A Black & White Foray

[mbrager]

For me Black and White is about enhancing the details. A few of your shots have dark shadow, or objects at a distance, where the BW doesn't contribute to the detail. But most of your shots have close up details, like brick or stones, that are definitely emphasized by the BW conversion.
My two favorites are the ones of the brick and stone buildings, (post 3, pictures 2 and 3) where there is a lot of complex detail visible and made clearer without color. I also like the first one in that set that Marko nominated.
I love this topic, and the discussion about a separate forum for Black and White is interesting at the same time.
Mike

[kat]

Post three shot 1. That is the one that scream to me! There are several others..some that i know are better in color (if I recall them rightly). But that one is the one.

[Mad Aussie]

Well now I'm stunned.

Thank you all very much for the feedback on this set. I think I've learnt a lot from these comments. It would appear I can be a bit more confident with my B&W skills now.

Looking through the comments, and as far as I can tell ... only the first photo (post #1 photo 1) and the 2 photos in Post #4 (unless Bambi meant those 2 as well) are all that weren't chosen by someone at least once.

Thank you again!

[ericmark]

All images I like. The second is something I have been considering a lot as to if one should black anything out or if one should attempt to give it some visible texture? I do like number two but on my monitor the stones seem too dark, but likely my monitor not your picture.

The cave also not sure! I would like to see colour version. I have found caves hard as thy are often lit by owners using green and orange lighting, and many ban use of flashguns, so to remove the inappropriate colours used in fixed lighting, black and white is only option.

I am being super critical, and I do like all you have posted. I will agree sometimes you don’t consider the impact of black and white I suppose I was brought up in the era when we as amateurs only had black and white, and we were so amazed at the new colour pictures as they hit the mass market, that we have been herded into colour.

The main reason to shoot in black and white was to get the high definition and I spent many a happy hour in the dark room trying to keep light bits from getting over exposed so as to bring out the features of the dark areas. Cardboard shapes on thin wires hand held in areas likely to be over exposed, while one counted, and then removed again.
Old habits die hard so I consider the silhouette to be effect where I failed, or was too lazy to bother using card. Or even lazier where I had sent them away for processing. I did send negatives to be processed, as found my tank would not take 36 exp role, only 24 exp, but did my own printing.

Today with Photoshop everything is so much easier. Since using Photoshop not had any developer fluid go off! Was even worse with fixer fluid. Although still not worked out difference between turning into black and white and to Desaturate? Seems to do same thing!

I say this to explain why I likely don’t like half silhouette which is likely to do with my age.

You have inspired me to try some more black and white. Thank you.

[QuietOne]

The trees, the stalactites especially, the building (#2 in the 3rd post), and the 1st in the 4th post (though I suspect that one works just as well in color. It's the close quarters that's catching my attention).

Keep experimenting, OK?

[Mad Aussie]

Thanks for adding in those thoughts ericmark and also Q1.

I think only the very photo and the very last have not been mentioned now. 10 out of 12 appeal to someone for some reason so I'm happy with that. And again it tells me a lot about B&W these days.

As a note ... almost all of those do work with colour I think. They are all in my Flickr album in colour.

Eric ... I think the Desaturate feature simply does that and nothing more ... it removes the colour but leaves the remaining shade as is. The Black and White tool allows you to then adjust the saturation of the grey tone as if it were still colour allowing you to, in effect at least, 'burn or dodge' etc. Much more control over the tones with the Black and White tool.

[Richard]

I like B&W, I like colour. You have some real stunner's here MA.

[Mad Aussie]

I like B&W, I like colour. You have some real stunner's here MA.

Cheers Richard

[JAS_Photo]

A lot of really nice shots here, Aussie! Hard to really pick one or two out as a fave. Really like the second photo in post 4, first in post 3. Oh heck, I pretty much like them all.

[Mad Aussie]

Thanks JAS