Lens-Artists Challenge #338 – Colour vs Black & White

11 februari, 20259 februari, 2025 / Leya / 43 kommentarer

Patti sends us this week’s challenge – and it is an interesting one – because it is a choice we make many times, at least I do, when I visit Lightroom. Will this photo be good as it is in colour – or would it be better in monochrome or B&W?

Color is descriptive. Black and white is interpretive.

— Elliott Erwitt

I often land in colour, as I am primarily a nature photographer. Nature is so much about colours. Some pictures though, like the butterfly above, make a lovely B&W as well. For the light and the structure it works well. Kontrasts make B&W pop, so generally I would choose B&W for portraits. I love portraits from olden times with people’s clear faces and all dressed up in their best clothes.

When you reduce life to black and white, you never see rainbows.

— Rachel Houston

Architecture often goes well without colour because the structure, the light and shadows become more obvious and we can easier see the artist’s intention. Which one do you prefer of this house? Personally I think both work well.

The special factor about black and white photography is that it doesn’t just copy the reality, but it represents it with its own language. — Gian Marco Marano

Some weeks ago I posted the colour photo of this cellar restroom from upstairs. When you turn it into B&W it suddenly looks more coherent and maybe even possible…It all depends on what you want with your photo. My intention last time was to show how ”impossible” this combination was, that’s why I chose the coloured one over the B&W.

So, when is it best to use one vs the other? This challenge gives you an opportunity to explore the difference and the impact of using color or black & white photography in your selected photos. We hope you will join us! Post pairs of the same image in both color and black & white. Limit the number of images to 3 pairs. Compare the differences in mood, texture, and light and share your thoughts on how the processing impacts each photo. Tell us which one you prefer. Be sure to visit Patti’s inspirational site and to use the lens-artists tag and leave a link on her site.

Last week Tina challenged us with her dogs and cats theme – who could resist that one? Thanks to Tina and all of you who shared your photos and stories. It is heart warming to realise how much our pets mean to us. Next Saturday it is my turn to host, so be sure to visit Leya next Saturday, February 15th at noon EST. Until then, have a peaceful, inspiring, and joyful week!

Thursday Thoughts – In the Streets of Tokyo

18 juli, 2024 / Leya / 6 kommentarer

Lens-Artists Challenge #265 – Black and White and Monochrome

3 september, 20233 september, 2023 / Leya / 55 kommentarer

Although humans see reality in colour, for me, black and white has always been connected to the image’s deeper truth, to its most hidden meaning.

– Peter Lindbergh

I have come to love monochrome almost as much as colour. I think mostly because you are more free to create another mood in the picture and to enhance features you would like to dominate. Thank you, Anne, for this interesting theme.

I believe details become clearer, and you can easier rest your eyes on a monochrome image.

There is of course another difference if and how you frame your picture…

…and if you go closer or keep a distance to your object.

You decide, depending on what your goal is with your image.

Some images I just love to have fun with in B&W – making them into abstracts…

– here are some favourites from the kite festival at Fanö, Denmark.

I use NIK Silver Efex for my B&W and monochromes. The option ”yellowed” in NIK is a favourite of mine. So is this crow, contemplating the waves, sitting on an abandoned jetty.

I don’t see the world completely in black and white. Sometimes I do.

– Benicio Del Toro

Sincere thank you to Sofia for her colourful challenge last week and for all your photos using amazing primary colours.

Thank you again to Anne for hosting this week, hope you are feeling better now, resting from the accident! I invite you to visit Anne’s amazing site and join us this week. Please tag Lens-Artists and link back to her original post.

Next week, Donna will be our host and that promises to be a treat so, please visit her beautiful site for more information. Keep well!

Thursday Thoughts – Peter Lindbergh

17 augusti, 202314 augusti, 2023 / Leya / 13 kommentarer

Peter Lindbergh

Lightness of Being

Above are: Estelle Lefébure, Karen Alexander, Rachel Williams, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz & Christy Turlington, Santa Monica, California, 1988. © Peter Lindbergh. Courtesy Peter Lindbergh Foundation, Paris

Peter Lindbergh’s iconic pictures now at Fotografiska, Stockholm. Lightness of Being consists of more than one hundred works by the man who is known to have redefined fashion photography.

Lindberg preferred B&W to bring out the best of his models.

Lindbergh wrote the following:

”If photographers are responsible for creating or reflecting an image of women in society…then, I must say, there is only one way for the future, and this is to define women as strong and independent. This should be the responsibility of photographers today: to free women, and finally everyone, from the terror of youth and perfection.”

He must have had a favourite model…I guess it could be

Kate Moss

LAPC# 209…Surreal

23 juli, 2022 / Leya / 58 kommentarer

Tracy of Reflections of An Untidy Mind, is leading us this week into the Surreal world. Because that is what our world seems to have turned into, even more so the last few years…

About a century ago, at another time of great societal upheaval, surrealism as an artistic and intellectual movement emerged. Tracy reminds us that modern surrealistic art strives to unite fantasy and reality, and emphasises the juxtaposition of the rational and the irrational. She mentions old techniques like motion blur, unusual camera angles and rotation; double-exposure; playing with light and colour. With Photoshop photo montages and collages have become easier to do. No photoshop? – just cut some pictures and put them together as you like! Please visit Tracy’s site for excellent inspiration!

Personally, I find reality to be surreal even without photoshop…

The shadow of a dragonfly in my window – in B&W even more surreal.

In my garden I have a couple of dead trees that I want to keep for their special beauty and for all the insects living there. Autumn mornings the dew reveals just how many spiders there are…this is enhanced by the monochrome process.

A bathroom in Stettin – playing with mirrors and reflections.

My camera has got a button for double exposure – maybe yours too? And I love playing around with it at times. When I have taken a photo I can take another one afterwards and dimly see the first photo while positioning the lens for a fun result.

Surreal? Simply an umbrella with inside pattern!

At Wanås this art installation does not need any extra tweaks…this is the way it looks. Simply surreal!

And why not go close-up? This is a begonia stem and a christmas tree candle.

Or just…late evening blur.

In the header is a blurred cow parsley in front of the trees. Aliens landing or leaving?

Special thanks to Andre of My Blog-Solaner and to all of those who responded to his Summer Vibes challenge last week. What a summery riot of colour, blue skies and seas we had! Next week, Sarah Wilkie, blogging at Travel with Me, will be our guest host. Sarah’s theme is Three Favorite Images.

”It is time now to create some marvellous surrealism mayhem with photos that we can all enjoy no matter what sort of day we might be having.” (Tracy says) We look forward to seeing your responses. Please remember to link them to Tracy’s original post, and to use the Lens-Artists tag to help us find you. Until then, please stay safe and be kind.

Wordless Wednesday

11 augusti, 20218 augusti, 2021 / Leya / 34 kommentarer

Macro Monday

14 december, 2020 / Leya / 16 kommentarer

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #70 – Monochrome

2 november, 20198 mars, 2020 / Leya / 84 kommentarer

For this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #70, Patti is our host, and she is inviting us to explore the world of monochrome– which includes black and white and sepia, as well as different shades of one color.

Patti also allows us, for an extra challenge, to try using a selective color – which is easily done in Lightroom for example. Just take out all colours (saturation) in the colour table – except the one you decide to keep. Sometimes you will find it gives the image that little ”extra touch”.

I have chosen one B&W ( a sweet meeting on the steps in Mariacka Street, Gdansk ) and three with selective colour – looking forward to Your posts!

The new WWII museum in Gdansk – keeping the colour Orange

A carpet shop in Tbilisi – keeping the colour Red

A shop in Mariacka Street, Gdansk – keeping the colour Lilac

We had a lot of fun with all the Doubles for Tina last week – thank you for posting with such great variety and creativity!

Next week it is my turn (Leya) to host challenge #71, so please be
sure to stop by and find out what is on the table!

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #67 – Candid

12 oktober, 20196 mars, 2020 / Leya / 229 kommentarer

What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.
– Karl Lagerfeld

Taking photos of people or animals when they have no idea that you’re doing it is called candid photography. One of the beautiful things with photography is being able to catch someone in the act. It adds natural life to your pictures. Even if my choices here are mostly in B&W, of course feel free to use what you find most suitable for your shots!

So, this week I thought we would go for candid photos of people or animals – Have fun with the challenge, and we are looking forward to seeing your candid finds!

It is always about keeping your eyes open and be prepared when an opportunity comes up – have your camera ready and just shoot.

Remember to take many photos…the digital cameras give us unique chances to choose which photos to keep or not:

Your first 1,000 photographs are your worst. – Henri Cartier-Bresson

Sometimes it might feel a bit difficult to photograph people – at least if you are a shy person, like me. A great help can be if you have a longer lens that gives you the possibility to ”hide” behind it and still get close. With a little luck, and practice, you sometimes get one of those lovely smiles – or two.