This post is about firsts as much as anything else; the first post I’ve ever done in black and white and the first post that’s been about photography more than the subjects of the photos. This is also the first time I’ve had to see things so very differently, and for that I have Patrick Muir to thank. Patrick has a blog called Patrick’s Garden, which you can visit by clicking here. He saw the first black and white photo to ever appear on this blog and challenged me to do an entire post in black and white, so Patrick, this one is for you.
I thought I’d start at the beginning with this photo of a dead tree that I posted back in December. Though I admire photos by people like Ansel Adams and Dorothea Lange I haven’t ever been very interested in black and white photography, but then I saw a black and white photo on Tootlepedal’s blog (another one worth a visit) and thought it might be fun to give it a try. I found out by doing this little project that color can actually be a distraction and a hindrance, and sometimes you don’t really see until you remove the distraction.
Often in winter the world is more black and white than anything else so it was no work at all to turn the photo above and the first photo of the dead tree to black and white. If I showed both the color and black and white versions side by side you could barely tell which was which.
These pixie cup lichens (Cladonia asahinae) are the color of wood ash but many times they look almost white in a certain light. They have a granular, pebbly surface and the absence of color makes it much easier to see.
This is the seed pod of Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum). The plant itself is a terribly invasive weed that is almost impossible to eradicate, but its tiny whitish seeds have three wings that fly 120 degrees apart, and make up a papery husk around the seed. I never noticed the texture of their wings until I saw them in black and white.
Ice and water seem to make good candidates for black and white photography. The icicles are much easier to see.
Long time readers of this blog have probably heard me talk about my colorblindness at one time or another. The kind I have isn’t severe but, though I can see red and green traffic lights, if a red cardinal lands in a green tree he disappears. The above photo was rejected because it was (to me) monochromatic, showing only varying shades of brown. The mushrooms almost blended into the background but in the black and white version they really stand out.
Tree wounds can be interesting but this one seems even more so in black and white. The absence of color helps me to think more about shape and texture.
If you find something that looks like a maple leaf but has a deep green upper surface and a pure white underside, it is a leaf from a white poplar (Populus alba). Making this photo black and white did nothing to the leaf-it really was as snow white as it appears in the photo.
I like how the texture of the oak leaf that this tiny mushroom cap is sitting on becomes almost reptilian when seen this way.
The dark water and white hoar frost again meant little change when this photo became black and white.
This photo of gray birches (Betula populifolia) was another one that showed little change from color to black and white.
Last September, on a very foggy morning, I climbed Mount Caesar in Swanzey and found a lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) blooming long after any blueberry should have been. I posted the color version of this photo then, but I like the black and white version more. The water droplets make sense because of the dense fog, but I still can’t figure out what would have caused the bubbles on these tiny blossoms.
This was a fun post, if for no other reason than forcing me to climb out of my comfort zone and try something new. I feel though, because black and white photography is very easy in the winter when the world is black and white, that I’ve cheated a bit, so I’ll do another black and white post in the summer or fall. I have a feeling that will be a real challenge.
To see in color is a delight for the eye but to see in black and white is a delight for the soul. ~ Andri Cauldwell
Thanks for coming by.
I’m a big fan of B&W photography- it gives one a whole new vibe on nature. Fun stuff!
I thought so too!
Having just met with my brother for lunch in Keene, he was amazed that I in one cup of coffee tried 4 flavors mixed. He said he would never do that. It is what this post is for me, colorless, yet a mixture of flavors. I tried them all.
I think I’d have to side with your brother on the coffee, but I’m glad the photos were to your liking.
Wouldn’t it be peculiar if we said in a black and white world there are no sides? Goes against popular interpretation. What is it about black and white that makes it even a contender with color?
I’m not sure, but a lot of people like it. Maybe it’s simpler and less “busy” than color.
Black and white does not have the same beauty as color, but it does have drama. My favorites are the pixie cup lichens and the rushing water.
Thanks! “Drama” is a good word that really does apply to black and white.
I’m not usually a fan of black and white but these are great photographs. I think it must be about composition and having really interesting shapes. If you have that it might even enhance what you are trying to show. I think it would be a good exercise for me to try some black and white shots as I find composition very difficult. I never seem to have time to concentrate on just on improving techniques at the moment.
Thanks! Shapes and textures seem more pronounced in black and white, but I didn’t think a lot about composition until it came time to select which ones appeared here. I started with quite a few photos and rejected most of them, ending up with about 25 to choose from for this post. All of them were rejected too except for what you see here, so it was about selecting those that appealed to me as much as anything else.
The wounded tree and the bubbles on the blueberry are my favourites, although they’re all interesting. I’m a fan of black and white, especially portraits. Somehow even I look better that way and I hate photos of myself.
Thanks. I’ve never been a big fan of black and white but I’ve always liked the depression era portraits by Dorothea Lange. Portraits done in black and white seem to show a lot more emotion.
The last photo of the lowbush blueberry would inspire many to try Black and White. Fine job.
Thanks Grampy. I hope others will give it a try.
These are wonderful — some really interesting shapes, textures, and contrasts. I love your experiments.
Thanks Sue. I wish I could come up with a few more.
A very successful experiment.
Thanks!
The photo of the blueberry is spectacular. We’ve got 6″ so far over on the east side of the state – stay warm.
Thank you Judy. I haven’t been out yet but it looks like we might have 6-8 inches. I just saw that they’ve lowered the expected totals by quite a bit.
Some great images there Allan. Try as I may I can’t “see” in black and white myself so have hardly ever converted my photos. This post has shown me that nature photos can really work well in mono. An inspiring post; thanks.
Thank Jim. It’s very hard to see in a different way than we’re accustomed to, for sure. I think, like anything else, it just takes practice. These days, with the cost of developing photos no longer an issue, I like trying different things just to see what I’m capable of.
Yes, indeed, a wonderful post, Allen. I still love that tree in the first image…and the stand of birches, as well…very nice.
Thanks Scott. I think my favorite is that dead tree too, but I’m not sure I could tell you why.
You’re welcome…and that’s ok… 🙂
I’m not very good at B&W photography myself, but I can appreciate it when it’s done well, and you certainly did it right with these photos! It does make textures and patterns stand out more, maybe I should try it more often as the color photos that I shoot trying to capture those seldom do.
Thanks Jerry. It seems to work especially well with things that have a lot of texture, like tree stumps and fence posts, but I’ve also seen some beautiful landscapes done in black and white. Give it a try-what have you got to lose? I’m sure Michigan is already black and white just like New Hampshire!
Well, I did try a few B&W earlier this winter, and you’re right, Michigan is black and white right now. That’s the problem, I’m tired of not seeing any color!
I know exactly what you mean!
I couldn’t pick a favorite picture if I had to!
Thanks! I think mine is still the dead tree in ice that started all of this.
I might try photoshopping pictures to black and white. I don’t know enough to chance setting my camera to b/w
That’s how these were done, but I took several dozen photos with the intention of making them black and white for this post. The majority of them just didn’t work.
Sounds like fun for this afternoon. We have ice and windy dropping temps.
It is fun. We’ve got quite a snow storm and once again everything looks black and white.
Now have to figure out how to get to black and white. I just use photoshop to get picts ready for blogs. Do have a book though.
I don’t use Photoshop so I’m not sure how it’s done. Chances are it isn’t hard to do though. You just have to click the correct icon.
I’ll play around with it.
B&W has its own elegance – wonderful photography.
Thank you Mary!
Wow! Alan, you have out done yourself! Love the tree wound shot. You made it look really easy but I appreciate how hard it must have been to choose such wonderful shots. I well remember shooting only black and white then heading to my darkroom for hours. It does make you see differently and highlights shapes and designs. Thanks for inspiring me!
Thanks Martha. My daughter was also really into black and white photography once and like you spent hours in a darkroom. It really does mean that you have to see a lot differently. A lot of the shots that were taken intentionally for this post just didn’t work at all.
Very nice. Winter is a great time for black and white.
I agree. I have a feeling the post I do with black and white photos from summer is going to be much more difficult.
Your quote was very apposite. I love black and white pictures and also films. Of course I was brought up on them, perhaps that is why they appeal. Thank you for a most interesting post.
Thank you Susan. I too remember growing up with everything in black and white. When color TV came along it was quite a shock.
I really like your black-and-white world, Allen. You made a great selection for highlighting textures and shapes and I enjoyed your explanations. I especially like the image with the bubbles.
Thanks Mike. I found that you can’t take just any old photo and make it black and white because a lot of things aren’t very appealing when seen that way. The selecting of which worked and which didn’t was that hardest part.
Wonderful textures in the b/w. It is good the challenge yourself, get out of your comfort zone as you put it. Looking forward to your next b/w post.
Thanks Laura. I was surprised by how many things didn’t look right in black and white. It’s not as easy as it might seem.
great post, as ever, but colour please – it’s critical for lichen identifications!
Thank you. Yes, I agree that color photography is imperative when lichens are involved. Don’t worry, you won’t see many black and white posts here.