Well it’s a drizzly overcast day here in the ‘burbs today. But can you remember the fabulous fall weather we’ve been having the last little while? I hope that some of you were out with your cameras to capture the pretty fall light. I think it’s the best light of the year for photography…the days are not yet too short, midday is not too harsh, and there is a mellow quality of light from the fading season.
I was fortunate enough to have a half day to visit a park that’s new to me as a potential photo shoot site. It was beautiful. And the obvious thing to do with a camera in a park in the fall is to capture the fall colours. Which I did. But truthfully, the fall colours are not as amazing yet as they will be in a few weeks So here’s a second challenge I gave myself. Since part of a photo shoot should be presented in black and white, I also took a series of photos with that in mind.
So a few things to consider. A black and white photograph will capture the elements of the scene which are graphic and textural, which have interesting lines and silhouettes. Subject matter like buildings and other man-made structures (bridges) fall into this category. But also natural elements like rock, moving water, and dried wood for example.
And as I mentioned, portrait shoots are also commonly done with some of them in black and white. Why do you suppose that is? What does it add to the appreciation of the photo? Black and whites are also effective when photographing locations with a sense of history or timelessness. Cobblestone streets, farms, the ocean.
The question was asked while we were at the park…How many pictures can you take of a bridge? Well quite a few it seems. So here’s a secondary bonus lesson. When you are taking pictures of something that catches your interest, take LOTS. Take them from a distance, capture the detail up close. Stand to the left and right, shoot from down low. You’re sure to end up with some that you love.
And after you have done all that, don’t miss what’s right beside your main subject, and take a picture of that too.
I hope I’ve encouraged you to give some black and white photography a try. I can’t help but be inspired when I can appreciate the world around me in a new way. You can too…
…personally, Andrea