Lens-Artists Challenge #156: black and white

Anne Sandler is our guest hostess this week, (thanks, Anne), asking us for black and white photos. I remember when there were only black and white photos (as well as film and no digital.) So I’m taking a break from watching the replay of stage 13 of the Tour de France to gather some of my favorite black and white photos. Not true; I’m doing both. 🙂

Anne asked us to talk about our post-processing but I do virtually none and have no fancy editing apps. Here’s what I told her in response to her post:

“Some were taken with an iPhone and other than cropping, sometimes adding a frame or vignette, or making them black and white, I do very little. I don’t have Lightroom, Nik or any of those things. I use Picasa (free) or Pixlr (also free.)”

One of my favorite photos is this lone grocery cart in the middle of a flooded parking area in Naperville, Illinois.

A quiet moment in the Art Institute of Chicago, rendered in black and white. I love the sweep of the staircase and the single woman making her way down.

Shell and shadow on a beach at Cape May, New Jersey.

A foggy morning in Cape May. I waited for the ghostly carriage to come careening through the mist but I waited, thankfully, in vain.

If there’d been a deer nearby, I could have had a photo of a literal deer in the headlight but it, like the coach above, never materialized.

As always, thanks so much for visiting and for commenting. The conversation makes it all worthwhile because I love to know what you think, what you like, why you like it, and what it makes you think about.

Everyday black and white 3…You turn me on!

Apparently WordPress has done one of its “let’s change things that aren’t broken and make it more difficult to do just routine posts” routines. When I went to WP admin, I didn’t find all the usual create new post/scheduled/trash/etc. At least I didn’t find “create new post”, which is what I wanted to do. Big fat sigh, masses of irritation, and another every day black and white for you for Friday. Enjoy!

Everyday black and white 2

No whiskey connection today, just another black and white/monochrome/greyscale photo. How do you feel about black and white photography? I tend to like color, but B&W does get you to focus on lines and details and gives a feel that differs from the same photo in color, so I think it’s more what you want to convey or emphasize.

Scotch, whisk(e)y, and everyday black and white

I’ve wondered about the difference between black and white and monochrome, terms that seem to be used interchangeably. However, as I researched, I found out that’s only partially true. The differences and similarities are the same as those between Scotch and whisky/whiskey. Grab your glass and read along.

Grammerly points out the differences in the spelling of this type of alcohol:

Whisky (no e) refers to Scottish, Canadian, or Japanese grain spirits. Whiskey (with an e) refers to grain spirits distilled in Ireland and the United States.

Now if you picture the drink, no matter the spelling, as the large circle of a Venn diagram (Dan, I know you would draw this but I don’t know how to do it online). Scotch whisky (not wiskey) is made only in Scotland while adhering to certain laws. So Scotch is a small circle inside that large whisk(e)y one. Bourbon whiskey (not whisky) is made in the US and mostly from corn, so that’s a separate small circle in the large circle making up whisky/whiskey. So large whisk(e)y circle with small Scotch and bourbon circles inside it but not overlapping each other.

SO…all Scotch is whisky but not all whisk(e)y is Scotch and all bourbon is whisky but not all whisk(e)y is bourbon AND Scotch and bourbon aren’t the same.

Now I’ll cut to the chase, hoping you’re still enjoying this. All black and white (the Scotch or bourbon of photography) is monochrome, an image composed of one color (the whisky/whiskey of photography and the big Venn diagram circle.) But any image composed of one color that isn’t black and white (or the more accurate term “grayscale”) is monochrome. All black and white/greyscale (small circle) is monochrome (big circle) but all monochrome is not black and white.

So if anyone asks you the difference between black and white and monochrome, you can tell them black and white is Scotch, while monochrome is whisk(e)y. That should start a lively conversation. And that means my photos over the next few days are whisk(e)y, Scotch, and greyscale. Cheers or Slàinte mhath in Scottish. pronounced slan-ge-var. Go figure.

P.S. Today I’m taking my parents to get theirs (and my) second Covid vaccination shots (Moderna.) Tomorrow I’m taking my husband to get his first shot. These are blessings!! Hopefully we’ll have no side effects, but both mornings will be full so if I don’t get to your post right away, my apologies. You know I’ll always be back. 🙂

In the manner of Ansel Adams

for Six Word Saturday 2.6.21

Contrast

for One Word Sunday

Wordless Wednesday…preview of coming attractions

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge…mirror/reflection/black & white

Pardon a second post for the day, but when I visited Cee’s site, I saw that three of her Fun Foto Challenge themes, mirror, black and white, and reflection, could be encompassed by one photo I took some years ago and still really like.  So without further ado…

Pond

While at one of the tent shows in Arizona, I saw this pond.  At the angle I took the shot, the effect was naturally (almost) black and white.  I had a wonderful time visiting my parents.  Now that I’m back, I’m working quite a lot and struggling to keep up with my blog and yours.  I’m looking forward to a relaxing weekend and I hope yours is the same.

Silent Sunday…lines