Why I love Monochrome

Some images are just meant to be seen in Monochrome, colour just doesn't do it justice, it's all about choice too but recognising which images should be monochrome is takes time to realise without constantly switching every image you upload into Black and White.

A lot of portraits look good in Black and White and it's worth experimenting with contrast and brightness to get the look of the image you want.

   

From candid shots, family sittings and events it's worth trying a Monochrome look to see if it works...




The shot below was taken at a Jazz festival and I think giving it the Black and White treatment gives it a more dramatic look and encourages the viewer to focus on the singer rather than the background.

                               

Street photography and architecture can be effective in Black and White, I find more detail is shown up and can give it a gritty look.

       

 
These were taken in Birmingham before the Old Library was demolished and some people have said Birmingham looks better in these images.

I don't know about that but I like the way the images look after being transformed into Black and White.

It's nearly summer, get your camera and take pictures.
Karen

What makes a good image?

What does make a good, brilliant, stunning, amazing or perfect image?

Well, photography is Art and so it's subjective, the saying 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder' is true of any Art form as everyone has their own taste and opinion.

Technically a good photograph has had very little editing done to it save from the basic contrast, a little brightness adjustment and a little sharpening because shooting in Raw tends to blunt the sharp edges a fraction.
When deciding on your composition, again, Technically any main subject should never be central and the rule of thirds should always be observed really.

What is the rule of thirds?
On any camera, a phone camera or all singing all dancing DSLR there will be a grid setting which shows a grid on the display screen. The grid is made up of 9 squares, three sets of three, the rule is that anything of interest should sit on any of the 'lines' or any of the three points within the grid. 

The Bee sits on the bottom Thirds line and the model is positioned to the left of the image with space to look into. These are technically good but I'll let you the audience be the judge as I'm sure some of you will have a different opinion. 
Criticism is never a bad thing, it just sorts out who likes your image and who doesn't, it's thats' simple really. No one should be offended by an others opinion because that's all it is and we're free to make our own mind up.

Whilst taking the 'Rules' into account when taking pictures, there are some instances when the rules just don't apply and the image in question 'Just Works' although it may be technically wrong and break every rule in the book but rules are meant to be broken...
That's Art for you!

Two very different images saying very different things but equally breaking the rules...

The first image taken in Monte Carlo outside the casino (which is reflected in the mirror ball) is deliberately central but is two images effectively, the main image is the reflected casino (contained within the central square of the grid) and then the urban scene on the outside of the mirror ball. There is a definite separation of the two images but for some reason I feel it works and the response to the image has been extremely positive... always a bonus!

The second image is may daughter and again deliberately positioned centrally, I wanted to portray an image of a strong young woman, by making it simple and not conforming to the rules. 

I think it succeeds because of it's simplicity and it gains strength because of its positioning, the judges at an international exhibition clearly agreed with me as they accepted it into their exhibition.

So, don't be afraid to break outside of the boundaries, experiment and take chances with your photography, if it doesn't work... then it's a lesson learned.

"The whole point of taking photographs and so that you don't have to explain with words".  Elliott Erwitt

Karen