Week 85 has a Black & White theme – September 14,2011

Joseph Leotta – Bronx, New York

Black and White should look like Film

Most people who started photography as hobby in the 60’s and 70’s shot a lot of Black and White film.  Besides being affordable, it was easy to process and print yourself.  No respectable enthusiast was without a home darkroom.  I had one and also had access to some great ones in High and college with photo clubs, newspapers and yearbooks.. Mine was great, Nikor stainless steel tanks and reels, a Besler 23c enlarger, gra lab timer a great homemade darkroom sink and all the accessories you could ever need.  I went thru 100’s of gallons of D-76, acetic acid, Dektol, Fixer, Hypo clearing agent and photo flo. 3 films ruled the day – Tri-x, Plus-x and Pan-x. I recently unpacked everything from the attic and stocked a full supply of chemicals. Now have about 50 rolls of film in the freezer and am set to go wild again.  The enlarger is gone but is replaced by a Nikon film scanner.  I was hoping to be rolling by the time this theme came along but have been too busy.

So I wanted the look of film out of a digital camera. The grain I feel is important and did not want a post processing effect to simulate it.  So let’s take out the old D100 and shoot it at a higher ISO at twilight and hope the noise becomes grain like. Missionaccomplished.

 Shot last night at dusk from a dock inNew Rochelle

Nikon D100 AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED @ 40mm   1/20 sec, f/9, ISO 800  shot raw, processed in NX2

 

 

Haig Tchamitch – Scottsdale, Arizona

During my July trip toFrance, I took a quick drive down toBilbaoto visit the Guggenheim.  It was unfortunately a very rainy day, but I did manage to get a few interesting shots.  This is a pedestrian bridge about a 5 minute walk from the museum.  I really like the lines in this shot.

Pentax k20d + DA 16-45 @ 21 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec, ISO 320, +1 EV.

Tags:Bilbao

 

 

Matthew Brennan – Birregurra, Victoria, Australia

This image is a reluctant portrait of my parents.  It was captured a few months back when I visited them for a long weekend.

     My dear parents are aging and despite being resiliant people with a positive outlook on life, I fear life is for them, becoming difficult and complicated with the norms of old age and decrepitude.  Each time I pay them a visit I see the tell tale signs of ageing, all to be expected with a couple in their 70’s but alarming to me none the less…….

      I snapped this frame as I was following my parents from a distance – up the cattle laneway to take a portrait shot of them under some trees further into their farm.  As I peered through the viewfinder my gaze was narrowed into a sharp focus on these two beings, slowly shuffling away from me into the distance and I freely admit to feeling as if this scene had some sort of metaphoric resonance for me.

      Upon editing this image I’ve observed how similar they appeared to me in this scene, both walking slowly, both bearing rounded shoulders from a lifetime of hard work,  their dog ‘Pretzel’ and my father following my mother’s lead which has been so true throughout their lives.  The original exposure was bathed in golden late afternoon light, with lengthening shadows.  I rather like the impact this B&W rendered photo has for me.  It is stark and realistic in my mind, perhaps I was thinking in terms of black and white?

Captured hand held, D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR @ 70mm, f/8, 1/250th sec,  ISO 400

 

 

Sandi Mahncke – Snellville, Georgia

Another shot of the Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge inCharleston,SC-  it was a beautiful day w/ beautiful blue skies and puffy white clouds. We drove around to several different locations to try to get a good vantage point and I liked this one taken from the marina where our friends keep their boat. 

 

 

 

Stacy Pace – Allen, Texas

Skies are my favorite. This enormous cloud was outside my office as I was leaving work around 6pm. There was a big storm a-brewin! The airplane was right-place-right-time. One of my all-time favorite sky/storm shots, and I love it in black and white.

I’m so excited for the coming weekend – I will be visiting SoCal, and will be lucky enough to get to meet and shoot with the fabulous Robin Warner! It’s a jam-packed weekend – getting married at a Vegas drive-thru chapel (yes, we actually planned it!), then Texas Longhorns vs. UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl Stadium, the hanging with photography friends, and back home. I can’t wait!!! I hope everyone has a fantastic week!

Taken March 8, 2011 Nikon D3000, 1/2000 @ f/4, 70mm, ISO 100

 

 

 

Roberta Davidson – Destrehan, Louisiana

Hello everyone, hope you had a good week.   My shot is from my outing with the dogs. 

Hope you enjoy.

 Tags:  Dogs, Black and White, Hunting

 

 

Gej Jones – East Lansing Michigan

Good morning! 

I was experimenting with a photo that had some appeal but needed some help.  I had shown it to Birdie and she suggested B&W might be something that I would like.  She hit the nail on the head!

 Further east on theGreat Ocean Roadthan the last shot.

D90 – 1/400sec – f/5.6 – 18-200@200mm – ISO 100 – Aperture Priority – Handheld

 

 

Ken Yamamoto – Tokyo, Japan

As you may have noticed, I have been into mono film shooting these days and this is yet another one, coinciding with this week theme.  Manual film lens is not really easy as metering has to be done manually as well.  This was taken at home just to practice.  The result is a bit different from what I had envisioned.  I wish the flower up front had been less blown and the background painting of the garden had been less bokeh’d…  But it is what it is and maybe not too bad, especially since both the camera and the lens are more than 50 years old….  I am enjoying film shooting and will play and practice with this combo for a while.                                                                                                                                Ken          www.kih.me

M3, 50mm f/2, @f/2.8, 1/15s (I think), on tri pod, ISO100, Fuji Neopan

 Tag: flower, garden painting, Leica, M3, Neopan, Summicron

 

 

Stanley Beck – Jackson, Mississippi

“Paddlewheel Steamboat Natchez” at it’s berth on the Mississippi River near the French Quarter inNew Orleans. I don’t know if others feel this way, but Black & White seems to add a bit of “age” to a lot of subjects, just as this photo seems to suggest that it was from long ago. Maybe it’s the subject, or maybe it is because when I was growing up, most photography was in Black & White, anyway.

Nikon D200, ISO 200, f/8, 1/320 sec.

 

 

Peggy G – Tupelo, Mississippi

Black and white is always a hard assignment for me.  Took this shot out my car window as I waited on this train to pull up.  Took this when it paused in front of the tall tower which was part of the cotton mill section of town.  There are several old building in this area, along with cottages the mill workers lived in.
 
Nikon D7000, Tamron 18-270, 270mm, AF-S, F/6.3, 1/1250s, ISO200

 

 

 Jens V Frederiksen – Elsinore, Denmark

Another picture from the racecourse the other day. It was ‘Ladies day’ and every female was supposed to arrive with a fancy hat. Here is the hat my wife had created for the occasion.

Have a nice week all.

Jens

 

  

Filip Lucin – Cakovec, Croatia

Hello all!

My photo for this B&W week is an infra red photo, of me, taken by me while enjoying morning sun, or should I write, morning infrared light? 🙂 Since my camera is not converted for IR photography I have to use long exposure, hence the blurred trees. Jens, thank you for the comments! I appreciate them really much! And if someone else writes them by wendsday (I’m writing this on monday evening CET), you have my gratitude as well! 🙂 So, let’s see what you all have been burning and dodging for this black and white week, see you on wendsday! 🙂

Pozdrav, Filip.

///—-\\\

Moje fotke i blog: http://www.filiplucin.com/

                             tags: IR, Infra red, person, seating, bench, lamppost, shadow, trees, birch, long exposure

 

 

Alejandro Held – Buenos Aires, Argentina

 Hello all

My friend, Paula checking her camera settings before shooting. We are inside a church belltower in Uquia,JujuyProvince

 Nikon D300 + 18-200 VR@ 18mm   ISO 200 – f 3.5 – 1/40

Tags: belltower, colonial, church, uquia,jujuy

 

 

 Emma Roberts – Coventry, England

This week I’m adding another photo from KennilworthCastlein August. Sorry I’ve not a lot to say this week, I have a final assignment to finish for my university course and my son has just started primary school so it’s a pretty hectic time!

Last weeks photos were fantastic and I look forward to seeing this weeks ones too

 

 

Wayne Ervine – Johannesburg, South Africa

Greetings all. Haven’t gotten the film developed I shot this weekend yet, so raided the archives.

Last year I was a guest at a wedding so after clearing things with the official photographer, I got the camera out, which was handy as she didn’t shoot the reception. After being the offical photographer at 1 wedding and shooting as a guest at a couple, I’m quite happy to not go into wedding photography.

The little board on the left is in Afrikaans, and translated reads just married.

 Taken with a Canon 500D with a 55-250 @ 70mm 1/50s f/4. Yongnuo manual flash

 

 

 

Rick Dohme – Tampa, Florida

Looking forward to this BW week. Thanks for the kind comments this week. This 1937 Packard is one of my friends collection. What a beauty. I took this for last BW special but changed my selection at the last minute.

Nikon D3, Nikon 24-120, 35mm, !/320 sec, f/8, ISO 320.

 Tags: Packard, Black beauty.

 

 

Rob in Warner – Santa Monica, California

 This is Raul.  Raul (26) has just spent the last 5 years inIraqandAfghanistanfighting for our county.  He came back and I was fortunate enough to be able to take his photo to help market this T-shirt Company.  It was a very emotional and eye opening experience to be able to talk to him and to hear his story.  A few highlights….he told me that he had 8 skulls tattooed on his body.  They represents all of his friends that were killed in combat with him.  I also told him that I loved his eyes and was looking forward to talking photos of his eyes and capturing his soul.  He told me he does not have a soul anymore.  Those are just two of the moments that I want to share.  It all came clear to me that day.  We live our simple wonderful lives worrying about things that really do not even matter.  Raul has been fighting a war, risking his life every minute of everyday, seeing his friends die in his arms, carrying 80 pound packs in 120 degree weather…need i say more.  It was a life-changing day for me and I am so grateful that I was able to spend that time with him.

cannon EOS60D, Lens Tameron 18-270, iso 100, 25mm, f/6.3, 1/100

 

 

 

Suzanne Bauer – West Dover, Vermont

This tractor is at the barn where we keep my daughter’s horse.  First of all, I love love tractors and old tractors even more!  I love that this one is buried amongst nature.  I’ve taken this shot several times and
changed it from color to bw to sepia and more.  And yes it did survive the hurricane waters, even the flowers ended up OK, go figure?

Still enjoying all your work, the pictures every week are just amazing!!

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi, Auto exposure, Program AE, 1/128 sec, f/8, ISO 200

 

 

David Fisk – Sullivan, Ohio

A photo of a building that was once part of a grainery inWakeman,Ohio.  I titled this photo ‘The Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore.’ 

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5

 

 

Per-Christian Nilssen – Sarpsborg, Norway

Not all photos are suitable for B&W, and I experienced this when looking through the folders to see what could be my submission this week.  I think this works, though.  A detail from a very long pier I visited inSwedenthis summer. 

Leica D-Lux 5, ISO 100, f5, 1/400sec

 And a lone lighthouse at the end of the pier

 

 

Joshua Fahler – Jhubei City, Taiwan

This was taken at Angkor Wat last summer while I was visiting with my wife, Yuling. While exploring the temple for a second day, I came across this group of monks who allowed me to take some pictures as they wandered around. You can see the rest of the set here: http://joshintaiwan.com/2011/09/13/monks-at-angkor-wat-2/ and here: http://joshintaiwan.com/2011/08/04/monks-at-angkor-wat/

Taken with the 35mm prime at f/1.8 at 1/2500 second. I usually use a “LIFE 1960” filter on Aperture 3 for black and white and then tweak the contrast levels to what I like. 

 

 

Grant Tanner – Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

 Hello everyone
Here is a relic from my backyard. Actually a macabre product from a gift shop that is about 1-1/2 inches high
My apologies if it offends anyone

D90 Nikon 50 f1.8 lens 1.3sec @ f16 ISO200

 

 

Jeannean Ryman – McAllen, Texas

 I’ve been busy lately, so haven’t had time to do much photography. I took this photo of my niece’s little boy in July. He’d just woken up and saw pancakes on the table waiting for him. He got his first haircut the next day, so I’m glad I took this. 

Jeannean
http://jeannean.zenfolio.com/

 

 

Bogdan Nicolescu – Pitesti, Romania

Less is more, that’s what B&W photograpy was for me, more technical limitations makes me try harder to get the right photo, with some limited success I’d say :)… A stop at gas station got me to this opportunistic photo of a nice youg couple enjoing the nearby river view.

Shot with Nikon F6, 35mm F/2 Zeiss ZF lens, Kodak TriX 400 film

 

 

Ertugrul Kilic – Paramaribo, Suriname / South America

 Dear Jens, thanks a lot for your comment to my post last week. I appreciated.

An elder lady was looking to the fishes on seller’s hand. Hope you like it. Take care and many cheers you to all my dear friends. Regards,

Ertugrul Kilic

http://www.ertugrulkilic.com/

Nikon D2Xs, Zeiss Makro-Planar T* f/2 100mm ZF.2, Aperture Priority, f/2, 1/60sec, ISO560, ExposureBiasValue -0.67

 

 

Jana Hughes – Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Hello Everybody,

Thank you for the comments on my photo last week, I really appreciate it. 

This week first photo from my mega 10 hour photo shoot with an opera singer, who wants to introduce an opera to a different, younger audience, she opted for burlesque/vintage glamour photos to appear on her website and on her new CD and I seemed to have fitted the vision she’s had. I had one make up artist and one hair stylist working with me that day, we were very tired by the end of the day, but all of us very satisfied with the results. This look was the Circus Look (there were 4 other completely different styles created) and I think it looks good in black and white. 

I look forward to your photos.          Jana 

Nikon D700, 24-70mm f/2.8@ISO 200, 1/60s, f/7.1 

 

 

Ken Papai – San Rafael, California

“Horses on Greenpicker Trail”

B&W blends in the animals with the dense (green) forest. This is from 9/3/11 while hiking.

Canon EOS 7D, 16-35 2.8L lens, ISO 400, f/4.5

 

 

Greg Kowalczewski – Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

 Here is a soccer shot taken over the weekend converted to black and white.

 Nikon D3s + 200 VR II at 1/4000 s, f/2 and ISO 800 (hand held) 

 

 

Joseph Leotta, Junior – New York, New York

Here is a shot from one of my favorite places inBurlington,VT.It’s taken on the corner of Church St & College St. Church Street is a gorgeous out-door market open only to pedestrians. There’s a variety of food, shops, street performers and interesting characters. College Street is the main street that runs from the heart of downtownBurlingtonto the heart ofUniversityofVermont. 

 

 

Gladys Millman – Westport, Connecticut

Here is a photo I took inHong Kongof one of the very few empty streets I passed.  This was back in 2004.

ISO 100, 24mm, rev, f/4, 1/60, Canon 10D

Looking forward to seeing everyone’s submissions this week.  I love B&W. 

 

 Special Bonus Photo Section

The bonus photo is of interest from somewhere in the world

Rare Snow – Stacy Pace

We don’t get much snow inTexas. I can only remember it snowing MAYBE 5 times when I was growing up (I’ve lived here since I was 6). In the last 2 years, the kids have missed almost TWO full weeks of school because of snow! I’m so happy my kids will have those wonderful memories of numb hands, building snowmen, and sliding down hills in laundry baskets (we do it up fancy!). This is my daughter Andie with mittens full of snow, adding to the white confetti already coming down in buckets.Taken 2/4/11 during a snow day!

Nikon D3000, 1/2000 @ f/5.3, 46mm, ISO 280

 

 

1^st Studio shoot – Wayne Ervine

This is a photo from my 2nd ever paid shoot and my 1st studio shoot.

It was a really daunting shoot but went off ok. This is the fiance and son of a work colleague. I’m not great with photographing kids but this little guy was great fun. I ended up calling him mr cheese as whenever I asked him to look at the camera he would say cheese. This time I asked him if he was sharp and so got the thumbs up. (was a thumbs up before I hit the shutter at least.) Sharp sharp being South African slang for all good.

Taken with a Nikon D300 with 18-70mm @ 40mm 1/200s f/8.

 

A 9-11 Remembrance – 2,977 Flags  – Joseph Leotta

A special color photo for the 10 year anniversary of the 9-11 terror attacks

There were a total of 2,977 victims. The victims included 246 on the four planes (from which there were no survivors), 2,606 inNew York Cityin the towers and on the ground, and 125 at the Pentagon. Only 55 of the victims were military personnel, killed at the Pentagon.  This figure is seared into the history of my country. It is a number that is devastating to everyone who hears it.

        It is also a number that always will be revered and respectfully remembered. The 9-11 anniversary each year stirs very deep feelings and especially in theNew Yorkarea.  Besides the main memorial ceremonies at Ground Zero, almost every local municipality honors the lost and the brave.  Going north fromNew York Citythe first county you come to isWestchester. New Rochelle is one of the larger cites in it. New Rochellein front of city hall, for Sept 11th placed 2977 flags on its front lawn, one for each victim of the attacks, and had a candlelight ceremony in the evening.

         I took this photo Monday 9/12/11; they are leaving the flags up for a while. It’s not justNew Rochellebut every community in the country that wants to and does something.