As you can see, I have included a B&W of each shot to give you an idea of how the bright and dark places looked when I squinted at each scene. The question is, in high contrast situations like the ones above, does B&W work best? Before you decide, click on each one and look at it up close.
FYI: All three of these images were taken using my 70-300 IS lens hand held. The color images were bulk converted from RAW with my standard color, exposure and contrast settings. The B&Ws were done using the B&W film simulator in Bibble Lite.
Update*****
In my opinion, there are several skills that come together to make a great photographer. Here is a list as I see them:
1) Understand the basic photography concepts and the equipment you are using. What I mean by this that you should be able to set and understand all of the exposure parameters, focal length, and depth of field. For this you need plenty of practice.
2) Have an understanding of the basic rules of composition including the rule of thirds and frame balance at a minimum. Not only do you have to have a lot of practical experience with these rules but you also have to understand when you should break them.
3) You must be able to consciously see the light and dark attributes of your subject. This skill melds with and compliments both of the first two skills. This in my opinion is the hardest skill to learn. Even with an enormous amount of practice, if you are not consciously making an effort at incorporating contrast you will make very little progress.
If you put these things together well, you then have what is called the "photographer's eye". Some people naturally have the eye and some take years and thousands of photos to get it if they ever get it at all. I am not saying that there are not fantastic images out there taken by folks who have none of these skills. The point is consistency. A good photographer should be able to capture an appealing image of nearly anything at any time. When you have the "eye" you are free to experiment with all categories of photography including photojournalism, fine art or portrait.
Right now I would say that I am close to half way to having the "eye". The images in this post are simply practice toward the skill of understanding light. I added the B&W images simply as a reference to make the contrast more visible.
2 comments:
While I appreciate many images in B&W,(portraits action shots of people etc...) I do not believe that B&W truly captures the beauty of any plant material in natural light.
I have seen some B&W shots with indoor lighting look quite captivating. I suggest a dozen roses with the slightest dew on the blooms. A light colored rose might bring forth the contrast, and the water. See what I mean at
http://www.neo-photography.co.uk/images/f%20black%20&%20white%20rose%200190.jpg
Great Shot! Water nearly always perks up an image. I took this one a while back and didn't even think of water.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkhenderson/2279023716/sizes/l/in/set-72157602312174655/
I think B&W is great for shots with people in them because it puts a focus on their facial expression and body position. Color can be distracting and lead your eyes away from the important emotion of the scene. Although the B&Ws I posted do show the contrast well, they invoke a very dark emotional response. They don't seem alive..... They would be at home in Dracula's castle.
What I like about outdoor sunlight is the warmth and power of it. Artists of all types have always called sunlight one hour after dawn and one hour before sunset the "golden hours". I think they had it right. You can simulate indoors but it is just a pale "simulation".
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