pros at photographymad.com list 5 key elements for great black and white photography:
1) Shape and form become more obvious with the absence of color. Look beyond the color in a scene and focus your attention on the shapes. Arrange them in a way that emphasizes or creates an intriguing composition of different shapes.
2) Introduce contrasting shades into your black and white photos. Use contrast to help separate and define the objects in your scene. You can use contrast to help your main subject stand out - for example by photographing a light subject against a dark background - and also to add depth by including a variety of tones and shades in your photo.
3) Many patterns, particularly subtle ones, often go unnoticed in color photos, because the colors draw attention away from the pattern itself. Black and white photography gives you a much better chance of capturing interesting patterns because it focuses the viewer's attention on the shapes formed by the elements in a scene. Patterns stand out much more when photographed in black and white.
4) Textures are often lost in color photography too. Textures add a real depth to a photo, drawing the viewer into it. Without color and the way our mind automatically interprets it, texture works to engage us with the photo and its subject.
5) Lighting is absolutely key to a good black and white photograph because it affects all of the above elements - shape, contrast, pattern and texture. When thinking about your lighting, consider how it will influence all of these factors, and choose a setup that enhances as many as possible. Side lighting and rim lighting often produce the most dramatic black and white photos. They pick out the edges of shapes and increase contrast by adding highlights. The shadows they create add interest to the scene as well as enhancing textures and patterns.
Look for objects/subjects that contain one or more of these characteristics this week. Experiment with different kinds of lighting to bring out the best of your subject. Remember you can also use archived shots if you don’t see anything around the house that grabs your attention.
Tag your photos FOR2021.
FEBRUARY 14th is the day we feature our flash of red.
How do we do this? By using a technique called “Selective Coloring”. You can see the step by step process here:
Of course nothing on 365 is mandatory so if you don’t want to do this, you don’t have to. But I promise you, it looks really good on your calendar view at the end of the month! You can also change out the color to one you might like more- it’s your project, so your rules!
And finally here are some quotes to inspire you this week:
Black and white creates a strange dreamscape that color never can. Jack Antonoff
To see in color is a delight to the eye but to see in black and white is a delight for the soul. Andri Cauldwell
I'm looking forward to seeing what you photograph!
Ann LeFevre @Olivetreeann
Oh!! If your picture is not from your archives, don't forget to tag your black and whites for the monthly theme too~ theme-blackwhite.
@nicolecampbell Don't forget the week includes "treasures" and "trash". I'm sure there's a few kitchen tools you treasure and I'm sure there are things you see on a drive through town or on your walk that you might constitute as trash! Think broadly and allow yourself to have fun stretching the interpretation Nicole. (And don't forget there are "treasures" that live in your home with you too!)
I'm formulating my plan, I think I will do close up of leaves and bark that have fallen from the red gum - trash from the tree but a treasure to get textures from 😊
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I'm glad you're all looking forward to the week ahead- me too!!