Charlotte In Mono by phil_howcroft

Charlotte In Mono

My second shot from the Arnold and District Camera Club model night.

This is Charlotte in mono (no glasses this time).

The same manual settings as the colour shot i.e.


ISO : 100

Aperture : f8

Shutter Speed : 1/125 second

White Balance : AWB


I edited my RAW file in Rawtherapee, faffing around with tone mapping, contrast and then adding a film emulation of Ilford HP5. There was a bit of a blemish in the background roll, so I sent the edited file to GIMP to clone it out.

Notice the use of landscape format as opposed to portrait format. Landscape format seems to be the way the genre is presented now, using negative space to showcase the person

Great hair shot - mind you, the rest of her isn't too bad either!
November 7th, 2015  
Great shot. Looks good in b&w.
November 7th, 2015  
Lovely girl...
November 7th, 2015  
Send her here, Phil. Fantastic mono portrait.
November 7th, 2015  
Your mono shots have inspired me to try my hands at that too.
November 7th, 2015  
I think the landscape does show the person off more. You have got the b/w so well and havnt lost her body in the black background. Her hair is such a beautiful colour I think I like the vibrancy of the colour shot the best. Would like to get to grips with b/w more myself.
November 7th, 2015  
well done
November 7th, 2015  
I was reading somewhere recently a pro. photographer's (it might have been David du Chemin, one of my phootgraphy heroes, I read a lot of his on-line stuff) comment about the use of 'landscape' and 'portrait' to describe the way the frame is used and how the terms can restrict people. His idea is that you should use the format that works best with your subject, whatever it happens to be.
The light in this makes a lovely b&w and I think, where the young lady makes a wide composition owing to the angle of her arm, that it works well in 'landscape' format.
November 7th, 2015  
I like this both examples! Interesting what Al says though!
November 7th, 2015  
Fav for me.
November 8th, 2015  
@sdutoit thanks for the fave sylvia

@happypat thanks Pat, yes an interesting post from Alison

@dulciknit Many thanks Aison , after doing my 50 mono portraits I seem to automatically flick my camera to portrait mode when shooting people, but I really like the negative space of landscape. You are right though , do what is best for the subject :)

@sailingmusic thanks Myrna

@jennywren I do like my mono's Jen, I am always looking to convert my shots :)

@sangwann Thanks dione, i have noticed your recent uploads and I am enjoying your move into mono

@ivan thanks ivan

@nickspicsnz thank you nick :)

@maggiemae thanks for your observant comment maggie :)
November 8th, 2015  
@dulciknit

Really interesting observation concerning this portrait.
I always prefer landscape format over portrait for any shot and usually any of mine which look portrait are cropped from landscape (if that makes any sense!) Fav for this b&w Phil.
November 8th, 2015  
You do these so well..lovely model and beautiful shot.
November 10th, 2015  
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