New Challenge: B&W Favorite ------------ March 14th through March 17th at 9:00am Eastern.

Let's do something a little different this time around. Take your best B&W image. Be very selective. And write a short paragraph or two about what you like about the picture and/or how you processed it.

There will only be one entry. Again, show your best work and tell us why.

I will be judging on composition, subject, tonal quality, quality of light, and processing skill. B&W images strip away what sometimes can be distracting color. I am a big fan of B&W photography and I believe that it helps us hone our skills.

Here is one of mine that I would consider entering as a sample of what I am looking for.

As you may have noticed, I am particularly fond of photographing people. This shot was taken at the annual Berks Jazz Fest here in Reading, PA. I was shooting from the wings and sax player Gerald Albright was really getting into it. I loved the way the lighting was working and the intensity in his face as he played. I reduced the exposure a bit to eliminate any distracting images in the background and concentrated on the light coming directly at him from above. I also nudged up the contrast a bit because I like a bit more contrast in my images. This image is all about a musician in his element.

Note: The color image was dominated by Gerald's electric blue shirt which I felt distracted from the shot. I knew it would be in B&W when I pressed the shutter.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Aamir Shahzad on March 14, 2012 at 6:56pm

like the innocence and expressions of baby,presented so nicely,

Permalink Reply by Charlotte Louise on March 15, 2012 at 9:05am

thank you.

Permalink Reply by Deborah Russenberger on March 16, 2012 at 8:11am

Great portrait.

Permalink Reply by CameraClicker on March 14, 2012 at 6:50pm

This covered walkway is part of the Toronto PATH system. The walkway joins Union Station and the Metro Convention Centre. The first time I saw this view I was returning from a computer show at the Convention Centre where I purchased my first digital camera. I took a quick photo and continued on my way. Some time later I took the photo again with a much better camera, but I was not in the right position. A couple of Novembers ago we were at Union Station again with a bit of extra time on the parking meter, so I went back and took the photo again... This was taken with a Rebel T2i (550D) at 18 mm, ISO 400, f/4.0 and 1/60th. The view I like best is achieved by lining up all of the lamps. The steps at the west end make this fairly easy to do. There is a red brick building across the street but most of the scene is almost monochrome so conversion to B & W is fairly simple. The frame of the canopy provides strong lines which I think helps the graphic look.

Permalink Reply by Aamir Shahzad on March 14, 2012 at 6:55pm

wonderful image, full grandeur of building well captured, with great perspective

Permalink Reply by CameraClicker on March 15, 2012 at 2:49pm

Thank you

Permalink Reply by Charlotte Louise on March 15, 2012 at 9:05am

Great image. You do these well. I never would have thought to do this at f/4. I would have thought you wouldn't get this much clarity. Guess it is the depth and perspective of the image. I love the lines.

Permalink Reply by CameraClicker on March 15, 2012 at 2:54pm

Thank you. F/4 works because the focal length is only 18 mm. A DOF calculator suggests the hyperfocal distance is about 9 feet, which allows focus from about 5 feet to infinity.

Permalink Reply by Deborah Russenberger on March 16, 2012 at 8:11am

Fantastic image, great contrast.

Permalink Reply by Nasongo Namasaka on March 15, 2012 at 6:05am

This is one of our many hens. I took it in colour but converted it to black and white because it intensified the serious focused look on the bird's face. It also reduced distractions arising from several colours on the background and its face.

Permalink Reply by Karen Refah Zangian on March 15, 2012 at 9:24pm

Permalink Reply by Karen Refah Zangian on March 15, 2012 at 9:31pm

I took this photo this week, I was out in the country at an Alpaca farm and this cat was following me eveywhere. I shoot in automatic but love this photo of the cat looking at his own shadow! "I am a Lion"! Its not how other people see you...but how you see yourself!