Monochromes from California
May 6, 2017 11:35:27 #
I have long been appreciative of well shot black and white landscape photography. There are breathtaking landscape photos of the Californian wilderness and Yosemite National Park taken by a photographer in the 1940âÂÂs who was a pioneer in photography (can you guess who I am referring to?). This photographer founded the 'Zone System' for creating black and white photos with the best possible tonal range (a style of black and white photography I attempt today).
When I developed prints from a black & white digital captures with the early model digital cameras I shot with, the prints simply just did not have the same character of b&w images I used to print with Ilford 35mm film. However the equipment I shoot with today, as well as the applications I use for post-processing are finally producing some stellar results - IMHO.
Images Captured in Joshua Tree, California
When I developed prints from a black & white digital captures with the early model digital cameras I shot with, the prints simply just did not have the same character of b&w images I used to print with Ilford 35mm film. However the equipment I shoot with today, as well as the applications I use for post-processing are finally producing some stellar results - IMHO.
Images Captured in Joshua Tree, California
May 6, 2017 11:42:49 #
Great shots. That early landscape photographer spent hours and hours in the darkroom developing his prints, dodging, burning etc. to get the look we're all familiar with. That's akin to the way many of us perfect our digital shots in post processing today. Personally, I prefer B&W to color for most shots but I do shoot in colour and change to B&W later. That way, I've got both.
May 6, 2017 11:44:35 #
Very nice. I particularly like the second which, to me, just oozes the desolation of the desert.
May 6, 2017 11:54:53 #
May 6, 2017 12:10:36 #
Excellent photos. My preference is #2. Just love the desert. Mahalo for sharing.
May 6, 2017 13:12:27 #
DebAnn wrote:
Great shots. That early landscape photographer spent hours and hours in the darkroom developing his prints, dodging, burning etc. to get the look we're all familiar with. That's akin to the way many of us perfect our digital shots in post processing today. Personally, I prefer B&W to color for most shots but I do shoot in colour and change to B&W later. That way, I've got both.
All of my original images are captured in color using Nikon .NEF format.
May 6, 2017 17:00:03 #
BBBruce77
Loc: Eureka, Montana
I am very new to digital and do not understand all the ins and outs of post processing but whatever you did to the second image is over done as the branch that reaches up into the sky background looks pasted in; as it has a harsh narrow white rim all around it. Ansel Adams was a great technician but his fellow photographer Edward Weston was the photographer I most admired When I first delved into the world of photography back in 1967.
May 6, 2017 18:00:22 #
BBBruce77 wrote:
I am very new to digital and do not understand all the ins and outs of post processing but whatever you did to the second image is over done as the branch that reaches up into the sky background looks pasted in; as it has a harsh narrow white rim all around it. Ansel Adams was a great technician but his fellow photographer Edward Weston was the photographer I most admired When I first delved into the world of photography back in 1967.
Would like to see your work, you must be able to only capture perfect images - even in the difficult lighting conditions in the image I took you are criticizing.
May 6, 2017 18:05:03 #
BBBruce77 wrote:
I am very new to digital and do not understand all the ins and outs of post processing but whatever you did to the second image is over done as the branch that reaches up into the sky background looks pasted in; as it has a harsh narrow white rim all around it. Ansel Adams was a great technician but his fellow photographer Edward Weston was the photographer I most admired When I first delved into the world of photography back in 1967.
Take a look at more of my "inadequately" digitally processed images here
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10209607865808806.1073742013.1093178780&type=1&l=a7b2e59760
May 7, 2017 09:13:48 #
These are nice images, especially the second one. I'm a big fan of b&w, too. The only thing I see that you might do is to try bring up the contrast a bit, making blacker blacks and whiter whites.
May 7, 2017 11:22:54 #
You have made it real hard to pick a favorite since both photos are special. I guess if I had to choose one I would go for the second photo due to its solitude quality.
May 7, 2017 11:44:06 #
jaymatt wrote:
These are nice images, especially the second one. I'm a big fan of b&w, too. The only thing I see that you might do is to try bring up the contrast a bit, making blacker blacks and whiter whites.
That image was a challenge. I now always capture images in color and Nikon .NEF (RAW) format before conversion to monochrome. However, this image was captured in 2010 when I was working in California, and I was "experimenting" - The image was captured in monochrome and .JPG format (limiting my post process options
). In addition, the first image I posted was processed from a online upload I had of the original. I pulled the the original out of my archive and have reposted here [see image 1 & 2]. Also, because I was shooting toward the sun, it created a dark contrast original capture - which I decided to shadow lighten in post-process to see the limb texture - but correspondingly lightens up the entire capture. Thanks for you comments.Cheers!
Greg
May 7, 2017 11:53:49 #
These are outstanding! Ansel Adams could not do better. Thanks for posting. David
May 7, 2017 11:54:50 #
Meives wrote:
These are outstanding! Ansel Adams could not do better. Thanks for posting. David
Appreciate that - I am humbled.
Cheers!
Greg
May 7, 2017 12:32:35 #
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